


New Dangan Ronpa V3BOOT: Killing Harmony Redux

by EternalSailorNeptune_53



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: (Per several backstories; not in the present; dw), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Talentswap (Dangan Ronpa), Angst and Humor, Canon Rewrite, Different Culprits, Different Survivors, Different murders, Gen, Human K1-B0 (Dangan Ronpa), Implied/Referenced Abuse, Multi, New Dangan Ronpa V3 Spoilers, Ouma's somehow less of an ass yet more of one at the same time, Virtual Reality
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:55:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 33
Words: 380,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23942695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EternalSailorNeptune_53/pseuds/EternalSailorNeptune_53
Summary: Following the mass disappointment of Season 53 and several complaints from the test audience, Tsumugi is given an ultimatum: rewrite the entire season, or lose her precious job. When she complies after a little writers workshop, the results are a whole new version of the season she'd worked so hard on to bring to life. Different talents, different backstories, and most of all: different lives taken in different ways. Some may come out in one piece, others not so fortunate.Talentswap AU/V3 Rewrite. Spoilers for the ending of the main game. Lots of hijinks and heartbreak per Dangan Ronpa tradition.
Relationships: Akamatsu Kaede & Momota Kaito & Saihara Shuichi, Akamatsu Kaede/Saihara Shuichi, Amami Rantaro & Chabashira Tenko, Chabashira Tenko/Yumeno Himiko, Gokuhara Gonta & K1-B0, Iruma Miu & Shinguji Korekiyo, Iruma Miu & Tojo Kirumi, K1-B0 & Oma Kokichi, Oma Kokichi & Shinguji Korekiyo, Oma Kokichi/Shinguji Korekiyo, Shinguji Korekiyo/Tojo Kirumi, Yonaga Angie & Yumeno Himiko
Comments: 452
Kudos: 459





	1. Prologue: Reset Button

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DreamyDiamond](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamyDiamond/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just when I thought I'd never write more than just oneshots for Dangan Ronpa, I wind up lying to myself, don't I?
> 
> This is the result of many recent RP's done with a dear friend of mine (who recently signed up for AO3; go check out her oh-so very marvelous KH works! :3), so I also have her to thank for sparking this idea to begin with all from an Instagram post she'd shown me. As usual... we took it up to 11 and this was the mad result of it all, in addition to quite a few complaints we had about V3's... unique (read: shitty) writing. I hope I get to finish this fic, but I won't make promises on doing so. Count on it being seen to the end, but here's hoping.
> 
> First chapter features two characters created by her (Hoshimi and Michi), but the other one I just made up out of the blue. Talents will be revealed in the next chapter, so be on the lookout for that one! And now, let's begin the show, shall we? It ain't my first Talentswap, but it is the first I've written to story form! Have fun, everyone! ♥

It was all over. Six trials of pain, loss, agony, and despair leading up to the destruction of the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles. Rising from the rubble of the prison-like school felled by Kiibo’s sacrifice to take the establishment and its Mastermind down with him, three survivors stood looking towards the outside world. They were finally free; to leave and start anew in a world without a clear fate after far too many seasons of Danganronpa. All that hardship leading to a potentially better ending.

“I guess it’s not important whether it’s a truth or lie,” Himiko guessed, “just what it leads to.”

“Yeah. That’s what I believe,” Shuichi concurred. “We stand with one foot in fiction, and one foot in reality.”

“Then, we need to see for ourselves whether this world has changed the outside world,” Maki added. “And what we can do from this point on.”

“You’re right. We can’t stay in this fictional world forever,” Himiko said. “It’s already over. We gotta take all the experience we learned in this world, and go to the next.”

Shuichi nodded at his remaining friends, then looking back out past the shattered glass dome. “Yeah. Let’s go. We’ll see what this world gained, what it lost, and all—”

Just then, when everything seemed to fall into place and finally offered the key to freedom on a feathered cushion, the world fidgeted and jerked uncontrollably. Beneath Shuichi’s feet, the ground darkened square by square, glitching out like the walls surrounding him and his pair of comrades. Maki to his right looked just as stunned as he had, her form jolting and frazzling until it disappeared from his sight altogether. He made an attempt to reach out for Himiko in hopes of saving her from the same fate, only for her to spasm and vanish right as their hands made contact.

“Maki? Him̶̱͚̪̭̰̩̣͓̺͍̲̣̟͂̇̅̒͆̍̏̄͊̂̾̕ͅỉ̷̢̺̼̹̮̳̙͕͎̺̭̭͇͜ķ̶̡̡̗̪͕͔̑̚͜͝͝͝o̶͓̹̞͍̿́̅̀̚?̷̡̨̲͉̗̟̖͍͖̖̹̹̰̈̋͗͋̽̓̐̃̿̍͂́̍̚͝!̵̡͕̦̗͚̝̑̊͑̓͊̂̔̑̒” Shuichi cried, fingers going to his lips when he’d discovered how distorted he begun sounding. “W̶͓̻͇̗̲̟̩̻͍̣̩̫̅̌͋͐̚h̴̡̨͖̥̤͈̣̭̫͈̞̦̼͗̋͑̂̽͗̌̂̕͠a̸̭̞̺͍͋̅͒̈̉͑͛̚̕̕͜͝ẗ̸͇̼́͐̒͛̊͋̎̏̂͑͝ ̴̢͕̳̮̥̲̝̟̠͎͕̏̊̓͌̈́̎̑͝ͅt̴̡̛̼̥̲͓̖͙̲͕͑̔̂͑̎̓̏̿̕ḣ̷̨͇͎̬̜̞̙̦̙̾e̶̖̗͓͕͓̩̬̞̹͋ͅ-̵̡̢͔̤͎̗̯̪͉͚̤̞͔̀̈̕͜ͅ-̴̢̡̹̦͔̰̬̝̠̦̱̥̗̃̀̿̕͘̕?̷̡͙̘̹̖̻̗͓̖͙̥̳̯̰̱̋̊͑͐͆̿͝ ̶̛̝̖̪̩͇̩͊̃̏̋̎̒̀̕W̵̩̜͖͈̮̝̳̻̺̮̪͍̅̈̌͜͝ẖ̶̢̨̮͔͖̠̎̈́̇̎̅̎͒͋̚͜ą̴̙͓͈̪̺̐ẗ̸̖̭̰̦͈͚̗́̾̔̊͑̉̋͋͂̓̒̀͝'̷̮̉͋̋̓̌͋̑̍̊̆̔̚͝ś̸̛̜͕̲͇̰̪̖̺̭͗͛̚͘̕ ̶̧̨͖̣̮̦̯͇̥̬̠̉̔͜h̶̨̢̡̙̥̗̠͍̤͎̬̳̞̓̂͊͐͊̿̃͜ͅā̶̻͕̘̠͖͔̪̳̖̝͍ͅṗ̷̧̺͈̩̹̙̹̪̬p̷̛̥̄é̸̘͕̣̺̃́͝͝n̵̡̩͙̻̾͂̃̆̇̃̔̄̈́͘ȋ̵͍̈̃̔̃̓̅͑̐̅͝ņ̶̛̞̤͈̣̠͕̭̉̽͗͆̅͛̎̕g̶̨̛̙̣͎̺̪̞̖̖̘̬̮̓̉͘͜͠?̵̨̛͈̗̩̙̰̗̬̱̜̝̗̪̪̓͆͑̽̍̿͋͋͌̕͘͠͝͠!̶̢̧̡͇̫̥̮͚͕͈̭̼̻̰̋”

The anomaly hadn’t yet taken the outside world, so Shuichi ran. One foot pulling the ground after the other in a mad dash to escape, much like that of Kirumi in her final moments of desperation. Every second near stripped away chunks of the universe bit at a time, beginning to infect his body until all that was left was darkness. Without his say, S̶̨̙͇̹̟̥̥̺̫̞͔̗͗͆h̸͍̤͙̋̌̔́̉̍͑̋͆͝u̵̫͉̹̮̲̝̞̖̿̏͛̈́̇̒̆̍̽̒̓̏̈͝͠i̸̧̲̝̹̠̞͔͎̬͇̦͎̠͌ͅc̴̩̩̫̽̌̈́͛̊͂ͅḧ̴̛̹̙̳̺̟̪̘͙̈́͐͐̾͠i̸̢̜̝͖̳͓͎̝̓̈́͆̈́̾́̆͑͒̚ ̷̤̫̻̭̃̄̍̔̏̿̀͐̍̌͘͘r̷̡̧͕̥͍͇̟̍̿͊̂̓̌̓̓̈́̿͋͊͊ḙ̷̡̝̣̦̝̫͈̩̈́̊͒à̴̧͓͔̗͔͉̝͔̙̺̰̜͆̈́͑̿͛͒̈́̈̇̿͝͠c̵̨̪̺͕̪͍̩͒̈̔͂̔̏̚͜ĥ̷͙̬͉͈̖̥̯͇̂̐̆̚ē̸̯͍̩̥̮̞̘͕̱̥̍̒̔̆͗̋̂̓̿͝͝d̴̢̢̨͖͈͎͕̤̜̖̐͛̓̄̉̇͊ͅ ̷̼̻̯̒͂̀͐̉̆̂̎͠ŏ̷̮̬ư̴̲̻̘̩̫̜̗̌̊͊̾̇̽̒t̶̺̲͓̦̠̟͕͈̞͓͚̘̰͜͝ ̸̧̛̛͙̰̯̮̞̂̍͒̂̐̽̃͆͆́̽͠a̶̠̳̥̲̙͙̝̭̻̩̖͐̐́̓͛̅̈́̅̍̆̚͘̕͝n̴̬͋̂̏̒̎̎̃̊̍d̴̢̫̣̙͙̐̌͗̇̐̓̇̿̀̃̋̈́͝

_Force Quit Complete_

_Simulation DR-V3 Over_

_Deactivating: Simulation Pod 13_

_Initiating: Emergency Wake Up Procedure_

_10%_

_20%_

_25%_

_30%_

_55%_

_75%_

_80%_

_95%_

_99%..._

_Subject_13.Shirogane Is Conscious_

_Pod 13 Has Now Been Opened_

* * *

Eyelids trembling, Tsumugi pried them open as the cover of her sleeping pod was lifted, sitting up while a hand each grabbed onto two of hers. To her left, a girl in performing attire with long white hair; pulling by the right, a boy with darker hair and brown eyes wearing a red vest and a milder disposition who looked more displeased compared to the worried girl assisting him. Tsumugi had a bad feeling, especially on realizing she wasn’t supposed to be awake just yet unless for emergencies.

“Hoshimi, Michi,” she addressed the other two, fixing her round glasses and removing all the tubes formerly connecting herself and the pod. “Do either of you mind telling me what’s going on? Who forced a wake-up call?!”

“You’re wanted,” Michi said, ignoring his associate’s scolding. “And it’s not good, either.”

“Wanted? By who?”

“The higher ups,” Hoshimi gulped. “Our test audience just finished their evaluation, and you’re needed for a word.”

“It’s done?” Tsumugi beamed. “How did they like how this season will turn out?”

Hoshimi stayed quiet for once, grimacing and reinstating her news. “Why don’t you hear it yourself, Mugi-honey? That’s all I can say right now.”

“It isn’t pretty,” Michi added, helping Tsumugi up the rest of the way and turning her to the exit. “Good luck.”

Oh no, she should have known! With how disastrous Shuichi just _had_ to make what was supposed to be her magnum opus, Tsumugi prepared for the worst coming as she left the Simulation Pod Room. The executives’ office was right upstairs, give or take a few floors higher. A few more doors down and she was there, knocking on the largest entrance before being permitted to enter. When she had, the chairman looked her way with nothing but disappointment, demanding she take a seat right away.

“You wanted to see me, Kataka-san?” Tsumugi wondered.

“...Read these and weep,” Kataka told her, sliding out paper sheets with fine ink printed on each copy. “Our test audience had more than enough to say about our recent season.”

Tsumugi went over each one, gathering a clear verdict. “Wh—?! ‘Unfair narrative’? ‘Wasted potential’? ‘ _Shit writing_ ’?! The nerve!”

“And that’s not even scratching the surface of what the audience had to say about your little subplot idea regarding Korekiyo Shinguuji.” Kataka handed over another full stack of papers to Tsumugi, who looked horrified at the thought of reading even one of them. “Some of those also have quite a bit of fire with our little protagonist switcheroo.”

“Oh, come on! A bait-and-switch was just what the doctor ordered. And that subplot was genius; who doesn’t like a little forbidden love affair?”

“An _incestuous_ one? On top of him being a serial killer? Where do you think half of those complaints on bad character arcs were coming from?”

“‘Victim of abuse’, ‘unnecessary shock humor’, ‘gross, fucked up excuse of a subplot’, ‘clearly can’t write trauma for crap’.” Tsumugi rolled her eyes. “Whatever. No one knows juicy plot twists if it bit them in the rear.”

“Shirogane-san, these cannot be taken lightly. If the test audience hated the whole thing, how do you think the real public would react if we premiered this? We’d go right under!”

“What am I supposed to do about it? I worked my tail off with this season! It’s my baby!”

“Either you make some serious changes, or we do. To your _job_. What will it be?”

A blue brow twitched irritably, Tsumugi pushing her glasses up and looking stern at her boss. “...I’m gonna need enough time.”

“We can postpone our premiere date easily, so you’ll have plenty. And while you’re writing up the revision, Abe-san and Dąbrowski-kun will be supervising the entire time.”

“Why? I’m fully capable of writing my own—” Kataka waved some of the papers in front of Tsumugi with a brow raised, shutting her up.

“On my desk as soon as possible, and it’d better sparkle compared to what we saw before.”

Grumbling, Tsumugi took an armful of the complaints and negative reviews on the way out, letting the door slam itself. When she reached to dial up her associates, some of the papers dropped, groaning as she scooped them all up in a hug whilst speaking into the phone pushed up on her shoulder. Danganronpa was her life, her blood, and more importantly, her expertise, and she was getting punished for putting her whole heart into it?! Was Kataka and her so-called test audience crazy?! How ridiculous…

“I’ll meet you and Michi in the conference room,” Tsumugi sighed. “No, it’s not just you and me; the boss wants all three of us. Yeah, I’m just as disappointed as you are! I have to rewrite a whole season of Danganronpa!”

“Among other reasons,” Hoshimi grumbled.

“Work now, date later,” Michi told her. “If we let Miss Mastermind do all the work again, Kataka’s bound to fire us too for not cooperating.”

“She just needs a little writer’s workshop. I know my way around a good show, so I’d be able to lend a helping hand.”

“And I’ll be there to ebb the sea of raging hormones. Plus, clean up whatever mess Tsumugi-san tries coming up with around this time.”

“You worry too much, Michi-chan. A second chance is sometimes all you need to get things right.” Dragging Michi along, Hoshimi went towards the conference room with vigor. “Now, let us help make some magic!”

* * *

Well, this was already looking to be a disaster. Hardly an hour into the brainstorming session, and Tsumugi refused to cooperate, much to Hoshimi and Michi’s weary dismay. Ideas pitched with revisions went denied, the Mastermind’s sour mood unwilling to accept anything that would vastly change her ideal show. They could tell so, too, not entirely blaming her, but getting pretty sick of the lack of agreement from her side. Another paper ball flew across the table, stopping on a bed of half-written notes scattered on a polished wood surface.

“Tsumugi-san, this is madness,” Michi exhaled. “At the rate we’re going, we haven’t reached even one compromise.”

“Isn’t there anything you can agree on with changes?” Hoshimi wondered. “We understand your original ideas went south, but doing something new isn’t always a bad thing.”

“Except when you’re basically told to start all over,” Tsumugi hissed. “Too many changes and my vision will be unrecognizable.”

“Kataka-san didn’t say to change _all_ of it.”

“Just most.”

“That doesn’t have to inherently be terrible to do. You can still add your input, but put a different spin on it.”

“And please, dearest, do away with the you-know-what subplot,” Hoshimi pleaded.

“There you go again with it being ‘gross’,” Tsumugi snorted.

“Which it is,” Michi argued. “And since nearly the entire test audience loathed it, it definitely can’t stay in. At least not without us losing our jobs.”

“Fine. No shock value romances, then.”

“Also, there shouldn’t be a character more villainous or despicable than the Mastermind,” Hoshimi advised, batting her eyes flirtatiously at Tsumugi. “Not that you’re either of the sort, Mugi-honey. You’re only playing the part and so well, too.”

“What else has the audience whined about?” Tsumugi asked, paying no heed to Hoshimi’s latter statement. “Kataka-san mentioned something with the protagonists?”

“Oh, right, that too. A lot of people weren’t very happy with the switcheroo twist. Some even wanted Saihara to die instead of Akamatsu.”

“Not that you could call that a twist,” Michi snarked. “I’d say it’s more along the lines of… oh, ‘false advertising’, personally.”

“Okay, genius, what would you do?” Tsumugi quizzed. “Since you think you know so much.”

“To state the obvious, give everyone what they want. But, there are some who loved Saihara-kun’s performance as our hero, so maybe we could find a way of doing both.”

“What? You mean having _two_ protags?”

“If it comes to that. We have all the time in the world to pick something.”

“Alright… what else?”

Hoshimi sprouted an idea, laying out a list containing each contestant and their talent on the other side of the paper. “What if… we changed things up some more? As in, with who has what Ultimate title?”

“You mean switch the talents around? We’d have to rewrite everyone’s characters from scratch if we did that because their backstory relies heavily on who they are as an Ultimate!”

“It wouldn’t be too difficult if we all cooperate,” Michi stated. “And, it’d be a great chance to change the cases a little, as well. If the audience wants something different, then different they shall have.”

“But, that’s too different! I thought we agreed to revise, not turn everything on its head! This is not the vision I had at all.”

“The vision you had was a disaster. We’re practically handing you an opportunity to keep your job on a silver platter, and the only person holding you back is yourself. Don’t be so close-minded and stuck in your ways; try something else on for a change, and we could be successful enough to potentially warrant a 54th season.”

“I understand how upsetting it must be to have your ideas stomped on, but— Michi-chan has a point here,” Hoshimi reluctantly agreed, putting a reassuring hand on Tsumugi that hardly did a thing. “Sometimes in showbiz, you need to make sacrifices when it comes to your career, whether you like it or not.”

“And again, don’t throw away everything in your vision; simply change it up a little. This is all a team effort, which includes you.”

Tsumugi looked at the list of her fellow contestants and all the pre-agreed on talents, wondering of what sort of unknown possibilities that could accompany a new switcheroo. “...Are you sure it’s such a good idea to switch the talents?”

“I don’t see why not,” Hoshimi said. “It’d be refreshing, unexpected, and the show of a lifetime! Definitely a nice change of pace.”

“Well, if you’re saying so. But, it’s gonna take some time to think of new backstories and character arcs. And since we’re swapping around the talents, we might as well change who dies and who doesn’t.”

“Great idea! You’re getting it now. A whole new season right at our fingertips.”

“I’m gonna miss being the Ultimate Cosplayer. Whoever gets my old title better use it well!”

“You’re the anime expert, so you’ll know what to do best for your replacement. And, you get to pick your new title.”

“So, where should we start after that? What do you want to be this time around?” Michi asked.

Tsumugi looked at the list, deviously smiling to both ears while making the first line connecting her to her new talent. “Fits like a glove,” she commented. “Now, let’s take care of some other problems I ran into in the old showing.”

* * *

The day finally came with the completion of the 53rd season’s revisions, Tsumugi proudly laying them out with Hoshimi and Michi standing beside her for moral support. Kataka looked over the notes and script using a hawk’s gaze, nodding along to each new turn and revelation with more approval than he had the first time. His eyes squinted a bit surprised at some parts, Tsumugi able to uncross her fingers when her boss’ approval didn’t falter.

“Not bad,” Kataka said. “The first episode looks good so far, and the rest is already shaping up to be a massive improvement. I will say I’m surprised you switched the talents around from the first time.”

“What can I say? You were right to say we needed a change,” Tsumugi responded proudly. “I think this time, the screws will turn in my favor and end a lot better.”

“If they do, you might just get to be in charge of next season.”

“Me? You mean it?! Oh, wait a minute. If I’m getting promoted, then what are you gonna do with…?” One name on the list of contestants caught her eye, more curious than truly concerned.

“After his little performance in the first draft, suffice to say Iidabashi-kun’s services will no longer be needed with Team Danganronpa after this season.”

“Good. That’s exactly what he deserves for tearing down all my hard work. So, are we ready to go now?”

Kataka gave an approving thumbs up. “You look all set to me. With just a little more setup and working out the kinks in the simulation, we’ll have another viewing for this version of Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony.”

“Then there’s no time to lose. On with the show!”

Taking her leave with Hoshimi and Michi, Tsumugi went back to the Simulation Pod Room to get a proper restart on her greatest work. She detoured into the main computer section of it, pulling up the memory files of the fifteen unlucky contestants and erasing the vast majority of what she’d implemented before. Although sad to see it go, the new fabricated lives she began to install felt sure to work out better for her side of it.

Putting on the last touches and uploading a copy of the new script, Tsumugi saved it all and closed it, strolling over to her awaiting pod and entrusting her associates to handle the last few details. She laid like that of a maiden cursed to sleep for a century, wires and sticky pads reclaiming their initial position as everything started up once more. All the new pieces were coming together…

_Downloading: V3_Memories02.exe_

_Launching Program: New Danganronpa V3BOOT: Killing Harmony Redux_

_Buffering…_

_5%_

_10%_

_15%_

_20%_

_30%_

_40%_

_50%_

_65%_

_78%_

_88%_

_95%_

_99%..._

_Launch Complete._

_Program Start!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, prologue's not much. You'll see the fun stuff real soon, folks. By the way, "Dangan Ronpa" is spelled mushed together in-story bc it looks better, but I cannot in good conscience put it in the title bc I've been around these parts well before the English release changed everything.  
> The next chapter/first episode's got a bit of a ways to go before it's complete, so hang on for a bit while I get that out for ya. My recent school paper ate up too much time than I'm proud of, but once finals are over, I should be in the clear! If you have any guesses for the different talents before next chapter comes out, leave 'em in the comments, if you want! Stay tuned, and thanks for picking this hootenanny up if you did!


	2. Episode I: Meet The (New) Ultimates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY, the moment has arrived. This chapter was over 30 pages long, so it was worth the effort to finally get up. And as a result, it's long and juicy because we're introducing 16, new and improved Ultimates! Whatever guesses you might have made before this moment will be debunked or affirmed right here, right now. Some things have been taken from the canon prologue, but it's not a copy-paste of it, so expect some dialogue the same, and others not. 
> 
> Now, let's get on with the moment you've all been patiently waiting for! Happy Reading, everyone! ♥

Everything was crammed and dark. No matter how much she moved, there wasn’t an inch of elbow room to be found. Move to the left, a wall. Move to the right, another wall! Did she get locked into some prison? No, there’d be at least some bars that let her see what was outside. A few taps on the door and it resounded like an old metal. It didn’t sound very durable, either, so it looked like she was breaking out!

And then, she did.

_CLANG! CRASH! CREAK…!_

“It was just a locker?” she realized, pushing open the deformed door. “Sounds a little cliché to put someone in there.” Finally looking outside, she saw an eerie classroom lit only by the eerie green chalkboard and wrapped all in overgrown weeds, the windows barred by red barbed wire. “A little odd having one put in the classroom. “How did I get—?”

_BANG!_

Startling her into bracing herself for harm, the locker door beside hers flew open and across the room, denting further against the wall on contact. All that stuck out of it initially was a fist wearing a black forearm guard, but the rest of its owner stepped out cautiously. He turned out to be a boy with gray-olive eyes roughly the same height as her, short navy blue hair with a hair antennae similar to hers sticking from his crown. On his body, a skintight, black short-sleeved shirt and hakama pants of a deep cobalt color that just hung above the white tabi socks and zōri sandals worn on his feet, a school’s symbol etched on his left hip.

“Hey, are you—” she tried asking, the only response she got was a shriek and one of the chairs flying her way from an expert toss. Instinctively, she moved to the right and let it shatter against the wall instead of her skull. “Excuse me! Who just up and throws a chair at someone they just met?!”

“Oh! Sorry about that,” the boy apologized. “I’m a little on the jumpy side.”

“Which is surprising considering how good of an arm you’ve got. Say, you wouldn’t happen to know what’s going on around here, would you?”

“No, actually. I’m just as in the dark as you are. All I remember is waking up in the locker, getting out, and meeting you just now.”

“Then, that means you’re not in on it. Who brought us here?”

“Rise and shine, ursine!” five different voices announced out of nowhere, revealing themselves as five little mechanical bears in red, blue, pink, green, and yellow.

The two students yelped, getting into a joint combat pose with their backs facing one another. “Stand back!” they proclaimed in unison, then looking at each other confused. “Huh?”

“Oh, how adorable!” the pink bear cooed. “Like two partners-in-crime at first sight!”

“More like a second Mr. and Mrs. Smith, if you ask me,” the yellow one insisted. “Except they’re looking to kill us instead of each other.”

“We know that shit’s not gonna last!” the blue one roared, raising his little electric guitar proudly. “Kinda the whole point of why we’re here to start!”

“Kill each other?!” the boy sputtered. “Why would we do that?”

“And more importantly, how are you all talking?” the girl asked. “I’ve had my share of stuffed bears thrown my way, but none of them talked!”

“We’re not Monokubs, we’re stuffed animals!” the blue bear argued.

“Pssst, Monokid,” the yellow bear whispered. “You have your lines in reverse again.”

“No stuffed animals, us! The Monokubs, them!”

“Oh, geez. That’s even worse…”

“The Monokubs?” the boy repeated, now more confused than ever.

“Let’s just back away slowly and pretend we didn’t see anything,” the girl whispered, trying to take her partner to the door.

“Hey, now! Didn’t your mommy ever tell you it’s rude to leave before introducing yourselves?!” the red bear snapped, stopping the escape attempt.

“I guess we’re not important enough to listen to,” the pink one seemingly wept. “Or so much as remember!”

“We’d definitely remember seeing talking bears outside of a fever dream,” the girl argued, thrown even more for a loop when the bears cheered for joy. “Oh, what now?”

“It worked!” the red one declared. “It really worked!”

The green one didn’t look like he had anything to say, so the yellow one spoke for him. “In case you’re wondering what’s going on, direct all your questions to Monotaro there. He’ll be happy to answer any you’ve got.”

“Like a sixth grader helping out a fifth grader!” the pink one swooned.

“O… kay,” the boy said, facing the red bear. “First question. Where is this place?”

“Why, it’s none other than the Ultimate Academy For Gifted Juveniles, of course!” the red one, Monotaro, answered.

“Ultimate Academy? I’ve never heard of a place like that.”

“It’s a private school,” the yellow bear fibbed. “So private, that only a select few can attend!”

“For instance, you sixteen little cretins and you guys alone,” the pink bear giggled.

“Sixteen?” the girl wondered.

“Are ya deaf up there?!” the blue bear, Monokid, screeched. “Six-teen! That’s how many of you we shoved into this dump total! Sixteen Ultimates!”

“And an Ultimate is someone scouted by the government’s Ultimate Initiative program,” the yellow bear started explaining. “Which, in short, means you excel in your field of expertise and are selected based on that.”

“Yeah, I know that part. I’m an Ultimate, too,” the girl interrupted.

“Then don’t you forget it this time! No one likes hearing a lecture more than once.”

“It’d be a shame to just up and forget your Ultimate talent,” the red bear sighed. “The honor of a lifetime gone right down the pooper!”

“‘Forgetting’?” the boy asked.

“Shut yer yap and cut to the chase!” Monokid barked, appearing to split his guitar in half. “Talk less, smile more and all that junk! Just get on with it!”

“With what, now?” the girl sighed.

“Exploring the Academy!” the pink bear said. “And, while you’re at it, get to know your fellow Ultimates wandering around this place.”

“It’ll be very important for the activity afterwards,” the yellow bear warned. “Until then…”

“So long, bear well!” all five bears sang, disappearing in a flash and leaving the two students alone again.

Whatever questions either of them had vanished with the bears, leaving a whole lot more mystery for them to solve on their own. All either knew was that more Ultimates were somewhere else in the new school, presumably of different shapes, sizes, and professions neither could imagine. First things were first, if they were going to spend the day introducing themselves to total strangers, the best place to start was each other. The girl broke silence first, clearing her throat loud enough and getting the boy’s attention.

“You’re an Ultimate, too, are you?” she asked. “I take it something involving… martial arts?”

“That’s right,” he confirmed. “My name is Shuichi Saihara, the **Ultimate Aikido Master**.”

“Aikido? Well, that explains a lot.” Her eyes looked at the destroyed locker for a second, then turning back to Shuichi. “You seem like you’ve been training for a while.”

“Years. Master said to only use my skills for self-defense, but I’m not sure if a locker counts.”

“Considering someone stuffed you into it like a bully, I think your master would forgive you for it.”

“If you say so…” Shuichi took a few seconds to get a good look at his new lavender-eyed associate, taking in the long blonde hair with a gentle curl, a few daisy and smiling sun hair clips, and the hair antennae just like his own. Her attire was practical, a simple white blouse and magenta pleated skirt worn over plum leggings and silver sneakers. Covering the blouse, a lilac apron tied back just under her white backpack with her old high school’s emblem printed on the breast. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Kaede Akamatsu, the **Ultimate Child Caregiver**. It’s nice to meet you!” Kaede enthusiastically introduced.

“You’re experienced with kids? Are you a babysitter?”

“I was until I moved onto working at a daycare. Let me tell you, looking after one or two kids sounded like the hardest thing in the world until I started taking care of over ten of them all at once.” Kaede’s weary voice tone didn’t take long to brighten up considerably, now almost nostalgic. “But, I can’t help but miss my kids. They’re all no doubt a handful, but something about looking after little people just brings a smile to your face by the end of it.”

“Kids are pretty crazy, aren’t they? You sound pretty popular at your daycare.”

“A little too much, I sometimes think. If I had 100¥ for every time one of them wanted me to be their new mom or big sister, I’d be the place’s owner and not just an employee. It’s really cute and just a little ego pumping, so I don’t mind at all, though.”

“I’m not sure how good of a thing that last part is.”

“Oh, relax! I’d never resort to kidnapping someone else’s child. I only see them during the day when their parents are busy. And— some nights if I’m asked to pick up my old babysitting gig again.”

“Like a nanny?”

Kaede gave Shuichi an unimpressed look. “No, not like a nanny. I look after kids, but not forever. Nannies have it a lot harder than I do because they have to do a lot more housework. You don’t see me mixing up Aikido and karate, do you?”

“I’d definitely hope not. Karate is considered a ‘hard art’ involving a lot more aggression and punches, but Aikido is a ‘soft art’ centered more around throwing, holding, and even flipping. One for brute strength, the other made primarily for self-defense.”

“Then, why did you punch the locker open?”

“I can’t exactly flip something from the inside, now can I?”

“Good point. Still, whoever took us here had to have been pretty strong to disarm a master of martial arts, hard or soft.”

“Just when I thought those days were over…” Shuichi looked at the door he initially wanted to leave from sooner were it not for the Monokubs. “So, should we? You know.”

“Look for an escape route while meeting the other Ultimates? I thought you’d never ask! Come on!”

Kaede pulled Shuichi by the wrist, leading him outside the classroom and into the rest of the Academy. The hallway looked just as unkempt as the classroom, albeit with more overgrown plant life and neater walls. For some reason, the air felt heavy enough to induce one’s deepest anxieties; expected for a school, but this took it to the next level. Shuichi stopped in his tracks for a minute, fishing through his hakama pants for something and pulling out a small black tablet labeled “Monopad” and examining it.

“Whatcha got there?” Kaede asked.

“This was on me, but it looks like some kind of electronic handbook,” Shuichi guessed. “Did you get one?”

“Let me see.” Turning away from Shuichi to keep the context of her bag a secret, Kaede fished through it carefully and pulled out an identical Monopad. “Ah-ha! Wait a minute, who went in my backpack?”

“Probably the same people who knocked me out and hid mine on me. I don’t know what it does exactly, but it looks useful.”

“It’s got a map of this place!” Kaede showed her Monopad to Shuichi, browsing through the settings. “And a section for… ‘Report Cards’?”

Shuichi pressed the application, opening up a page showing 16 silhouettes unknown except for him and Kaede. “I guess it’s for saving info on everyone once we meet them. Look, here’s you!”

“They even have my chest size and blood type down… creepy. At least we know for sure how handy it is besides that. Let’s see what’s on this floor first before we go to the first ones. Maybe one of our new classmates is waiting for us already!”

* * *

_Report Card(s) Unlocked!_

**Kaede Akamatsu**

**Height:** 5’8”

 **Weight:** 117 lbs

 **Chest:** 35”

 **Blood Type:** O+

 **D.O.B.:** March 26th

 **Likes:** Children

 **Dislikes:** Bad parenting

 **Notes:** Ultimate Child Caregiver

**Shuichi Saihara**

**Height:** 5’7”

 **Weight:** 128 lbs

 **Chest:** 32”

 **Blood Type:** AB-

 **D.O.B.:** September 7th

 **Likes:** Training dummies

 **Dislikes:** Broken bones

 **Notes:** Ultimate Aikido Master

* * *

Trudging past the overgrown flora, Shuichi and Kaede went up ahead and saw a different girl standing in front of a mysterious door with a keyboard symbol on its front. Who they assumed was their first classmate wore a black, knee-length bouffant dress with bellflower-shaped short sleeves, the same keyboard design lining along the bottom of the skirt. Over her long legs, dark gray tights printed with spiderweb and black Mary Jane shoes with modest heels. A thin, black headband with a white treble clef over the left side stuck to her pearl blonde hair, bobbed in the back, yet covering her left eye in neatened peek-a-bangs.

“That’s odd,” she said, pulling a few times on the door using one of her black glove-covered hands, only for it to stay shut tight. “It seems to be locked.”

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the voices of the Monokubs shouted as they appeared just as suddenly beside the girl.

“Not again,” Shuichi and Kaede sighed, hurrying to try and rescue her.

“Where do you think you’re going, Beethoven?” Monotaro interrogated.

“This room, but I can’t seem to enter,” the girl answered, a slight disdain to her tone. “Would you mind unlocking it for me?”

“Fuck no! You think we’d let you in some half-assed room just because it looks cool?” Monokid quizzed.

“We— haven’t quite finished renovating your Research Lab, so come back later when it’s done,” the pink bear confessed.

“Monophanie! She wasn’t supposed to hear that until we’d built up the suspense,” the yellow bear scolded. “Way to be, Miss Spoils-A-Lot!”

“Oopsie! Well, since the bear’s out of the bag, why not explain things now, Monosuke?”

“I guess I might as well.” Monosuke turned to the tall girl, who listened with only moderate attention. “Throughout the school, you will find sixteen Research Labs, one for each student. Your Lab is meant to hone your skills as an Ultimate, so each one is built to suit your individual fancies.”

“Kinda like a personal training room!” Monotaro added. “You may be Ultimates, but none of you scrubs are totally perfect like us.”

“So, this is mine?” the girl asked.

“DUH! We just got done saying that, dipshit!” Monokid roared. “For a musician, you sure suck at listening! God, and I thought Monodam was the biggest pain in my ass I knew!”

The green robot bear assumed to be Monodam said nothing, allowing the girl to speak more. “Then that’s all I care to know. If it’s not ready, then there’s no reason for me to stick around and put up with your nonsense.”

“‘Nonsense’, she says! And here we are so generously giving her free info,” Monosuke scoffed.

“Knowledge is power, so you should be thanking us!” Monophanie demanded. “But, if you’d rather not hear the synopsis, then who are we to invade?”

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs all sang, hightailing it just as Shuichi and Kaede caught up.

“They’re gone,” Kaede said, relieved. “We’re sorry about that. They’ve done nothing but harass us, too.”

“Are you two Ultimates as well?” the girl asked. “I knew there’d be others like me, but I didn’t think I would meet any this soon.”

“Yes, we are! What’s your name?”

“I’m Kirumi Toujou, the **Ultimate Pianist** ,” Kirumi introduced.

“Oh, so this is your Research Lab right here? You must have an ear for music! What kinds do you like the most?”

“Primarily classical and things that are easiest on the ears, but I’m open to play mostly anything. Everyone has different tastes in music, and there’s very little that can’t be played on the piano.” Kirumi frowned. “However, do keep something important in mind for when my Lab opens. I’m a musician, not a miracle worker or radio station. I have a right to refuse something highly absurd.”

“Like what?” Shuichi asked.

“To start, I won’t be able to play overly-lengthy pieces or songs that would sound better with more than one instrument. I prefer keeping my fingers as functional as possible. Second, although _most_ things can be replicated on piano, to say _all_ of them would be outright dishonest.”

“What else?” Kaede wondered.

“Although I’m capable of playing songs by ear, should there be a song I require reading off of, the sheet music has to be legible. If I can’t read it, I can’t play it. End of story.”

“Other than that, we’re good to go?”

“Yes.” Kirumi smiled, bringing joy to Kaede’s heart. “I’m open for plenty of requests. As they say: ‘music soothes the savage soul’. And considering our dreary conditions, we’ll need plenty of soothing going around here.”

“Do you always play peacekeeper?” Shuichi inquired. “You sound like this isn’t your first time calming people down.”

“Because it isn’t. I was of course taught from a young age to play piano, but the better I got, the more I drew in a crowd. Why, there was one time, I wound up being the sole person able to ease my rowdy class during a music lesson. Not even the teacher was any match for a group of noisy high schoolers.”

“I’m sure after that day, you became the favorite student,” Kaede giggled. “I’d love to have you play for my kids when we get out of here.”

“You have kids?”

Kaede quickly cleared things up before a misunderstanding could be born. “The ones at the daycare I work for.”

“Ah. That would make a lot more sense. I’ve never played for such a young audience, but I’ll have to think about it.”

“You’ve got time to do so. I can already tell they’d just eat someone as gorgeous as you up!”

Kirumi’s visible eye widened somewhat surprised, shying away modestly and hinting a smile. “Oh, I’m sure you say that about all the musicians you’ve met.”

“Just the cute ones.”

“Why don’t we catch up later, Akamatsu-san?” Shuichi suggested. “I don’t think now’s a good time to stand and flirt.”

“Aww, come on! I was just having a little fun. No harm in that!” Kaede smiled cheekily at Shuichi. “If it helps, you’re not too bad on the eyes yourself, Saihara-kun. All that Aikido means you’ve gotta work out, right?”

“I—? Umm… yes. Thanks.”

Shuichi hurried off with a faint pink in his cheeks, bidding Kirumi farewell and asking Kaede to follow his way. He pinched up and down his arm a bit to see if his muscles were really that noticeable, deciding it not important enough to think about until things were cleared up better with his new surroundings. Kaede seemed to be eyeing him still, but he hadn’t been sure whether or not she’d caught him checking his potential muscles.

* * *

_Obtained Friendship Fragment!_

_Report Card(s) Unlocked!_

**Kirumi Toujou**

**Height:** 5’9”

 **Weight:** 115 lbs

 **Chest:** 33”

 **Blood Type:** B-

 **D.O.B.:** May 10th

 **Likes:** Music lessons

 **Dislikes:** High-pitched sounds

 **Notes:** Ultimate Pianist

* * *

“I guess there’s nothing interesting left on the second floor,” Kaede decided. “Let’s get going down a level and see what else is here.”

“According to my Monopad, there looks to be two more labs, the gym, a dining hall, a warehouse—”

“—Get away from me, filthy _men_ ace!” a voice shrieked, footsteps growing in volume from up ahead.

“Why don’t ya make me, Tin Can?” another, more childish-sounding voice taunted, clearly being the one harassing the first.

Coming their way were two more Ultimates. One looked to be a green-eyed girl with pale taupe skin only in the face… with the rest of her being completely metallic, if not a vague shade of blue shaped like that of a seifuku altered to look shorter. Her synthetic hair was dark green, styled into two angular knee-length braids reminiscent of a DNA structure with a four-blade emerald propeller on the back of her head. Her neck could easily be mistaken to have a black choker with some sort of dial hanging from it, if it weren’t for the red text zipping across it reading “DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!” at an alarming rate.

The other Ultimate was a short human boy with messy black hair tipped purple at the ends matching his eyes, wearing a zipper hoodie that was white in the center, but styled after the vast universe on the sleeves and back side. He seemed to be wearing some sort of short overalls underneath it, white and printed with black five-pointed stars all over as if to make a pseudo-checkerboard pattern. For footwear, he donned white slouch socks inside violet sneakers with black outsoles, a crescent moon pin on one shoe and a star pin on the other.

“Keep your putrid little fingers to yourself!” the metal girl screeched. “I’m willing to bet you don’t wash them!”

“I’m not touching you!” the boy cackled, clearly poking the other to her displeasure. “How can you feel, anyways? You’ve got no feelings!”

“Of course I do, you robophobic degenerate!”

“Robo-what did she say?” Shuichi asked, exchanging a look with Kaede. “Should we get involved?”

“Yes,” Kaede answered, running over to break up the scene. “Okay, okay, break it up, here!” She removed the boy’s hands from the girl, giving him a stern look. “Young man, we keep our hands to ourselves.”

“Is everything alright?” Shuichi inquired, inspecting the girl for any damage. “He didn’t do anything too bad, did—!”

“Just what do you think you’re doing?!” the girl barked, apprehending Shuichi using a wrist grab. “You’re probably a friend of his trying to—!” Before she knew it, her same hand was grabbed, raised above her head, and then used to flip her frontways onto the ground. “Eep!”

“Sorry, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t grab at me like that. Are you hurt?”

The girl sneered at Shuichi with a mix of smugness and disgust, refusing his offered hand and pushing herself off the ground. “No, but I’m equally unsurprised a degenerate male like yourself would dare to lay his hands on a poor girl in danger.”

“Likewise! I don’t remember giving some scummy Earthling permission to touch me, neither!” the other boy spat, shoving Kaede’s hands off of him. “Maybe you should take your own advice of keeping your hands to yourself, huh, toots?”

“‘Degenerate male’?” Shuichi wondered, one brow raised.

“‘Toots’?!” Kaede snapped, fists on her hips. “Also, what do you mean ‘Earthling’? You’re one, too!”

“Ha! As if I’d be on the same level as people like you,” the boy laughed. “You can’t even keep your own sorry excuse of a planet clean.”

“You mind your tongue, you ill-mannered little hooligan!” the metal girl scolded, moving the boy away and facing Kaede with a much kinder disposition than she’d given Shuichi. “I’m so sorry about that. He’s been giving me grief since I rebooted, and I’ve been going out of my way to shake him. Pay him no mind!”

“Reboot?” Kaede parroted before it all clicked, now more than intrigued. “Are you a robot? That’s so cool!”

“C-Cool? Oh, no, no, it’s just how I was made. It’s not that big of a deal, really.” She turned timid, but nonetheless grinning at the praise. “But, if you say so, I am known to be called Professor Chabashira’s greatest work! I am the **Ultimate Robot** , 10-K0. Though, I’d rather you pronounced it ‘Tenko’ instead.”

“So lifelike! I can see how you got your title pretty easily! I’ve never met a real-life cyborg before outside of the movies!”

“Anything is possible with enough mechanical expertise. I also come with a built-in sensor that lets me know how you’re really feeling inside. Don’t move.” Tenko stared Kaede’s way intently, a teal scanning light running up and down her figure before she whirred, a loud beep completing the results as the word “Excited” appeared on her neck monitor. “Ta-da!”

“Oooh! Saihara-kun, isn’t that amazing? Granted, it was a little obvious I’m excited about this, but she knew it was true!”

“Yeah, I think that’s pretty nifty,” Shuichi admitted. “Can you read my mood, too?”

“Hard pass,” Tenko declined, giving him a flinty look. “Degenerate males don’t deserve my best features.”

“There you go again calling me that. Are you scared of men or something?”

“Please! I will never cower before such ne’er-do-wells! If any of them come my way, I’ll immediately enter Self-Defense Mode and take them to the cleaners!”

“Does that mean we’re going to see some mighty fighting robot action?!” the shorter boy beamed, eyes lighting up like stars.

“No. That’s nothing but a childish stereotype, and I’d thank you not to associate me with your robophobia."

“Bah, whatever! Your talent isn't even real, anyways. You don’t get a pat on the back just for barely existing.”

“Oh? And what so-called title makes you so proud?”

“If you must know, I’m the **Ultimate Astronaut**! Oh, and my name’s Kokichi Ouma, while we're introducing ourselves.”

“At least we finally got his name,” Shuichi sighed. “What’s it like being an astronaut?”

“I could tell you! But, then I’d have to kill you.” Ouma’s dark smile unnerved the other three until he casually giggled. “Not really, though. That’s just a lie. I’m known for doing that.”

“You’re a compulsive liar?”

“Nah, just the ‘liar’ part. Nuttin’ compulsive about me or my plans of blowing you up with the rest of this worthless planet.”

“Blow us up?!” Kaede shrieked. “Wait. Is that a lie, too?”

“Oh no, I actually mean that part. Once I get into space enough, I’ll be installing my cosmic death ray and doing away with the Earth. The less stupid, boring old humans existing, the better! Won’t that be fun?”

“Maybe for you, but we live here!” Tenko argued.

“Yeah, that sounds like a ‘you’ problem to me. Humans don’t really have anything going for them to begin with; why not do the rest of the universe a favor and just wipe ‘em out now?”

“You… do realize you’re human, too, don’t you?” Shuichi questioned.

“Eh, maybe. But, either way, it’s bye-bye Earth as soon as I’m outta here! Better make it last, now!” Ouma skipped off without another word, humming to himself far too cheerfully for someone who’d just made claims against the planet.

“Wait! Ouma-kun!”

“Leave him. He’s someone else’s headache now,” Tenko bit. “I don’t know about you, but I trust him as far as I can throw him.”

“Same here. That’s gotta be the worst first impression I’ve seen made on someone yet.”

“Hmm…” Kaede pondered, lost in thought.

“What is it, Akamatsu-san?”

“It’s… maybe there’s a part we’re not entirely seeing. Of Ouma-kun, I mean.”

“Doubt it,” Tenko scoffed. “I’ve seen plenty of lowlifes in my time, but he’s definitely at the far bottom! There’s no other way around it.”

“I dunno. We could be getting what we’re seeing, but nothing’s always that black and white. Most, if not all children that act out tend to use it to hide something else. Maybe a cry for help?”

“Oh, he’s a cry for help, alright.”

“That’s not what I—! Nevermind. I’ll explain later. Come on, Saihara-kun, we still have a lot more ground and Ultimates to cover.”

“Right behind you!” Shuichi replied. “It was nice meeting you, Tenko-san!”

Tenko ignored him, going her separate way from the two. On the way, Kaede could see Ouma ready to pull some sort of shenanigans while doing his own exploring, but chose to deal with him later. Her intensity never left her eyes, now curious at how much of a handful he was bound to be during their time on school grounds. Was he really hiding something as she’d suspected of him? Or was she overthinking and simply wrong?

* * *

_Obtained Friendship Fragments!_

_Report Card(s) Unlocked!_

**10-K0 (Tenko)**

**Height:** 5’5”

 **Weight:** 203 lbs

 **Chest:** 35”

 **Blood Type:** ???

 **D.O.B.:** January 9th

 **Likes:** Cooled rooms

 **Dislikes:** Human men

 **Notes:** Ultimate Robot

**Kokichi Ouma**

**Height:** 5’1”

 **Weight:** 97 lbs

 **Chest:** 28”

 **Blood Type:** A-

 **D.O.B.:** June 21st

 **Likes:** Shooting stars

 **Dislikes:** Earthlings

 **Notes:** Ultimate Astronaut

* * *

Well, that was interesting. Meeting a misandrist _and_ a misanthrope at the same time was definitely not how anyone planned on adding onto their day. Then again, the school wasn’t normal in any sort of sense, so there wasn’t much surprise there. What awaited Shuichi and Kaede in the next room, which wound up being the dining hall after arriving at a consensus?

To their surprise… no one seemed present anywhere near the table or seats. Speaking of them, they were sorted very neatly, polished as if brand new like the freshly waxed floors. It couldn’t have been those pesky little Monokubs that kept things so tidy, could it?

“Hey! Cow Tits and Microcock!” an obnoxiously crass voice yelled. “Go track your shit-covered feet somewhere I didn’t just clean up!”

“Run that by me again?” Kaede growled, arms folded at the new blue-eyed girl with wild strawberry blonde hair wearing a French maid’s outfit with bubblegum pink poofy sleeves and a frilly apron of an identical color. On her were also white fingerless gloves covering her forearms, fishnets with heeled black ankle boots, and a lace headdress pinned using a blue bow on the right side.

“I said, take your little fuck buddy and beat it! The dining hall’s still gettin’ cleaned because the jackasses that are in charge of this place can’t even be bothered to do it themselves!”

“If you were so busy cleaning, why didn’t you put up a sign telling people to stay out? Also, is that kind of language really necessary toward someone who’s never even met you?”

“Ah, bitch about it to my perfect ass! It’s the only one that gives a shit about you and what you’re spouting out to me right now.”

“Hey, you leave her alone,” Shuichi demanded. “The only thing we’re doing is exploring our new surroundings, and we have every right to be here. If you really didn’t want us coming in, you’re the only one to blame because you didn’t do anything before.”

“Not my problem you illiterate dinguses can’t read the air. You’d better be thankful I’m doing something, ‘cause I’m already starting to tell this place is screwed without my help!”

“Sure, you’re keeping things clean, but it looks like you forgot your crappy attitude, too,” Kaede retorted.

“‘Least my attitude’s got a fine bod to be proud of. Who’d wanna even spit the way of some titless whore like you? Lookit you! Ya look like some raggedy old sugar daddy’s wet dream! A golden girl like myself is someone boys _wished_ they had the privilege of gettin’ with!”

“Raggedy old—?” Kaede was actually at a loss for words, not so much cut by it, but more thrown aback by the rather creative insult.

“Yep, just some nasal-voiced sloppy seconds! I’d bet you’re in here harassing me ‘cause you’re jealous you’ll never be like all of this!” The crass girl gestured to her full form. “If your little baby-balled booty call wants a real ride, I _might_ just consider it, if only ‘cause of how starved he’s gotta be.”

“KNOCK IT OFF!” Shuichi yelled, hoarse with rage while pointing a finger close to the girl’s face. “I don’t know how well people like you sleep at night, but Akamatsu-san and I have done nothing wrong! Nobody cares if you were cleaning the place or not; you have no right talking down to us for no reason!”

To Shuichi’s surprise, she suddenly quivered and shrunk. “Heeee! Sorry, Master and ma’am, I was just tidying up! I s-swear I was gonna give you the special treatment after I was done; why not do it now? The best damn gourmet lunch or shoe polishing, it’s all yours! Right away…!”

“What?” Shuichi put his finger down, now bewildered in place of his former anger.

“Duh! S-Servitude’s my game, and I’m the cream of the creampie when it comes to it. Miu Iruma, the **Ultimate Maid** , always at your service! Nice ta fuckin’ meet ya.”

“Well, now that explains why you were in here cleaning,” Kaede noted. “The least you could have done is dropped the pottymouth and calmly told us to leave.”

“Obviously, it’s why I was cleaning! I ain’t doin’ this for my health. You see a mess, so you get the professionals to clean it up! Why, I made the floor so clean you could eat pussy off it!”

“Did you find anything interesting in here?” Shuichi asked, ignoring Miu’s remark.

“It’s got a kitchen filled to the brim with food and ingredients, plus just as much cooking ware to make a full course meal. Other than that, I just saw a bunch of weeds, and they’re not even the fun kind! Talk about a rip.”

“You sound like you’re a pretty good cook,” Kaede commented. “Given since a maid has a lot of work to do, but you have to have limits, don’t you?”

“Fuck no! I’m the gorgeous golden girl maid that’s got no setbacks to name!” Miu paused, glancing away a bit weary. “Well, as long as it’s chore-related and not like— askin’ me to lasso the sun or land a plane. Or something. Stuff like that, I’d obviously draw the line for.”

“What if it’s really degrading and risking your dignity?”

“Ha! It’ll take a lot more than some secondhand embarrassment to make me look bad! I’ve got a will and jugs of steel!”

“Something tells me I won’t be asking for any favors from this one,” Shuichi whispered to Kaede.

“You and me both. Let’s go,” Kaede uttered back. “Well, Iruma-san, it’s been fun, but we’ve gotta get going. We’ll let you get back to your work in peace.”

“Geez, where’s the fire?” Miu asked. “What? Too good to appreciate my presence? Is that it?”

Kaede snorted, but not out loud as she left the dining hall with Shuichi. “It was nice meeting you, too.”

* * *

_Obtained Friendship Fragment!_

_Report Card(s) Unlocked!_

**Miu Iruma**

**Height:** 5’8”

 **Weight:** 123 lbs

 **Chest:** 39”

 **Blood Type:** AB+

 **D.O.B.:** November 16th

 **Likes:** Lemons

 **Dislikes:** Dirty hands

 **Notes:** Ultimate Maid

* * *

Going not too far from the dining hall, but just far away enough to get Miu out of their hair, Shuichi and Kaede checked out the warehouse on the other side of the corridor. Thus far, it looked to be the biggest room they’d seen, enormous shelves and stocks containing almost anything the mind could conceive. All of it was stored in boxes and packages, but at the ready for personal use among expected vegetation.

“At least this place has its share of essentials,” Kaede remarked. “I wonder how you get the stuff at the top?”

“There has to be a ladder around here. For what those Monokubs are worth, I don’t think they’d forget something that simple,” Shuichi conjectured. “At least some of the really useful stuff is a lot lower.”

“And, they have to have climbed on something to build this part. If this is where we’re supposed to get essentials, what was that school store we passed on the way here for?”

“Who knows? But, I’m willing to bet these are more complementary.”

“You’re probably right, if the money bag icon is anything to look at.” Kaede glanced at where the school store was on the map, not seeing something loom behind her. “This place has some penny pinchers, but it’s also chock full of—”

“—Look out behind you!”

Darting around, Kaede’s defenses went into overdrive and controlled her enough to grab the figure sneaking up by the wrist, yanking it behind them painfully before using their other hand to pin them to the nearest shelf. “Who are you? Don’t sneak up on people like that!”

“Ow, ow, ow, ow! Uncle, uncle!” the voice of a male winced, the blowtorch he’d been holding shutting off and falling to the floor.

“Uhh, Akamatsu-san, you can let him go now,” Shuichi advised. “You’re breaking his arm.”

“What?” Kaede wondered, returning to her normal senses and releasing her captive. “Oops! I’m so sorry about that! I thought you were— nevermind. You’re not hurt?”

“A little sore, but I’ve dealt with worse,” the boy reassured Kaede, taking off the welding helmet he’d found and revealing his true appearance. Hair greener than a spring day and luscious eyes to match, donning a row of piercings on his ear and and a bronze gear necklace over a powder blue collared shirt under a darker shaded button vest. Under his waist apron, dark gray pants tucked into a pair of buckle boots with some thick forest green gloves on both hands. “My bad for sneaking up on you. I was just taking a short browse around this place myself.”

“I still shouldn’t have almost ripped your arm off like that. Nothing’s broken?”

“Everything’s where it should be. Besides, I can’t exactly blame you for defending yourself like that. I’d have done the same thing if someone snuck up on me wearing a welding helmet and carrying an open blowtorch.”

“What were you doing with those, by the way? Are you someone that works with metal?” Shuichi quizzed.

“Yes, actually.” He slid a pair of goggles up his brow, resting them on his head. “The name’s Rantaro Amami, the **Ultimate Inventor**. I promise you, I’m not a bad guy.”

“Rantaro… oh! I think I’ve heard your name before,” Kaede recalled. “You’re the one who came up with that cooking bowl able to… bake its own dough?”

“Close. It was actually a self-mixing bowl with a built-in dough hook and whisk. That way, when you were ready to make a cake, it dirties less dishes and you can mix your ingredients together while keeping a clean drawer.”

“That’s amazing! The world could use a lot more things like that! Didn’t you get recognized by a really big company?”

“I did, but I turned down their offer to work for ‘em. Having my works exploited and meddled with isn’t exactly my cup of tea, so I stuck with building and tinkering freestyle. The more someone shows off your things, the less it stays ‘yours’.”

“You said no? You could have made a career out of it!”

Rantaro sighed, arms folded and looking down displeased. “I’m aware. I’ve heard the same old story time and time again. But, money was never the issue at stake, so at the time, I didn’t wanna tie myself down to just one profession. No one wants to be a one-trick pony all their life, do they?”

“No, I guess not…”

“But, doing what you love doesn’t make it a job,” Shuichi pointed out. “Then again, if you’re so happy where you’re headed with it, then it shouldn’t be too much of an issue.”

“See?” Rantaro said. “If something’s not broke, you’re free to improve it, but don’t try and fix it.”

 _‘That’s a new addition to the saying,’_ Kaede thought. “By the way, Amami-kun, what were you gonna do with your blowtorch? Build something to help us bust out of here?”

“If only it were that simple.”

Kaede gave him a disapproving look. “Hey, don’t say it’s not. We’ll be out of here in no time.”

“Depends on how you define ‘no time’. If it’s anything shorter than say a few weeks, I’ve got a little more than enough reason to be doubtful. To answer your question, I was only testing out the torch to see how well it worked. Those weird Monokubs said my Research Lab’s almost done, but I still can’t go in yet.”

“Where is it?” Shuichi asked.

“Outside the school. If you stop by the courtyard, you can’t miss it. And if it’s done when you do, lemme know, ‘k?”

“It’s your Lab. If anyone has the right to see it first, it’s the Ultimate Inventor.”

Okay, Rantaro seemed decent. Having seen enough of the warehouse, Shuichi and Kaede bid him farewell and took off. Just before exiting, they both swore they’d seen him glance back their way warily, but dismissed it as an eye trick and continued their search for the other Ultimate students. If he said he wasn’t a bad guy, he didn’t appear to be lying, but did Rantaro think the same of them…?

* * *

_Obtained Friendship Fragment!_

_Report Card(s) Unlocked!_

**Rantaro Amami**

**Height:** 5’10”

 **Weight:** 137 lbs

 **Chest:** 32”

 **Blood Type:** B-

 **D.O.B.:** October 3rd

 **Likes:** Artificial intelligence

 **Dislikes:** Rust

 **Notes:** Ultimate Inventor

* * *

Going down another floor, Shuichi and Kaede reached the school’s basement, coming across a selection of three more rooms. Both were hesitant to go down from how eerie the atmosphere already threatened to become, but no less braced themselves for potential danger. Putting fear behind them, they continued around the Academy’s inner bowels, Shuichi keeping his hands in a defensive pose while Kaede mentally considered resorting to pulling something from her backpack.

“The coast may look clear, but you never know when something’s just ready to pop out and grab you,” Kaede said. “A hidden trap, a stray guard, potential threats keeping you from your target just itching to jump out and do you in!”

“Umm, those are awfully specific obstacles,” Shuichi noted, surprised. “Are you into the stealth game genre?”

“I— yeah! I may not look like it, but there’s a lot more than meets the eye…” Kaede quickly corrected herself, faking a smile. “Because I like dangerous games in my free time.”

“Any favorites?”

“N-No, I like them all. I couldn’t possibly choose! Too… many to pick from.” Indistinct voices could be heard from down the hall, drawing Kaede near. “I hear someone! This way. And don’t let your guard down until we’re in.”

“I said get away from me…!” one of the voices snarled. “You’re gonna tear my cloak!”

“When it comes to expensive fabric, I’m your best case with it,” another, sleepier voice insisted. “I just wanna know what material your cloak is and where I can get it from. Is that too much to ask?”

“Yes. Now, get out of my sight already. Unless you want me to make you disappear _permanently_.”

“Stop right there!” Kaede demanded, bursting into the room with Shuichi just as ready to defend. “You leave that poor girl alone!”

“Instead of telling me so, why don’t you direct that to her?”

Kaede looked at the shorter girl with bobbed scarlet hair and russet eyes wearing a curled witch’s hat with a dark pink sash and gold ring buckle, and a poofy black dress with a maroon skirt, the waist an attached tan sash going up diagonally just under the breast. Her white knee socks had a thick black strip on the very top, pairing well with her red shoes pinned with a cutesy angel’s wing over one ankle knob each.

The taller girl she’d been apparently bothering had lengthy sable hair sectioned off loosely at the shoulders using a red ribbon matching her eyes. On her, a burgundy formal jacket and a white bow tie covering a black dress shirt, her dark gray pants tucked finely into darker knee-length boots. More noticeable than anything else had to have been her hooded cloak, slightly shorter than her hair and black on the outside with a red inner lining.

“What’s going on here?” Shuichi pressed. “Is one of you attacking the other, or is there a misunderstanding?”

“The first one, but I’m not the attacker,” the taller girl answered, pulling her cloak away from the other’s reach. “This— kid, suddenly walked up to me while I was minding my own business and I can’t make her leave.”

“I’m immune to your powers, O Mysterious One,” the slothful girl said. “All I wanted to know was what material you used for your nifty cloak. Silk? Chiffon? Or the traditional polyester?”

“Secret. And you shouldn’t be too careless with my clothes. Playing around with the dark arts will lead to some very unpleasant mojo.”

“‘Mojo’? You mean like evil magic?” Kaede asked.

“Magic isn’t inherently bad. Only the people that use it for all the wrong reasons.”

“Is this some kind of joke? Magic isn’t real.”

The girl stormed up to Kaede, the darkest of glares in her eyes. “Do you want to get cursed? I can and will make that happen if you don’t get your head on straight.”

“You first…” Kaede muttered.

“She’s been like this all day,” the short girl informed Shuichi. “I think she’d make an amazing Raven since she’s already got the part down on the inside.” Sizing up the boy, she looked fairly impressed. “You and that other girl might look pretty good as Robin and Starfire…”

“Okay…” was all Shuichi could think to say, moving on to intervene between Kaede and her new foe. “Let’s not get heated. Why don’t you guys tell us your names? Start over a bit more.”

The one in the cloak glanced warily at Shuichi before finally starting. “...Maki Harukawa, **Ultimate Magician** ,” she introduced. “Well, former one. I’ve long since quit and good riddance to that job.”

“You’re a magician?” Kaede asked. “Then why does it sound like you’re trying to be some kinda wizard girl?”

“Because, I got a taste of some better magic, not just stupid parlor tricks for a bunch of loud, screaming brats at a birthday party.” Maki unveiled a fan of tarot cards, making sure they were visible enough. “I’m also pretty good when it comes to the arcana. That was a little tougher to master.” In a flex of her hand, the cards all disappeared, Maki wiggling her fingers to show their absence.

“You’d be a riot at my daycare…” Kaede was being entirely sarcastic in spite of her secret amazement at the card trick. “If performing for kids got your foot in the door, why did you bail?”

“The same reason anyone would. I hated the job. And yet, kids somehow can’t stay away from me. They’re really bad judges of character, I tell you.”

“Kids don’t know better, and you know it. Maybe they still see something in you that they like, but all you’re doing is treating them like a bad itch.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m finally away from them now. However you’re able to tame them, more power to you.”

 _‘They’re human beings, not zoo animals! I more than understand kids will never be for everyone, but that’s no excuse to act like they’re wet dirt.’_ Moving on, Kaede turned her attention to the other girl. “So! What’s your name, huh?”

“Nyeh… Himiko Yumeno,” Himiko yawned. “I’m the **Ultimate Cosplayer**.”

“Wait, I think I’ve heard that name before,” Shuichi recalled. “You’re that little red-haired girl that made all those web tutorials, aren’t you? ‘LW_Academia_Fan712’, right?”

“Oh yeah, that old thing. Yep, that’s me alright. Are you a fan?”

“Not exactly. I remember you used to put up these guides on how to sew, so I only looked you up because of an incident… that I’m not proud of saying.”

Himiko looked disappointed amid her half-lidded expression. “Ugh, figures. You wouldn’t be the first to only come to me because you split your pants down the middle. That’s kinda how my gig started before it got good.”

“With sewing guides?”

“No, because my old school kept coming to me like I was the class seamstress. ‘Himiko-chan, can you fix this huge hole in my pants? I can’t do the Sports’ Festival looking like this!’, ‘The chest on my uniform is too tight, make it bigger!’, ‘Fix it, patch it, sew it, make it whole again!’! All the same crap, different years.”

“That’s such a waste!” Kaede griped. “Someone capable of putting together such adorable outfits shouldn’t be boiled down to some human sewing machine! What other projects have you made? Is what you have on now included?”

Himiko looked more pleased, smiling mildly. “Finally. Someone around here with good eyes. Yes, I modified one of my old dresses to turn it into this. Inspired of course by one of the most famous modern magical girl shows of all time.”

“Sailor Moon?”

“A classic, but no. More modern than her.”

“Mew Ichigo?”

“Uh-uh.”

“Sakura Kinomoto?”

“Great taste in changing up her outfit now and again, but no. If you haven’t guessed it at this point, then I’m gonna assume you’ve got nothing.” Himiko flicked up the rim of her witch’s hat, its miniature pin buttons jingling some. “As for this, it’s not part of the same show, but it’s a great homage to the one that started it all.”

“You sure like your magical girl shows,” Shuichi said.

“And who doesn’t? Well, except Harukawa over there, but not everyone’s got good taste, as I found out the hard way.”

“I told you, my magic’s not the same as your kiddy magical girl anime,” Maki hissed. “Magic comes in different forms and methods, but that’s not one of them.”

“Pity.”

“I’m not getting into another debate with you. And if you two are just here to gossip, then I’ve seen all I needed to here.” Saying nothing else, Maki pulled her hood over her head and left the library, shutting the doors behind her.

“Someone’s pretty touchy,” Kaede mumbled. “If she was really that skilled in magic, then I don’t see why she can’t use it to find us an exit.”

“Like she said, magic works in different ways,” Himiko reminded. “Maybe she can do everything except that.”

“I really hope you don’t seriously believe her, do you?”

Himiko shrugged. “Expect the unexpected.”

Leaving the library and Himiko be, Kaede led Shuichi back out to the hallways. Maki was up ahead for a few seconds until she went back upstairs, deeming herself a lost cause for the time being. Believing in magic was something a kid at her daycare would do, but Kaede found it downright ridiculous for a high school student to do the same. Other than a serious attitude check, however, she wasn’t finding anything else red flag-raising on Maki, so at least she had that for her…

* * *

_Obtained Friendship Fragments!_

_Report Card(s) Unlocked!_

**Maki Harukawa**

**Height:** 5’4”

 **Weight:** 97 lbs

 **Chest:** 30”

 **Blood Type:** A+

 **D.O.B.:** February 2nd

 **Likes:** Charms

 **Dislikes:** Birthday parties

 **Notes:** Ultimate Magician

**Himiko Yumeno**

**Height:** 4’11”

 **Weight:** 86 lbs

 **Chest:** 27”

 **Blood Type:** O+

 **D.O.B.:** December 3rd

 **Likes:** Sewing machines

 **Dislikes:** Deadlines

 **Notes:** Ultimate Cosplayer

* * *

Close to the library, the two moved into what the map implied was some sort of A/V Room. To their surprise, it was the bleakest room they’d encountered so far. Were it not for the shelves of DVD’s and the projection screen sitting at the front of the room, one could easily assume it’d been desolate for centuries. In the far-off corner, an unsettlingly lifelike statue of a girl with long blue hair wearing a navy seifuku uniform with an orange necktie and gold epaulettes, heeled silver boots lined periwinkle at the ankles so long they could be mistaken for tights. On the head, a miniature gold crown headband leaning left and round, orange tinted eyeglasses that took up half her face.

“They’ve got some pretty old movies here,” Shuichi said.

“‘Old’ as in ‘came out before our parents were born’, or ‘old’ as in ‘hasn’t left the shelf in ages’?” Kaede inquired.

“...Yes. But, some of these are pretty recent releases. I don’t even think all of these have been in theaters yet! Amazing…”

“It is, isn’t it?” a third voice asked, startling Shuichi into grabbing her by the arm and flinging her across the room as a defensive response. “AH!”

“Whoa, hold on!” Kaede called after, jumping in and catching the girl before she could hit the wall. Standing up straight from her initial squat, she readjusted the girl’s glasses. “Are you alright? That was a close one.”

“Oh! I… yeah, I’m fine.” She was a tad shell-shocked from the toss, equally flummoxed to be held so easily by Kaede.

“Saihara-kun! That’s the second girl you’ve thrown today. You’re gonna have to take it easy on that.”

“I’m sorry,” Shuichi apologized to whom he sent flying. “I startle really easily, and it’s my knee-jerk response if you’re too close. Good thing Akamatsu-san has such good reflexes…”

“Yeah, she does, doesn’t she?” The girl got down from Kaede’s arms, inspecting the nervous blonde warily. “Doesn’t look like the sporty type, if you ask me.”

“I, umm— you know! Kids,” Kaede excused. “They’re so full of sugar and energy that you gotta be just as quick catching up with them! And they’re not as light as they look, so a good arm comes in handy.”

“Mmm-hmm… but, those reflexes are almost ninja-like. Or, dare I say—”

“—Hey, wait a minute! You look just like that statue over there.” Kaede pointed to the corner, only to see nothing there anymore. “...Oh. Has that been you this whole time?”

“Yeah. I’m pretty plain despite my legion of men, so it’s not too surprising I blend in with the room.”

“Ah. Well, at least— huh?! Your legion?”

“Of course! My name is Tsumugi Shirogane, the **Ultimate Supreme Leader**. I’m known to rule with an iron fist among my army, or at least I’ll fully do so after I inherit the reins someday.”

“You’re… like a dictator?”

Tsumugi shrugged. “Kind of. I guess I’m like a second coming of the Digimon Emperor!”

“That doesn’t sound very pleasant,” Shuichi pointed out, just as tense as Kaede.

“Oh, don’t worry too much. I may not be officially in charge yet, but my men still wait on me hand and foot at all times. I’d make sure they don’t lay a finger on you two.”

“Something in that doesn’t feel entirely reassuring for some reason.”

“You could still take an army!” Kaede cheered. “With your Aikido skills, you’d be untouchable!”

“That doesn’t mean I could take a full evil group all by myself all at once. It’s just not realistic.”

“Even if you did have to try and take down my organization, two heads would be better than just one,” Tsumugi advised, then looking directly at Kaede with a simple smile. “Or, do some people prefer taking on bad guys as a one-woman army?”

“What?” Kaede gulped, freezing up.

“Hahaha! I’m only kidding. That’d only be possible with pink hair and a gun-sword, neither of which you have, so you’re fine.”

“Uh-huh… yeah, I trust you. For someone who calls herself plain, you dress like a total knockout! Are those real epaulettes?”

“Akamatsu-san! Time and place!” Shuichi groused, pulling Kaede from feeling Tsumugi’s body and flicking the gold shoulder pieces.

“I’m not doing anything I shouldn’t be. Just a little curiosity and complimenting.”

“No, he’s right,” Tsumugi said. “I was just about to head back into the Game Room, and I’d hate keeping you guys. Nice meeting you two!”

“Right back at you, Shirogane-san!” Kaede shouted after, turning away in time to miss Tsumugi’s venomous grin thrown at her and Shuichi.

* * *

_Obtained Friendship Fragment!_

_Report Card(s) obtained:_

**Tsumugi Shirogane**

**Height:** 5’9”

 **Weight:** 112 lbs

 **Chest:** 33”

 **Blood Type:** A-

 **D.O.B.:** August 15th

 **Likes:** Bento boxes

 **Dislikes:** Sunburn

 **Notes:** Ultimate Supreme Leader

* * *

Okay, that was plenty to see of the basement, now it was time to return to the world of the living upstairs. Up ahead, a newly opened iron grate awaited them to reveal another passageway labeled “West”. Realizing it’d been the way to the entrance hall, Kaede ran past without wasting a second, Shuichi running to catch up with her and also seeing what was likely the way in and out of the Academy.

“Ah-ha! Will you look at that? We did it!” Kaede cheered. “One step through those doors and it’s our ticket to freedom.”

“I don’t think it’s ever that easy,” Shuichi said. “For a place so strict on keeping us in one place, it doesn’t seem likely they’d just leave the exit out on a silver platter.”

“Where else could the door lead to? There has to be an outside world just waiting out there!”

“Yes and no,” a deep voice suddenly spoke, no one visible from Shuichi and Kaede’s height as a begrudging sigh was heard. “...Down here.”

Looking down, they saw a very short boy wearing a black leather jacket partially covering his cropped auburn hair, a pair of cat ears sticking out of the top of the hood. Under it, they were able to see part of his blue T-shirt with black stripes, the rim peeking from over ripped stained jeans just barely tucked inside a pair of black shoes. Kaede could have sworn she saw a bright orange wristband poking out, but its wearer tugged his sleeve down to hide it more.

“So. I take it you’re two of the Ultimates I was told about before?” he asked, nonchalant. “How’d a pair like you get roped into this mess?”

“That’s what we’d like to know,” Kaede answered. “But, we’ve drawn a complete blank on everything but our talents.”

“Heh. Can’t relate. I must’ve hit my head so hard that got wiped from it, too.”

“You don’t know what you’re talent is?” Shuichi wondered. “Are you not an Ultimate?”

“No, I am, but I’m not sure what. They call me Ryouma Hoshi, but when it comes to my **Ultimate** title… I can’t say I know, but I can’t say I care, either.”

“You don’t care? Why not?” Kaede quizzed. “An old shame?”

“Eh, probably. From the bits and pieces that have come to me, my title’s probably nothing to be proud of. Maybe it’s a sign I was never meant to find out the truth.”

“But, aren’t you even curious? Going so long just wondering can’t be good.”

“What parts do you remember?” Shuichi pressed further.

“...Classified,” Hoshi said, turning his back to them. “I’d hate to come off as sketchy on the first day, but for all I know, I prolly messed that part up already. You kids run along now.”

“Hoshi-kun—” Kaede tried intervening, too late as Hoshi walked off silently. “...Well, that was a bust. He looks pretty down about his memories.”

“Can you blame him?” Shuichi queried. “Being left with nothing but the implication you’ve done something horrible, I’d be a little hesitant to know who I was before, too.”

“You’ve got a point. What did he see outside the doors? He never told us that.”

“Let’s find out. Don’t get off your guard until we get an answer.”

* * *

_Obtained Friendship Fragment!_

_Report Card(s) obtained:_

**Ryouma Hoshi**

**Height:** 3’5”

 **Weight:** 88 lbs

 **Chest:** 24”

 **Blood Type:** B+

 **D.O.B.:** July 1st

 **Likes:** Russian blues

 **Dislikes:** Black mambas

 **Notes:** Ultimate ???

* * *

Through the doors, past the threshold, and into the unknown they went. Upon freeing themselves from inside, out of it they saw…

Blue skies. Bright sunlight. A gentle wind swaying past locks of hair and loose clothing. But, less in the ordinary from those peaceful sightings came something else towering over them and every new area present. Spindly exterior, but an interior far too solid to break out of, showing only the city limits and everywhere beyond at a viewer’s glance. It seemed like it stretched for miles, but its main focus was trapping the entire school and campus within its spacious barrier. Yep. No other way around what they both were, was there?

“A cage? A wall…?!” Kaede breathed in disbelief.

“Does this mean we’re trapped?” Shuichi gasped.

“Inside and out, it sure looks like it right now. What’s going on?”

“Rise and shine, ursine!” Oh great, the Monokubs were more punctual than anyone wanted. The living definition of “from bad to worse” now back in action.

“I’d bet you’re wondering about the giant cage, aren’t ya?” Monotaro guessed. “Who can blame you? I almost lost my beautiful red and went stark white the first time I saw it!”

“Monotaro, don’t you think that’s a little much for a reaction?” Monophanie gulped.

“Hey, don’t be so quick to bust the poor guy’s balls!” Monokid defended. “The End Wall definitely lives up to its name and would send anyone who saw it packin’!”

“The ‘End Wall’?” Kaede dared to ask.

“Correct,” Monosuke confirmed. “Normally, walls are flat and meant to separate two things from one another. As they say: great fences make great neighbors.”

“But! Our wall’s different,” Monokid continued. “Instead of keepin’ out annoying neighbors, this was build to make sure no one tries makin’ a swift getaway!”

“In some cases, it could represent lots of things. Even sectioning off a town full of pig crap that’s gone and polluted the whole place!”

“...What. Are you talking about right now?” Shuichi demanded knowing.

“Hmm? Good question…”

“Were you saying something just then?” Monophanie tittered. “What about you, Monodam?”

Monodam remained quiet as usual, leading to Monokid jumping in. “No one gives a shit, anyways! My fearsome bullying’s kept that idiot quiet as a churchmouse!”

“There’s just no way of getting inside his heart, is there?” Monotaro sighed. “Pity.”

“H-Hello? Anyone still here?!” Kaede shrieked, panic rising in her. “Someone! Help us!”

“I’m not sure why you’re screaming for help,” Monophanie said, seemingly innocent. “You’re all trapped inside these walls. It’d take more than a miracle to fix that.”

“Maybe a flying metal angel can come down and blast it all to smithereens!” Monotaro laughed.

“Err, let’s not go that far,” Monosuke warned. “One shot would just bring the Academy down with it. And us.”

“Booo! You’re not being any fun, are you, Monosuke?”

“HELLO?! Is anyone listening?!” Kaede screamed, alarming Shuichi and the Monokubs.

“Whoa! Now, now, Akamatsu-san, let’s not panic,” Monophanie warned. “We were just kidding about blowing up the cage and everybody!”

“And if that’s not what you’re worried about, the Exisals will be done the renovations in no time after we put ‘em on autopilot!” Monokid insisted.

“The— Exisals?” Shuichi inquired.

“Yep! They’re these huge robots that were once part of a biker gang, but now work to support their loving wives and kids!”

“On the outside, they may seem cold, large, and unfeeling,” Monotaro praised, “but on the inside, they’ve got air conditioning, seat warmers, fuzzy mirror dice, and leopard-print wheels!”

“With a little pine scent to keep them smellin’ SUPER fresh!”

“Exisals don’t need backstories! Especially lousy ones like those!” Monosuke scolded. “Sheesh, you make ‘em sound like reality tv douchebags…”

“That’s all we’ve got on the matter,” Monophanie concluded while her brothers bickered. “Whatever you see here is what you get until it’s done.”

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs all harmonized, disappearing for the third time that day.

“...Those cubs are seriously unbearable,” Shuichi sighed, putting his fingers to his lips for a second after realizing how he’d phrased that. “Akamatsu-san, what do you think? ...Akamatsu-san?”

“Is it true…?” Kaede breathed, bluing with shock and spacing out. “We’re not really stuck in this place for good, are we? ...No. No, that’s a lie. I just know it! Never say never!”

“You look really shaken by what those bears just told us. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

“Never better! We’re gonna find our way out, or make one ourselves, if we’ve gotta! If those bears think they can keep me trapped in a tight spot, they’ve never been more wrong!” Kaede looked around the grass, picking up the largest stone she could find.

“...That’s a rock. Are you gonna try and break the cage with a rock?”

“Don’t be silly, this won’t do a thing right now. But, once I sharpen and shape it, I could put this to really good use.” Glancing down at the stone in her hand, Kaede’s eyes were filled with regret, but necessary darkness. “I thought it’d never come to this again, but whoever’s in charge of this place is gonna get a few very unpleasant questions. Only as a last resort, of course, but someone nuts enough to trap us here isn’t going down without a fight.”

Shuichi grew horrified. “What are you gonna do with that thing?!”

“Relax, it’s only ‘if’. In the meantime, we’ll be coming up with a better option so no one here gets seriously hurt.” Kaede raised Shuichi’s hand high, as if praising a victorious wrestler. “And you’re gonna be helping me from start to finish! If this place is gonna treat us like prisoners, they’d better expect the break of the century!”

“Hey, unhand him!” a nearby voice roared, charging at them like an angry steer. “I don’t wanna have to fight you ‘cause you’re a girl and all, but let that kid be!”

Without thinking, Kaede reflexively threw the stone in her hand in the direction of the voice, suddenly seeing it zip past her after it’d been struck away defensively. The rock went flying, a faint clink against the dome’s glass just barely audible to most ears. Turning fast, Kaede saw a tall boy with spiky hair the same shade of purple as his eyes over a green sweatband wearing a black athletic T-shirt printed with his former high school’s emblem in plum, the same color as his capris sweats. His wristbands were the same color as the sweatband, while the sneakers on his feet were primarily gray with powder pink outsoles and laces. Tied with its sleeves hanging over the shoulders, a mulberry track jacket had been turned into some sort of short cape.

“Did… you do that?” Kaede wondered, pointing to the tennis racket in the boy’s hand.

“Sure did! You’ll have to do a lot better than pitching a rock my way, ‘cause I’ve got a mean forehand!” he boasted before getting more serious. “Now that I’m here, consider this fight broken up! Move it or lose it.”

“Fight? We weren’t fighting! Saihara-kun’s my friend and escape partner.”

“Escape—? Oh! All you were doing was trying to bust out of here? Why didn’t ya say so?!” He laughed, a tad sheepish. “I guess you weren’t holding out for a hero after all, were you?”

“Uh, no. Who are you, anyways?”

“Oh, right, guess I forgot to introduce myself. You’re lookin’ at the Shining Star of the Court himself, the **Ultimate Tennis Pro** , Kaito Momota!”

“You’re Kaito Momota?” Shuichi repeated. “As in the same one who made it as far as competing in the Japan Open?”

“And I’m the youngest one to do so! Nice to see I’ve got a fan already on my first day at… wherever this place is.”

“Wait, you mean you won the championships of the Japan Open?” Kaede asked in awe.

“Eh— not quite. Something happened, and I couldn’t make it to the championships.”

“What? Did you get disqualified?” Shuichi interrogated.

“No! I was totally able to get myself a tournament spot! Legally, too!”

 _‘Someone sounds a little defensive there…’_ Kaede thought. “What happened?”

“Just a tiny little uh-oh involving my health. Wasn’t even a big deal or anything, and they still made me the runner-up! Can you believe that?!”

“If it was enough to cost you the championship, it doesn’t sound like a ‘tiny uh-oh’ to me,” Shuichi remarked.

“Ah, doesn’t matter now. I’ve still got what it takes to be a champion! Just takes a little guts, a bit of practice in the middle, and a lot more elbow grease on the court! Put it all together, and nothing but nothing can stop you!”

“I wonder who that reminds me of?” Shuichi looked at Kaede, who prepared to deny it on the spot.

“Not me! It’s great to have undying faith, but you have to have some kind of battle plan, too!” Kaede fought.

“Says the girl who was ready to sharpen a rock and slit someone’s throat if it came to that?”

“I was _not_ gonna slit someone’s throat.” Kaede seemed particularly annoyed at the notion, which Shuichi and Kaito quickly picked up on as she forced herself to simmer. “I was only going to use it as an emergency pocket knife. What if you set off a trap and get caught in a net dangling 10 feet from the ground with security well on the way to try and kill you? Then what’ll you do, hmm?”

“Never took a girl to like action flicks,” Kaito noted. “That sounds exactly like something that’d happen in one.”

Kaede quickly formulated an excuse. “Oh. Well, I— watch them from time to time back home. I know it seems a little silly to compare movies to real life, but you’d be surprised what people can be capable of out here.”

“That’s very true,” Shuichi agreed. “Especially since we hardly know anything about this school. And those little bears aren’t very trustworthy themselves, so they could pull tons to mess with us.”

“Whatever they think they can get away with, I’m not backing down!” Kaito declared, connecting his knuckles together courageously. “If someone like me is able to get to the big leagues, then anything’s possible to get away with!”

“Again, do you have a solid battle plan?” Kaede reminded Kaito, who didn’t respond for a few dead seconds.

“...Not yet, but I’m not saying never, either!”

 _‘So, that’s a no,’_ Shuichi and Kaede seemed to sigh internally at the same time, leaving Kaito be to check out more of the Academy.

Well, at least Kaito appeared to be a pretty decent person outside of his bullish ambition. That much optimism was as admirable as it was foolish with how he was headed with it. Great for support, not quite so in the strategic department. A self-proclaimed champion that forgets the part where he looks before he leaps.

* * *

_Obtained Friendship Fragment!_

_Report Card(s) obtained:_

**Kaito Momota**

**Height:** 6’0”

 **Weight:** 163 lbs

 **Chest:** 35”

 **Blood Type:** O-

 **D.O.B.:** April 12th

 **Likes:** House plants

 **Dislikes:** Medicine

 **Notes:** Ultimate Tennis Pro

* * *

Right across from where they’d met Kaito, Shuichi and Kaede entered a circular blue building labeled “Dormitory” in three whole places. Going inside, they found just that; 16 room doors and plates with pixelated version of every Ultimate both known and not depicted on them. The place seemed quaint, albeit oddly arranged and kind of small compared to the other places. But, at least a moment of peace and quiet could be stolen before—

“Beary nice to see you again!” False alarm. In came the Monokubs ready to harass yet again.

“Why, hello bear,” Monotaro greeted.

“Sorry to intrude,” Monosuke said.

“If you’re really sorry, then you’ll make it quick,” Kaede hissed, arms folded and glaring at the quintet. “Say what’s here, explain it in a few sentences, then leave us alone.”

“Wah, so cruel!” Monophanie wailed. “We’re not the ones who made you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today!”

“No, but we did make her wake up on the wrong side of the locker,” Monosuke quipped. “Ahem. To make a long story short, this is the Dormitory. Otherwise known as, where you Ultimates will be sleeping from now on.”

“And we just finished hooking up the new showers!” Monokid cheered. “Now, you’re free to pee when and however you want!”

“Why not just use the toilets?” Monotaro wondered.

“Eh? Even for goin’ number two?”

“How gross…” Monophanie gagged.

“We’d have lots more to tell you, but since you insist on us scramin’, who are we to refuse?” Monosuke asked.

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs chimed, leaving in a heartbeat.

“Finally,” Shuichi sighed. “Thanks for shooing them off.”

“My pleasure,” Kaede said. “Not that they needed to pop up, anyway. I don’t plan on staying here long enough to need a room, and you aren’t either!”

“Ah, your determination! Your feisty attitude and fiery heart! Truly, the shining example of His mortal children!” a peppy voice praised, seemingly disembodied until Shuichi and Kaede looked up.

Standing atop the staircase in front of her own bedroom door, a tan girl with bright blue eyes and platinum blonde hair wearing a periwinkle sarong skirt with a long sash hanging loose down the middle of her waist over black spandex shorts. The top she had on consisted of a white tank short enough to reveal a pierced naval area and a mini yellow poncho, a pearl ankle bracelet over the left of her flat brown sandals.

“Yay-HOO!” The girl leaped over the railing, sticking the landing below to the other two’s horror. “Whoo! Quite a doozy. Hello, there! I am Angie Yonaga, the **Ultimate Anthropologist**!” she greeted cheerfully. “I see now that two wondrous depictions of humanity stand humbly before me.”

“Humanity? Anthropology?” Kaede wondered.

“Mmm-hmm! I’ve a history of studying human kind from every walk of life accessible, learning their culture, their natural origins, and more primarily, their individual faith! Faiths? Faithes? Whichever one.”

“By ‘faith’, you mean like a pantheon?”

“Exactly! The root of humankind stems from many things, but in every myth, it all starts with the divine creating man in their image. And, there’s usually an enormous flood somewhere in the middle because the gods were displeased with their creations, but it was a great way of starting anew!”

“That kinda sounds like Noah’s Ark,” Shuichi pointed out. “Is there more than one for every culture?”

“Yes, yes! That’s known as the flood myth ending with the destruction of mortals, but at the same time allowing for a second chance of turning over a new leaf. In Greek Mythos, the floods were responsible for ending the Silver Age and First Bronze Age, the Gun-Yu Flood of Ancient China sent everyone to live atop hills for two whole generations, the Atrahasis one comes from the Babylonian epic and is the closest to Noah’s Ark, the—”

“—We get it, we get it,” Kaede shushed. “So, these gods drowned everyone because they were mad at them?”

Angie nodded enthusiastically, giving a smile filled with an unsettling darkness. “It like most myths are important lessons on thinking twice before acting like you know more than the divine ones. And that’s without mentioning what my island’s god is capable of should you disobey Him so.”

Now Kaede was uncomfortable, considering leaving earlier than expected. “Your island has a different deity?”

“That’s correct!” Angie instantly brightened up, as if having not all but threatened somebody. “Many cultures praise a variety of gods, but by the end of the day, Atua is the true overseer of the human race and decides what’s best for us.”

“Atua?” Shuichi wondered.

“Well, typically speaking, Atua is its own pantheon comprised of several, individual deities.” Angie counted off her fingers. “There’s Rongo, god of agriculture and peace, Tu, our war god, Tangaroa, our sea god, Tāne, who is responsible for creating wildlife, and plenty more to name. But! If any of those seem to slip your mind, you are free to refer to them as one, for Atua is also another way of saying ‘god’ where I’m from.”

“If you say so,” Kaede decided. “So, you go around preaching about your god to other cultures?”

“Usually, but there do come times where I must beckon to the many parts of humanity that mayn’t agree on the same thing. A god to one place isn’t inherently important to another, so sometimes, I have to tweak things to get my message across.”

_‘That sounds more like telling people what they wanna hear just to boss them around instead of actually respecting their faith, if you ask me.’_

“How many places have you traveled to?” Shuichi asked, likely thinking the same as Kaede secretly.

“I’ve yet to visit every nation in the world, but Atua praises me for being nearly halfway there,” Angie crooned, in a praying pose as if beckoning to her god. “He guides me from one destination and places me in the other to closely study the rest of His mortal children. Without His say, I’d be lost while so far from my home! Nyahahaha!”

“Can… Atua tell us how to escape?” Kaede questioned, forcing the inquiry out without revealing her disbelief.

“Hmm… actually, He has yet to come across that. Atua sees all, but now isn’t the time for us to know how to escape. Perhaps, it’s His way of saying we must figure it out for ourselves first.”

“Great.” Kaede’s tone reflected how the news was anything except, grabbing Shuichi and dragging him out of the Dormitory. “Let’s go. A pleasure meeting you, Yonaga-san.”

* * *

_Obtained Friendship Fragment!_

_Report Card(s) obtained:_

**Angie Yonaga**

**Height:** 5’1”

 **Weight:** 90 lbs

 **Chest:** 28”

 **Blood Type:** A+

 **D.O.B.:** April 18th

 **Likes:** Scrapbooking

 **Dislikes:** Time zones

 **Notes:** Ultimate Anthropologist

* * *

Going as far away from the Dormitory building as their feet would take them, Kaede led Shuichi through the courtyard and cafe across another point of interest. A birdcage, much like the one they were all in within the Academy’s parameter, but considerably smaller, as if its own section of the “outdoors”. Past bright red doors, a pristine garden of flowers surrounding a stone fountain filled by the indoor waterfall behind it all. Although beautiful, something of the room felt unnerving, almost like a horror movie in disguise.

“It says this place is the Shrine of Judgement,” Shuichi read off his Monopad, walking while staring at nothing else. “Why do you think it’s called that?”

“Maybe we missed some secret entrance exam before they knocked us out?” Kaede suggested. “That’s all I can— Saihara-kun, look out!”

“Huh?” Tripping over the ledge of the fountain, Shuichi fell directly into the water, knocking someone else in at the same time, too. “Gah! Sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going. Here, let me help you out,” he offered upon standing up from initially submerging.

Reaching a hand in, Shuichi pulled out someone tall and thin with drenched masses of ocean green, approximately hip-length hair put up in a high ponytail save for two sections on the sides. Upon the locks getting wrung out and moved, he saw a boy with sleek amber eyes and a porcelain face so elegant, one could easily mistake him at first glance for a woman. Water soaked through his olive green double breasted collared coat and white cravat, dripping all the way down to his black-and-gray plaid pants and slender brown knee boots, droplets falling from the golden pocket watch dangling out of its slot until it’d been stuffed back where it rightfully belonged.

“Are you alright, Mister…?” Shuichi trailed off, getting whipped in the face by a wet ponytail and sputtering.

“Shinguuji. Korekiyo Shinguuji, to be exact. The **Ultimate Detective** ,” Korekiyo introduced, the stoic expression befitting his calming voice. “If you must, I also go simply by ‘Kiyo’ for short, as I understand my name is quite a mouthful for most.”

“You’re a detective?” Shuichi asked, wiping the water from his face. “That means that’s your notebook over there?”

“My—? My notes!” Kiyo scrambled to grab the wet notebook floating adrift and looking at its tarnished parchment somberly. “Oh, just wonderful. All my hard-earned progress ruined!”

“Sorry about that, too.”

“No matter. I understand an accident more than anything. And luckily, I’ve been writing befittingly in fountain pen, so the water should have run a tad less. A simple blow dryer might do the trick, hopefully.”

“What have you been taking notes on?” Kaede asked.

“My observations, and anything of this Academy suspicious enough to warrant attention. This school has done nothing except spell bad news in my time here. It’s certainly an institution, but hardly one that’s educational.”

“As for an exit…?”

Korekiyo shook his head. “Everything has been sealed tightly. There wasn’t any sort of entrance or exit on the door, either.”

“It’s bad when not even the Ultimate Detective could find anything,” Shuichi sighed.

“Don’t feel so discouraged. I’m highly perceptive, yes, but in no way am I omniscient. And, my title is a bit of a misnomer since my training is… incomplete.”

“You’re still in training?” Kaede wondered, getting a nod from Korekiyo.

“All of my cases have involved assisting my parents with the family agency. I… can’t say for sure if I’m prepared to take one on by myself yet.”

“You must be looking forward to doing it, huh?” Shuichi guessed with a smile, only receiving a stiff face from Kiyo. “...Something I said?”

“No, you’ve said nothing particularly out of line. But, I wouldn’t go saying I’m too enthusiastic about taking on my first solitary case.”

“He’s probably just nervous,” Kaede assumed to Shuichi, patting Korekiyo on the shoulder a few times. “You’ll do fine. Everyone gets jumpy trying something on their own the first time.”

“Did you wanna join us looking around the Academy? Maybe introducing yourself to some of the others?” Shuichi suggested.

“I’ve encountered one other Ultimate with an athletic profession, and the meeting was less than satisfactory,” Korekiyo informed, brow twitching uncomfortably remembering it. “As for my investigation, I must practice working alone. Were we not treading unknown waters, I’d be happy to socialize and join you two.” He held up his damp notebook, looking hard at Shuichi. “Not to mention, I think you might have ‘helped’ me plenty.”

 _‘Is that just his way of saying he doesn’t trust us?’_ Kaede wondered internally. “Just be careful, Shinguuji-kun. Let us know if anything comes up.”

“And sorry again about your notes,” Shuichi apologized, taking off with Kaede when she started leaving.

Korekiyo dismissively waved them away, uncapping his fountain pen and creating another note. Although a bit on the quiet side, he gave off some semblance of eccentricity to Shuichi and Kaede. He could wind up being someone very handy, or a mysterious threat to steer as clear of as possible. The scales weren’t tipping too hard, so it only fit for the sleuth to be a difficult read this early.

* * *

_Obtained Friendship Fragment!_

_Report Card(s) obtained:_

**Korekiyo Shinguuji**

**Height:** 6’2”

 **Weight:** 143 lbs

 **Chest:** 33”

 **Blood Type:** O+

 **D.O.B.:** July 31st

 **Likes:** Feathered quills

 **Dislikes:** Cold weather

 **Notes:** Ultimate Detective

* * *

Back out to the courtyard, Shuichi and Kaede took more time to get a load of the lush grass and trees. If it weren’t for being trapped underneath a giant dome and cage, a nice browse under the (likely fake) sun sounded like a lovely past time together. Approaching the large circle at the pavement’s center, what appeared to be a little multicolored grasshopper jumped onto the end of Kaede’s shoes, making her shriek while trying to kick it off. Before it could go flying, an alarmed voice rang out to the sound of running footsteps.

“Please, stop!” it cried, belonging to a boy with noticeable eyeliner under his blue eyes and spiky ash blond hair, the antennae atop it more angular than Shuichi or Kaede’s. His black, v-neck sweater vest with a ladybug pin over his heart was worn neatly over a white polo shirt, blue cargo shorts a ways above his plain gray socks and brown hiking boots. “You’ll hurt it!”

“The grasshopper?” Kaede inquired, getting no response as the boy gently guided the critter into the glass jar and capped it with a lid drilled with air holes.

He cooed at the bug, tickling the side of the jar with his finger as if it were a baby. “Do be more careful next time, little one. Gokuhara-kun’s not done putting your portrait together.”

“For a bug?”

“Yes! I was out here looking to see if this school had any for me to see, and I’ve finally got my answer!” Putting the grasshopper down, he got out a notepad, showing off an identical sketch and related information. “I’m thinking this little fella’s _Dactylotum bicolor_ , which are normally found in Western countries, so I couldn’t possibly pass up getting a glimpse!”

“Dactylotum-who?”

“Err, it’s also known as the rainbow grasshopper. Or the painted grasshopper, sometimes even the barber pole grasshopper!” He shrunk a bit, appearing ashamed. “Sorry. I should have just said one of those first…”

“No, no, it’s okay! I— just learned something new, and it’s all thanks to you.” Kaede shuddered at the insect in the jar, which turned as if to look her way. _‘I’m really not a bug kind of person. And that thing landed right on me!’_

“You did? Oh. Then, I’m more than happy to educate!” Smiling not unlike that of a new lightbulb, he realized something. “Where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Kiibo Iidabashi, the **Ultimate Entomologist**.”

“‘Kiibo’?” Shuichi asked.

“It’s a nickname. Because I’m known to be hopeful even of seemingly grim situations. There’s always a way to turn the worst into something manageable in some way.”

“This guy gets it,” Kaede praised, impressed. “I didn’t think there were any animals here, nevermind bugs. Not counting those Monokubs, of course.”

Before Kiibo responded, another voice rang in and approached at the pace of swift running. “Iidabashi-kun! Did you find Gonta’s muse?”

The boy presumed to be Gonta was, to say the least, a giant, his height towering considerably over Shuichi, Kaede, and Kiibo. On him, a russet painter’s smock covered in splatters of green, tan, yellow, and gray over a white turtleneck, no shoes or socks on him beneath the dark bronze-colored pants covering no further than his knees. Unruly, olive green hair that looked to go past his lower back was arranged in a messy mid-ponytail with three colored pencils sticking out of it, maroon eyes seeing past small, oval-shaped eyeglasses.

“It’s right here, Gokuhara-kun!” Kiibo answered happily, presenting the specimen. “One bonafide rainbow grasshopper in the flesh!”

“Hmm…” Gonta looked hard at the grasshopper, then frowning like a disappointed puppy. “...It’s fake.”

“Fake?! How could that be? It jumps, twitches, and looks like a real—”

“—Look close with your magnifier glass. Real grasshoppers are not made of metal. See?”

Kiibo reached into his brown messenger bag and pulled out his magnifying glass, carefully eyeing his catch and widening both eyes. “He’s right! This grasshopper is entirely mechanical!” he gasped.

“So much for having non-animatronic animals here,” Shuichi groused.

“You like animals?” Gonta inquired, upbeat. “What kind? Or is it bugs you like best?”

“M— Mammals. Or, birds are pretty nice, too. I mostly do my training indoors, so I can’t say I’ve been out in the wilderness too much.”

“That’s a shame! Nature can be scary, but it’s not all bad. It gives Gonta the muse he needs to make great work.”

“What kind of work?” Kaede asked. “And, I can assume your name is… ‘Gonta’? Right?”

“Oh! Silly Gonta forgot to introduce himself. It’s polite for gentlemen to make proper introductions. Gonta’s name is Gonta Gokuhara, the **Ultimate Artist**. It’s very nice to meet new friends today!”

“And it’s very nice to meet you, too, Gokuhara-kun. You do artwork? Like paintings and sketches?”

“Those, and sculptures! Gonta’s inspiration is mostly comes from years of living with first family.”

“First? Do you have more than one?”

“Yes. One is Gonta’s human family, the other is Gonta’s forest family that took care of him when Gonta got lost as a boy.”

“Oh. Well, at least they sound like caring people.”

“Actually, they’re not exactly people, so much as…” Kiibo trailed off.

“Gonta’s forest family are wolves!” Gonta chirped as if the revelation were normal.

“Wolves?!” Shuichi and Kaede blurted out.

Shaking his hands, Gonta got them to settle down. “Don’t get the wrong idea! Gonta’s family is very nice. They’re the reason he’s one with nature, because if Gonta weren’t, Gonta would not be an artist.”

“Why get into art of all things?” Shuichi questioned.

“Because, Gonta’s true goal is to become the perfect gentleman! And classy gentlemen appreciate fine art, so Gonta wants to make the art himself.” Gonta’s expression grew rather angry, his eyes seeming to blare from behind his glasses. “Now, if only others could understand how nice nature is! Why ruin something that special and beautiful for no good reason?!”

Kaede felt the shivers run up her spine. “We’re totally with you! It’s such a shame that people litter and mess up nature just because they think they can. They’re the reason this planet is getting so dirty every day.”

“Very true! But!” Gonta eased up, batting the side of his fist against his palm after getting an idea. “If Gonta’s artwork can change people, they’ll be so moved they won’t dirty nature ever again! No one dirties what they love, do they?”

“And I’ll be your humble inspiration bringer if you need it!” Kiibo declared. “I do have an eye for the smaller creatures in nature.”

“Gonta can’t thank you enough. Normally, people get too scared to be around him, but all three of you willingly talked to Gonta!”

“It’s our pleasure. Right, Saihara-kun?” Kaede asked.

“Sure. Gokuhara-kun seems like a pretty nice guy,” Shuichi commented sincerely. “I was expecting almost the opposite from him.”

“Gonta looks scary, but he won’t stop striving to be a true gentleman!” Gonta vowed.

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“Huh? Was that a school bell?”

“Sure sounds like it,” Kaede conjectured. “Ah! Guys, the monitor!”

The monitor screen on the speaker turned on, showing the five Monokubs on the sofa sipping drinks. “Helloooo! Thanks for bearing with us!” Monophanie chimed merrily, Monodam yet again lacking anything to say.

“Bet you thought we’d keep you bastards hanging, didn’t ya?” Monokid tested. “We just finished the last of preparations, so you’d all better get your Ultimate asses over to the gym!”

“There’s nothing left anymore to keep us from starting up the opening ceremony!” Monotaro cheered. “Phew! All that doozy work’s dead and gone!”

“Don’t be late, or suffer the consequences,” Monosuke warned.

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs signed off, the monitor going black with inactivity.

“Gym? Opening ceremony?” Shuichi wondered.

“Yep. Missing it’s sadly not an option, so that means we need to get going,” Kaede said reluctantly. “Everyone else is definitely gonna be there.”

“Aren’t you a little worried about this?”

“No. ...A lot. I know red flags when I see them, but this might shed some light on what we don’t know.” Kaede held onto Shuichi’s hand, smiling at him with soft confidence. “I’ll be by your side the entire time. We’re partners in crime, aren’t we?”

“...Of course. Let’s go.”

* * *

_Obtained Friendship Fragments!_

_Report Card(s) Unlocked!_

**Kiibo Iidabashi**

**Height:** 5’3”

 **Weight:** 117 lbs

 **Chest:** 35”

 **Blood Type:** A+

 **D.O.B.:** October 29th

 **Likes:** Honey bees

 **Dislikes:** Pesticide

 **Notes:** Ultimate Entomologist

**Gonta Gokuhara**

**Height:** 6’6”

 **Weight:** 207 lbs

 **Chest:** 43”

 **Blood Type:** A-

 **D.O.B.:** January 23rd

 **Likes:** Nature

 **Dislikes:** Raw sewage

 **Notes:** Ultimate Artist

* * *

Promising to meet back up with Gonta and Kiibo in a few short moments, Shuichi and Kaede hurried back inside the Academy and hurried towards the gym per the Monopad’s navigational instructions. In front of two sets eight lockers to make sixteen total for each student labelled, a pair of gray doors stood firm between them and possibly the answers they were missing. Nodding at one another, they pushed them open and stepped inside, unknowingly kicking off the first day of the last thing anyone would expect to face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I initially intended to add the Killing Game™ explanation at the end of this, but... the Doc was way too long and I nearly puked seeing how much I'd written. So, the next episode will be the one for sure, plus some extra stuff after. I don't know how I'm gonna go about character interactions in terms of protag presence or different POV's (between some characters without Mr. or Mrs. Protag present) like the anthology does. I'll decide soon, though, unless you guys have a preference.
> 
> Also, regarding Gonta's manner of speech; I... wasn't a fan of the whole Tarzan speak crap in the English ver., but I do find it cute he uses third person. So, he'll talk a little more grammatically correct here, but it'll be more simplified to retain how he spent so long from other people and whatnot. Third person will not be used with Tenko or Angie bc that's going to be too annoying to write...
> 
> Okay, enough spiel. I'll get working on the next update starting tomorrow! Hope y'all liked this one, and keep a careful eye out for the next one. Stay fresh~! ♥


	3. Episode II: The Killing School Semester

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yaaay, another update! We're still pretty early in the first chapter (DR-wise, you know), so it's gonna be a tad easygoing... for now >:3c
> 
> It also means I'll have to look at the canon story for reference. Again, not gonna be cut and paste, but some things will be similar for basic gameplay and plot reasons. You'll see where the major differences (such as the Monokubs speaking considerably less unless necessary bc who tf cares) come in, though, don't worry! It will not feel like you're just re-reading V3 all over again (I hope...). Now that that's out of the way, let's get on with the show and this small update! Enjoy! ♥

Just as expected, all 16 Ultimate Students gathered in the gymnasium, mixed reactions amid the general confusion and wariness of their fellow classmates and abnormal location. Spacious, yes, but also filled with yet more trees and plant life that would never belong indoors without a pot and soil. It looked rundown in spite of its electronic basketball hoops, though just neat enough to not collapse on itself and harm everyone standing while passing as an actual gymnasium.

“This isn’t much of an entrance ceremony,” Kiibo noted. “Normally, we’re supposed to be sitting neatly and waiting for people to speak on stage.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, nothing about this place screams ‘normal’,” Himiko argued. “Nyeh, I could be binging the rest of my favorite season right now, but no…”

“We are all in such an unusual environment at the moment, but let’s not thrust ourselves head-on into danger,” Korekiyo warned. “Though, I do wonder. Have we come anywhere close to unlocking the deepest secrets of this Academy? Far too much left to look into, I’m certain…”

“Not that a virgin like you’d know the first thing about thrusting head-on, would ya?” Miu spat.

“Probably the contrary,” Tenko scoffed. “Human males are incapable of so much as a single wholesome thought. It’s all that keeps them going!”

“Wherever we’re stuck, I’m not liking it,” Hoshi sighed, tuning out Miu and Tenko’s banter that also went purposely ignored by Kiyo. “Can’t put my finger on why, but claustrophobia’s no one’s best friend.”

“Is that the feeling you’re getting?” Tsumugi wondered. “I guess it’s given since we’re all in a giant cage, but it’s pretty roomy besides trapping us all.”

“Much like little centipedes in a jar!” Ouma said far too cheerfully, arms behind his head with a grin. “I can’t wait to see you all get put in the microwave and smashed with a hammer!”

“Don’t say something so horrible!” Kiibo scolded. “And your choice of analogy only adds insult to injury!”

“He sounds like the kind of kid who’s done that,” Maki spat. “Or burned ants with magnifying glasses.”

“Why would you do that to a poor ant colony?!” Gonta gasped, glaring heated at Ouma. “Ants never do anything wrong!”

“Nishishi! Don’t knock it ‘til ya try it, big guy,” Ouma teased.

“It is quite easy to find what’s smaller and punish it for displeasing you,” Angie added in a half-meditation pose despite standing. “Sometimes justified, others not quite. But always, it must be.”

“That doesn’t make it right to happen,” Kiibo muttered. “You don’t get anything good out of it.”

“But, not everybody understands that, sadly,” Shuichi sighed.

“No one’s getting stomped on under my watch!” Kaito boasted. “If those weirdo teddy bears try anything, they’ll have to answer to me! I’m not going down without a say in it!”

“Kukuku… my, my. Someone seems eager to play superhero, aren’t they?” Korekiyo softly chuckled. “How far are you willing to go until there’s no way out, I wonder?”

“Gah! It’s you!” Kaito shimmied away from Kiyo, finding sudden interest in the wall. “Fancy seein’ you again…”

“Hmm? Whatever’s wrong, Momota-kun? You were so eager to introduce yourself to me before.”

“Yeah, well, that was before… ah, forget it. We’re not talking about it.” Kaito scratched the back of his head, cheeks pink. “Consider that officially dropped.”

“Rough first impressions?” Rantaro asked.

“Understatement,” Korekiyo said. “However, I wasn’t entirely joking around. Those jumping right into what they cannot handle often end up as one of my clients. Or, the perpetrator in the dire heat of the moment. Which would suit Momota-kun’s fancy?”

“Neither! This ain’t some kinda cheesy crime show!” Kaito cried.

“Shhh! Do you hear that?” Kirumi asked, putting a hand to her ear.

“Hear what?” Kaede queried.

“It may be a tad faint, but it almost sounds like… machinery. Amami-kun, is it one of your inventions?”

“Nope. Haven’t gotten to work since we got here,” Rantaro answered. “Kinda hard to work without a bench, yeah?”

“Was it you, Iron Box?” Miu asked Tenko. “You’re the closest metal thing around here!”

“I run on my complex programming, not an engine, and saying otherwise is stereotypical,” Tenko lightly scolded. “I’ll let you off with a warning this time, but I won’t tolerate any digs towards me because I’m a robot.”

“Just a simple question…”

Stomping into the room, five titanic machines colored red, blue, pink, yellow, and green at the top parts only surrounded everyone. The word “Exisal” was all that could be read on the name plate, orange lights glaring at the students as if looking into sinister, intimidating eyes. With a collective, dreaded shout of “Rise and shine, ursine!”, their identities were quickly revealed to the students. Tsumugi screeched with terror, waiting for the worst to come.

“Everyone, watch out!” Shuichi exclaimed, in an automatic combat pose despite knowing his skills couldn’t possibly take down an Exisal. “We don’t know what these bears are gonna throw our way, but get ready for anything you can think of!”

“Yeah, call off your slightly less ugly cousins, Tin Can!” Ouma demanded. “Whoever your creator is really dropped the ball in not making you like this!”

“Professor would never bring such horrible things to life!” Tenko snapped. “Besides, I don’t know what they are either!”

“Judging by their headplate, I’d say they’re… Exisals?” Rantaro read. “Kinda look like giant, metal monkeys to me.”

“I’d bet you’re the one who made these things, aren’t you?! It’s written all over your face!”

“Nah. I’d definitely remember building ‘em, so I’m sorry to say you’ve got the wrong person.”

Tenko glared at him. “Likely story…”

“Leave the kid be, he’s got nothing to do with us!” Monokid corrected from his blue Exisal. “These are highly mobile, bipedal, indestructible Exisals! Hailing from the old town road and finally found a new place to call home!”

“I’ve heard better, less fickle backstories,” Monosuke sighed.

“H-Hey, Mr. Inventor! What’re you standing there for?!” Miu whimpered at Rantaro. “Dismantle these hunks of junk already before they eat me alive!”

“Or disable them! Anything!” Kaito gulped, sweating buckets.

“So much for playing hero,” Maki scoffed. “I don’t think I’ve got a strong enough spell to work on something like this.”

“Oops, so sorry!” Monotaro laughed. “There’s not gonna be any dismantling or reprogramming of these bad boys right in front of us! How inconsiderate could you get?”

“That, and doing something that bold out in the open’s DOA,” Hoshi added. “No one’s a match for even one Exisal from the looks of it.”

“Not that we’re seconds away from dying anyways,” Korekiyo pointed out. “Typically, the desire to kill is instantaneous once the target is met, and then the one responsible clears the evidence as much as possible before fleeing the scene of the crime to provide a false alibi.”

“You say that like you’ve killed someone before,” Himiko shuddered. “And you look like it, too. Like Alucard 2.0 or something.”

“Appearances can indeed be deceiving, however, I only speak from the experience of witnessing and deducing such acts, not actively partaking. Such would go against my code as a detective in training.”

“What he’s trying to say is, if the super robot monkey team wanted us dead, they would have done it by now instead of introducing themselves,” Rantaro said, approaching the Exisal and sternly establishing approximate eye contact. “So. What’s your deal? You’re equipped with high caliber machine guns you’re just itching to point at us if we step out of line, and probably lots more in your right arm alone, nevermind your whole arsenal. We’re all ears, so go on. Shoot.”

“Don’t tell it to shoot!” Miu and Kaito yelled, terrified. “That’s what we wanna avoid!”

“We thankfully weren’t going to!” Monophanie insisted. “Shooting you all to bloody pulps until you’re nothing but guts and… urgh, I’m feeling a little sick just thinking of it…!”

“Spew later! We just washed these things!” Monokid barked. “Listen up, ya little punkasses! Here’s what we want you all to do! Ya ready? It’s comin’! We want you all in—!”

“A-KILLING-GAME,” Monodam finally interrupted.

“M-Monodam! I didn’t tell ya to upstage me, ya useless bastard!”

“Wait— WHAT was that?!” Kaede gasped. “I must not have heard right.”

“No, I heard it, too,” Kirumi said. “My hearing has quite the range, so they definitely said…”

“A-KILLING-GAME,” Monodam repeated.

“Grrr! Monodam, the second I get outta here, it’s your ass on a pike!” Monokid roared.

“If you two don’t cut it out, it’ll be yours instead!” Monotaro scolded.

“You wanna go, punk?! I’ll take you down right here, right now! In front of an audience and everything!”

“Don’t bother! I can beat you with at least fifty of my hands tied!”

“I guess we’re doing this. It’s more fun being hostile towards one another, anyways,” Monosuke decided. “Neither of you are any match for me! I can beat your asses in my sleep, if I wanted to, so come and get some!”

“Ladies first!” Monophanie challenged, getting into the fight too. “I’ll take you all on blindfolded, in my sleep, and in another country! All at once!”

“Should… should we do something?” Shuichi wondered.

“Finally! Robots fighting!” Ouma cheered. “JERRY! JERRY! JERRY! JERRY!”

“Who’s Jerry?” Gonta asked, getting ignored by Ouma’s whistling.

“Don’t encourage them,” Kaede sighed at the astronaut. “There’s plenty going on as is.”

“I think now would be a good time to leave, lest we get involved,” Korekiyo suggested. “Creatures with such massive strength quarreling would not be beneficial to get mixed in with.”

“Settle down, my little cubs! Sibling rivalry’s one thing, but there’s no need to keep up all this fighting!” a different voice exclaimed from somewhere.

“Who said that?” Kiibo wondered.

“Oh! Daddy’s here already!” Monophanie beamed, her and her brothers ejecting themselves from the Exisals and appearing on stage.

“Papa Kuma’s in the house, everyone!” Monokid cheered.

A spotlight shone down from behind the stage’s podium when the lights shut off for a short moment, something fluttering down like an angel sent from heaven itself. Instead of one, in came a bear similar to the Monokubs, but slightly bigger than them and a solid black on his left side with a sharp red eye. His wings came off when he took his stand, giving the microphone a few taps before clearing his throat and speaking proudly.

“Now humbly re-introducing! The God of this world, the Headmaster of all Headmasters, but mostly of the Ultimate Academy! The one, the handsome, and only… Monokuma! Nice to meetcha!” Monokuma announced.

“Yay! Father’s finally arrived to spice things up!” Monotaro cheered.

“Is there none more spectacular than our Pops? Dumb question, he’s top notch!” Monosuke praised.

“You little cubs are lucky you’re so cute! Otherwise, I’d have you sold off to the circus for scraps!” Monokuma cooed. “It’d save me half my hernias, but it’s almost worth it ‘cause you’re too irresistible!”

“Which means you’re not gonna get mad and skyrocket punch us to the moon again, are ya?”

“Me? Mad? No, never at you five! All you have to do is not repeat history like the last version of this game, and we’ll be walkin’ on sunshine!”

“Hear that? Daddy wants us to do good!” Monophanie cheered.

“Fuck yeah! He’s trying to avoid us getting knocked up sideways with his spot-on advice!” Monokid exhilarated.

“Never does he ever cease to amaze us!” Monotaro laughed.

“As I was SAYING!” Monokuma interrupted, sucker punching his aligned cubs away from the podium in one hit so he could talk. “Your kindly Headmaster is here to finally lay down how things are gonna work this time around!”

“Hey, I wouldn’t happen to be high as balls right now, would I?” Miu uttered to Maki.

“Nope. I’m seeing this, too,” Maki said. “Some stupid little plush toy is shouting its head off and came down from the sky.”

“...Right. Definitely high.”

“You’re not high, you good for nothing druggies!” Monokuma snapped, red with anger despite his permanent smile. “You little bastards _will_ show some respect for your Headmaster, though!”

“How is it even possible for you to be talking?” Maki interrogated. “Are you some kind of puppet? Or are you just hexed? Those can be easily undone with the right work, and I won’t hesitate to.”

“I don’t think it’s magic, Harukawa-san,” Tenko said. “Actually, I recognize another AI as well as anyone. He looks plushy, but he’s definitely been programmed to be this lifelike.”

“Kinda like something that’s both metal and stuffing,” Rantaro added. “It’s the same way they put batteries and speakers in children’s toys.”

“Rather than discuss what makes this creature tick, we ought to instead be addressing the elephant in the room,” Korekiyo stated. “Akamatsu-san, that is what you wanted touched upon the most, yes?”

“Y-Yeah, actually,” Kaede admitted.

“Then if we may, elaborate, Monokuma. Your children mentioned some sort of ‘killing game’, and we at least deserve a proper explanation. Is it exactly how it sounds, or is there an unknown catch behind it?”

“Uh-uh! It’s whatever it sounds like!” Monokuma affirmed, cackling evilly. “All sixteen of you, as if this moment and onwards, are hereby pitted against each other in this brand new and improved killing game!”

“What?! Are you serious?” Kaede breathed, freezing with dread. “Us? Participate in a killing game?!”

“Hmm, why so hesitant? It’s not like this is your first rodeo with one.”

“The Hell are you talking about?! None of us have ever been in this dump or killed anyone!” Kaito objected. “And we’re not starting, either! Tell him, Akamatsu!”

“Umm… err…” Kaede couldn’t find the words in backing up Kaito regarding the latter statement, forcing her voice out. “Right! Nobody’s killing anyone here!”

“Amen!” Angie agreed wholeheartedly. “Although ironically not among the seven deadly, murdering your brethren is undoubtedly, unmistakably, and unequivocally a sin! Every life our Lord brings upon this world shall be properly preserved until He calls them home by His say.”

Monokuma tilted his head. “‘Brethren’? Why would you consider anyone here to be that word? All I’m seeing here is a room full of enemies!”

“Enemies?” Shuichi contemplated.

“Upupupu, correct! Just bloodthirsty nemeses out to kill each other, and nothing more! You can’t trust anyone here with your life since all they’re gonna do is end it the minute you turn your back!”

“Awesome! How’s it work?” Ouma asked, still smiling with an inappropriately casual attitude.

“Why? Are you actually stupid enough to try and kill someone?” Maki sneered.

“You can come to whatever conclusion you wanna, but for now, I’m just adding to the Q&A sesh! Can’t just leave without knowing the full story. So, c’mon! Spill, spill!”

“Oooh, isn’t someone eager to learn?” Monokuma giggled. “Well, as much as I’d love to add to the exposition, I think my smarty-pants cubs should have the honor of explaining our system.”

“System for…?” Hoshi inquired.

“The class trials!” Monosuke answered. “For now, everything’s all ‘peaceful’, quiet, and just such a snore! But, once one of you finally grows a pair and kills someone, the real fun can begin!”

“After that, everyone gathers in the class trial!” Monotaro continued. “Since one of you is a murderer, known as the ‘blackened’, you’ll be facing off against those who aren’t and try to defend yourself from the crime debating with everyone on the killer’s identity.”

“Then, when a general consensus gets reached, everyone’ll vote for the person they think is the perp!” Monokid announced. “Vote correctly, and the blackened gets punished only. If you numbskulls vote wrong, though…”

“Everyone _minus_ the blackened has to take the blow, and the real one gets to leave the Academy scot-free,” Monophanie gagged. “But, either way, just thinking of what punishments we have in store for you all is pushing me past my limit…! I think I’m gonna be sick!”

“Hold it in, sister, we just mopped!”

“So too long, didn’t listen: kill someone, survive the class trial, and bam! It’s your one-way ticket to freedom, no consequences necessary,” Monosuke concluded.

“You’ve mentioned a punishment countless times,” Kirumi noted. “What might you mean by that?”

“Easy!” Monokuma said. “When the blackened is caught and punished…” His red eye glowed brightly in a menacing manner. “They’re executed. In a way I see fitting for them and their title. Common sense says if you commit a crime, you get punished for it. But, in this case, your potential punishment will be permanent.”

“I see,” Korekiyo pondered. “So, it’s a typical ‘whodunit’, but with a much bigger price to pay for the criminal responsible. I must say, this is the first time the death sentence is guaranteed after getting caught.”

“I’ve got it! Inspector Shinguuji, arrest the skanky bitch maid for murder!” Ouma joked, pointing to Miu. “The culprit’s always the maid or butler!”

“S-Skanky bitch…!” Miu shuddered with delight, sweating and shivering before coming to a realization. “Hey, wait a minute! I ain’t a killer, ya twangy little pube! No one’s dead!”

“And thus, I’ve no one guilty to apprehend," Korekiyo said. "Ideally, that’s the way things should stay.”

“But will it?” Ouma challenged.

“None can say for sure, but I see no need to make it more likely a guarantee. No bloodshed, no issues. Simple as that.” Korekiyo frowned down at his pocket watch. “How absurd. For anyone to stoop so low as to end someone’s life just to escape.”

“Then you’re in for some real disappointment, because I hereby declare the Killing School Semester officially underway!” Monokuma chortled. “I’ll allow any sort of methods you sixteen pick to use! Bludgeoning, stabbing, throttling, fighting and dismembering until blood and guts are splatting everywhere! The sky’s the limit and I can’t wait to see what you guys come up with!”

“Can’t hold it in—!” Monophanie retched, finally spilling blobby, chunky liquid onto her feet. “So gross…”

“Oop. Monophanie got sick,” Monosuka called out.

“A k-killing game…” Tenko quivered. “All to get free, but at what cost of someone’s life like that…?”

“Gonta won’t kill anyone! A gentleman never harms a soul!” Gonta vowed, just as frightened.

“What kinda fantasy world do you live in?” Ouma mocked. “People die every day! One of their favorite methods is murder; it’s second nature on this waste of a space rock! Quit actin’ like you’re any different than the rest of humanity.”

“Geez, who kicked you as a baby?” Himiko mumbled, pulling her witch’s hat down in emotional defense.

In that moment, the world felt as though it’d come to the halt of a lifetime. Put in a killing game of all things, forced into possibly taking the lives of strangers while burdened with the likely odds of getting done in yourself. Monokuma and his children were reveling in the confusion and anxiety among the students (with the exception of those like Ouma, who hadn’t looked the least bit bothered by it, Kiyo and Maki remaining as logical and stoic as possible, and Angie, who kept herself preoccupied with a short prayer), Kaede feeling like the room was either melting, spinning, or a dangerous combination of both. Shuichi also looked ready for his composure to ditch him, giving his first acquaintance a face in search of an answer.

“A killing game… there’s just no way we could do that,” Shuichi rasped. “Hurting someone in self-defense is one thing, but to kill them— you can’t turn back from that.”

“Que sera sera!” Monokuma dismissed. “You don’t have the slightest choice, Saihara-kun. Either you do as I say, or people here are gonna start paying some super, highway robbery-level prices!”

“Neither!” Kaede finally objected, stomping her foot defiantly and pointing to Monokuma with her strongest face matching outrage. “I don’t care what you say. I don’t care if you threaten us. I don’t care if you keep us here until someone spills blood! This killing game isn’t happening! We’ll never give into whatever you wanna do!”

“Oooh! So, we’ve got a little rebel in the school, do we? Now, I’d be impressed— flattered, even! After a little speech like that.” Monokuma gave Kaede a hard look, still knowing he has the upper hand. “Had you not have given something like this before.”

“What? Oh, don’t try and get in my head! I’ve never been here until now, so nice try.”

Monokuma shrugged with a defeated sigh. “At least that means everything’s worked as it should. But, enough about that! I’m more stoked to see just how well your defiance is gonna last within these walls! Especially with having some pretty juicy skeletons stuffed away in the closet to collect dust.”

“You’re gonna need to do a lot better than a bunch of small talk to get through to us. Anything you’ve got to throw at us, we’re ready to overcome it!”

“...Anything?”

“That’s what I said. Are you scared?”

“Nah!” Monokuma’s claws popped out of his paw, though Kaede did not flinch and instead kept glaring. “But, you’ll be. And that’s a certified guarantee from me.”

Turning her head to the other Ultimates, who weren’t the least bit encouraged by her act of rebellion and in fact even more annoyed, Kaede stayed unmoved by Monokuma’s force. She’d accepted that she was one of many vulnerable inside of a game of literal life or death, but was certain it wouldn’t last long enough to let anyone give into sick temptation. Breaking her thoughts, sixteen loud chimes sang throughout the gymnasium on their person, Monokuma and the Monokubs now nowhere present. Pulling the Monopad from her backpack, Kaede read through the update purely out of curiosity.

“Oh, great, he’s added rules,” Kaede scoffed. “I guess he wants to try and make his game organized chaos.”

  1. Students must live at the Ultimate Academy for the remainder of their foreseeable future. 
  2. Once a murder takes place, all surviving students must participate in a class trial.
  3. If the blackened is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be executed. 
  4. If the blackened is not exposed, all remaining students will be executed. 
  5. If the blackened survives the class trial, they will graduate and re-enter the outside world. 
  6. The killing game and class trials will continue until only two surviving students remain. 
  7. "Nighttime" is from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. The dining hall and gymnasium are off-limits at night. 
  8. Violence toward Monokuma, the headmaster of the Ultimate Academy, is strictly prohibited. 
  9. Monokuma will never directly commit a murder. 
  10. Your Monopads are very important items. Please do not damage them. 
  11. The "Body Discovery Announcement" will play when three or more students discover a body. 
  12. With minimal restrictions, you are free to explore the campus at your discretion. 
  13. Students who violate these rules will be immediately exterminated by the Exisals. 
  14. The headmaster may add additional regulations to this list at any time.



“I didn’t think a game where you’re pushed to try and kill someone would have restrictions,” Himiko commented. “Seems kinda pointless to care about people misbehaving when they’re breaking the world’s biggest rule of all.”

“It does seem like a juxtaposition in itself,” Korekiyo agreed. “Those who murder or do wrong often carry the belief they’re above the rules. Not always, but usually.”

“I would have to disagree with both of you,” Angie said. “In some cultures, to kill another who has done you harm to begin with is considered acceptable. Often, it’s a case of a life for a life.”

“Then luckily for you, we’re in a country where murder is, in fact, quite illegal. And from the way you describe it, still taboo regardless of the places you go.”

“What does rule six mean?” Gonta wondered. “‘The killing game continues until… two students are left’?”

“Guh-duh! It means the game’s gonna stop at two people still living!” Ouma pointed out. “Can’t have a school trial with just two people; then, you’d just have them pointing back and forth saying ‘you did it!’ and ‘no way, you did it!’. Way too boring doing things that way.”

“People could die in here, and all you’re concerned with is being entertained or not?” Kirumi challenged, giving Ouma a disapproving look. “Your priorities are sounding rather skewed right now.”

“What? I’m just being real here. Am I wrong in saying it’d majorly suck getting stuck with only one other person in prison?”

“No, but you must consider the context a bit more. Fourteen whole people would be dead far too young for that to happen.”

Ouma shrugged, cruelly indifferent. “Fine with me, ‘cause I’m not gonna be joining you fourteen. Such a shame I won’t get to be the one zapping you all out of existence, but there’s nothing I can do to stop a bunch of lowlifes from ripping each other to shreds like puppies to a sock. No surprises here!”

“You’re the lowlife!” Kaito barked. “What kind of inconsiderate jackass would even say such a thing like that?”

“Hmm… me, of course! I thought that was obvious. Or, did you not hear the words that just came out of my mouth? Do you need a hearing aid, gramps? I’d walk you across the street to get one, but I personally couldn’t care less if your knee busts and you fall in traffic.”

“What a horrible thing to say!” Kiibo interjected. “You’d let a defenseless old man get run over?!”

“I’m not old! We’re the same age!” Kaito argued.

“You’re missing the point,” Hoshi said. “I doubt anyone was calling you a senior citizen. He was just saying that to mess with you, and it’s working a little too easily. Kinda sad, really.”

“Try really sad!” Ouma laughed. “I’d give you props just now, but even a five-year old would be able to figure that out. Sorry to say it’s still impossible for brainless Earthlings like you to be considered anywhere near average on the smarts spectrum.”

“Doesn’t really hit much coming from you. Life sucks, but you’ve got just as long a way to go as me. You’ll just find that out the hard way.”

“Nyeh, forget him,” Himiko grumbled. “For all we know, he’s probably the first blood and trying to hide it.”

“Definitely the first blood,” Maki agreed. “No one else would talk that big and have a chance at surviving.”

“This is not something to discuss lightly,” Korekiyo scolded. “Betting on someone— anyone’s, life is an appalling thing to do, regardless of who they are. Even the despicable ones don’t deserve to have their days ended in one swoop and mocked for it.”

“Yeah! So, you’d better start respecting me, or you’ll be the one getting killed instead!” Ouma spat at Maki and Himiko. “Maybe not by me, exactly, but someone will take the torch!”

“And, you’ve now completely twisted my point into something else entirely…”

“Shinguuji-kun’s right,” Shuichi concured. “It’s wrong to talk about people’s lives like they’re some kinda gamble. Once you’re dead, you’re dead, and that’s it. Everyone deserves a chance to be okay.”

“Umm, are you one to say that?” Tsumugi questioned. “The first thing you did when we met was throw me like a baseball.”

“You WHAT?!” Tenko gasped, going to Tsumugi’s side instead of getting too close to Shuichi. “I should have known a degenerate like yourself wasn’t to be trusted! Violently lashing out at girls for being generous enough to give you the time of day!”

“She snuck up on me!” Shuichi argued. “It was a nervous reaction!”

“And that suddenly makes you honorable? You still could have seriously hurt someone, you monster!”

“Go easy on him! Anyone would be scared in a situation like this,” Kaito defended. “When it looks like danger’s behind you, you don’t back down! You fight back with everything in you!”

“Not if it ends up getting you killed,” Shuichi uttered.

“I’m not liking this…” Kiibo sighed, petting the jar containing the robotic rainbow grasshopper to ease its pain.

“Gonta will protect his friends from harm! That includes you, Iidabashi-kun!” Gonta comforted, smiling to ease Kiibo’s worry. “We are in this together, and Gonta won’t let anyone get killed no matter what happens.”

“You really think so?”

“Well, Gonta isn’t smart, but he means it! With all of his heart. Like Shinguuji-kun said, everyone deserves to be safe, and if it’s up to Gonta to keep that, then it’s okay with him even if it’s all really hard.”

Kiibo gave a smile, his shoulders relaxing. “I think you’re right. When the going gets tough, the tough get going!”

“You didn’t take long to bounce back, did you?” Rantaro chuckled, then turning to the side with an eerie sideways glance. “But, I’d watch what I say too loud, if I were you.”

“Huh? Why’s that?”

“Well, don’t you have the nagging feeling someone or something may be hanging onto every word? They could pop out and use it against you if you’re too careless.” Rantaro waved it off, Kiibo still petrified. “Not to spook you out, but I do want you being careful, okay?”

“Don’t say you don’t wanna spook someone out, and then proceed to do that…” Kaito muttered, then resuming his typical loud volume. “Either way, it’s like Akamatsu said! We’re not doin’ what that freaky bear wants, and that’s final! And if he’s got something to say about it, he’ll answer to me and my backhand!”

“You’re forgetting rule 8, Momota-kun. If you hit Monokuma, you’re toast. Do you really wanna know what he’s capable of if you go after him?”

“Bah! Some stuffed bear can’t do jack! It takes two to tango, and I’ve got two right feet to best that thing.”

“That would imply you’re an even worse dancer,” Kirumi explained. “And, you can’t say you know what Monokuma can do when trying to test that is a clear red flag.”

“No, no, I wanna see how well this turns out for him,” Ouma said. “I can’t wait to watch him crash and burn under his own idiocy! That oughta teach him a thing or two.”

“Guys, do you mind—?” Kaede tried asking, only to get interrupted by Kaito yelling at Ouma.

“—Fighting evil’s better than doing nothing at all!” Kaito barked. “The bad guy wins when you let him!”

“Welp. There goes Jock Strap,” Miu sighed. “Blood number two and it’s only been five minutes!”

“Guys, nobody’s dying, just listen—” Kaede tried again.

“—The bigger they talk, the harder they’re bound to fall,” Korekiyo sighed. “Perhaps that’s advice you could get behind, Iruma-san.”

“What? You askin’ me to peg ya?” Miu teased. “My services don’t come easy like you do, ya know!”

“No, but now I’m asking you to sew your mouth shut permanently.” Korekiyo glowered menacingly at Miu, who whimpered just looking his way. “If you’re going to talk that way, then there’s no point in you saying a peep or showing your face in public.”

“Th-The Hell?! Who went and pissed in your potatoes?!”

“Nishishi! The sweaty pig whore just got served!” Ouma cackled. “And she’s supposed to be a maid!”

“Guys—!” Kaede cut in as Miu shuddered with delight at being shamed.

“—That’s enough out of you two!” Kiibo snapped at Kiyo and Ouma. “Iruma-san didn’t deserve either of what you said to her! We’re supposed to be friends, and I expect you to act like it.”

“F-Friends…?” Miu wondered, glancing up at Kiibo intrigued.

“Ha! As if I’d even associate with a bunch of carbon-based scumwads like you people!” Ouma laughed derisively. “Maybe if you guys were from literally any other planet, _perhaps_ , but no! The bottom of the barrel just had to be scraped.”

“Everyone deserves to have at least one person in their lives,” Kiibo responded. “No matter how awful.”

Ouma made no effort to hide his scoff. “Man, you’re just pulling out all the stupid stops, aren’t ya? How old are you? Four? Two? Negative eight?”

“One of those isn’t a real age, but I could ask you the same question.” While Ouma turned away wanting nothing to do with him, Kiibo spared him one more long look as if studying him until a loud noise resonated through the gymnasium and made everyone protect their hearing.

“SHUT UUUUUUUUP!” Kaede screamed into the microphone at the stage podium, the screeching feedback taking advantage of the acoustics. Waiting for everyone to divert their attention her way, she took a moment to clear her throat and speak her mind. “Thank you. As I’ve been trying to say for the past few minutes, we shouldn’t be fighting. We need to start working together as a team, carefully come up with an escape plan, and put it into action! The enemy’s the one who put us here, not ourselves! That’s exactly what Monokuma wants to trick us into thinking. And really, are you gonna take that from a stuffed bear-bot?”

“Fuck no, we’re not!” Kaito cheered, pumped up.

“Just the answer I was looking for! So, are you all in? Do you wanna escape this place without a drop of blood spilt?”

“Yeah!” Tenko rooted. “We mustn’t forget who the real one at fault is!”

“I’m with you two, too, but I’m not getting noisy,” Himiko yawned. “Whoo…”

“Hoo-hee-hee! Yumeno-san, your levelheadedness is so admirable. And adorable! What’s your secret?”

“Emotional exhaustion? Or… I guess it’s sometimes important to not lose your cool in stressful situations. It’s too much pressure on my body.”

Tenko only squealed more. “If it weren’t Akamatsu-san giving a speech, you’d make just as great of a leader! I just know it!”

“Nah. Too much pressure. Besides, she’s doing a much better job than I could’ve.”

“Oh, hush now. Don’t sell yourself that short.”

“Kinda hard when—” Ouma was prepared to say until Shuichi restrained him by the mouth before he could make a dig at Himiko’s height. “Mrphm!”

“If you’ve got nothing nice to say, then don’t,” Shuichi scolded. “This is exactly what Akamatsu-san wants us to avoid.”

“How can you be so sure this is gonna work past paper?” Maki demanded to know, looking at Kaede skeptically. “None of us know each other, so who knows what the next guy is thinking?”

“Well, we don’t!” Kaede answered. “But, the less we become strangers, the more we can trust each other. That’s the most important part of it all. Trust, even in the unlikely situations.”

“Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.”

“It will. Even if I have to find a 16-person shirt making us get along, then I’ll make sure it happens. But, first things first: looking for an exit.”

“The glass dome is completely impregnable,” Angie stated. “Not a hole nor crack to be seen!”

“Let’s find some shovels and just dig under it!” Miu exclaimed. “That dome’s only able to go so far.”

“I wouldn’t, if I were you,” Hoshi calmly objected. “Even if that did work, what makes you think Monokuma isn’t gonna catch us and reel us back in? This place definitely has hidden cameras all over it; he’ll know.”

“And, digging that much will guarantee a rather unpleasant collapse,” Korekiyo pointed out. “Which is without considering what those Exisals will do should they catch us. Is that a risk you’d be willing to take?”

“...No,” Miu pouted.

“We won’t have to dig our way to freedom!” Kaede reassured. “When there’s an entrance, there’s an exit, and that’s what we’re gonna sniff out! Are you guys still with me?!”

The majority of the students all cheered in agreement, rallying together and heading out of the gymnasium to begin their search for an exit. Happy that she’d lifted such low spirits from a deepening pit, Kaede hopped down from her spot on the stage and prepared to begin leading the group. Barely a foot away, she felt her shoulder be occupied by a foreign hand, instinctively turning and trapping it in a vice grip using only one hand. The pained yelp wound up coming from Korekiyo, who struggled to free himself.

“Would you— mind letting go…?” he strained, hearing some noticeable pops in his hand until Kaede released him. “Gah! Thank you.”

“Sorry, Shinguuji-kun, I didn’t know it was you,” Kaede apologized. “Why aren’t you with the others?”

“I will join them shortly. I’m sure I could be of use to finding hidden secrets.” Korekiyo shook his hand a few times, releasing its soreness. “For now, I just wanted to commend you for your inspirational speech. To be able to pull a crowd from uncertainty is quite admirable.”

“Oh. Why, thank you.”

“However, now comes a word of caution. Optimism is a very important trait to have in a world like this where one moment, you could be minding your own business, but the next, you’ve dropped dead with a freshly bloodied switchblade in your throat and left to rot before the eyes of many.”

 _‘Was the creepy description really necessary? He sounds more like a mortician than a detective!’_ Kaede gulped, listening on. “Uh-huh?”

“Nothing much on that, except to be careful here. Such high hopes without a solid ground to fall on will result in dire consequences. Not just for you or me, but everyone here you’re trying to protect from Death’s indiscriminate clutches.” Kiyo looked at his pocket watch, the reserved expression on him unchanged. “Oh, look at the time. We’d best get started with our search, should we not?”

“We… should, yeah. Let’s go.”

As Korekiyo closed his pocket watch and returned it to its proper pants slot, Kaede marched ahead speedwalking, unable to shake the shivers crawling down her spine from the presence following intently. Finally getting away from Kiyo, she met back up with Shuichi, relieved at being able to relax around someone far less unsettling. Some of the other students had split up into small groups looking for hidden exits in different parts of the first floor, with the rest assumed to have gone either upstairs or down to cover more ground.

“That was an amazing speech you gave, Akamatsu-san,” Shuichi praised. “What did Shinguuji-kun want to talk to you about?”

“He just told me I need to be careful of how far I take my optimism,” Kaede answered. “I’m not taking things too far! ...Am I?”

Shuichi saw the frown on Kaede’s face, choosing his words carefully so as to not make her more worried. “...He just wants you to help everyone without going too far. —Not that I’m saying you are! It’s only in case something goes wrong. It’s nothing personal; the Ultimate Detective just has to be two steps ahead at all times.”

“But, does he have to be so creepy with it? Actually, where is he?” Kaede and Shuichi turned around, Kiyo nowhere behind them. “Huh? I could have sworn he was just here.”

“Looking for someone?” Korekiyo interrupted, earning yelps from the two he’d startled and a grab of his forearm. “Eh?”

“Kei-YAUGH!” Shuichi yelled, moving and performing a hard koshinage throw before stomping one foot onto Kiyo’s stomach as the detective let out a grunt. “Hoi!”

“...I take it I’ve startled you?” Kiyo’s voice was raspy from the attack winding him, able to take a breath when Shuichi quickly pulled him up.

“Sorry! Nervous habit of mine. Try not to sneak up on me so much.”

“Dully noted. Kukuku… you and Akamatsu-san have something in common.”

Shuichi looked at Kaede, who shook her head pleading he didn’t ask further. “To answer your question, that ‘someone’ was you, but now we’ve got our answer,” she said. “What happened back there? I thought you were right behind me, only to see you vanish into thin air!”

“Forgive me. I felt I’d overlooked part of this floor and went to see if there was an exit, but I’d found nothing after all. Now that I’ve caught up, did either of you need help with your portion of the search?”

“Oh, uhh— no, we’re good. You did say you wanted to work alone before, didn’t you?”

“That I did, but I figured you both could use the help in case you miss something crucial.”

Kaede took exception to that, dragging Shuichi off with a vexed expression. “We’ll live. Come on, Saihara-kun. We’ve got lots of ground to cover.”

Before he could have the chance to say bye, Korekiyo found himself alone. Turning the other way for another solo search, he got out his notes and started writing down the rest of what he’d discovered. Nothing new came up since it’d been the way he’d come from, but never leave even a pebble unturned under his watch, lest an important detail go missed. More plant life, public restrooms, there was the dining hall just around that corner again…

“Whoever brought us to such an unusual and—” Korekiyo took a pause, stepping away from another plant and resuming, “—overgrown place, I can’t afford to be unprepared for whatever may be thrown my way.” Turning his head down a new hall, he swore he heard the sound of a locked door being pulled over and over. “Hello?”

“Come! On! I command you to open!” Ouma grunted, yanking on a large, black-and-white checkerboard door. “This room’s probably got my name on it, so lemme in! Now!”

“Pardon me, but there is a reason doors are locked. It’s a subtle means of saying not to enter the room.”

Upon spotting Kiyo, Ouma let go of the door and ran up to him, complacently looking up at him with his fists on his thin hips. “And what do you think you’re doing in my presence, Earthling? You’re breathing my tainted air!”

“Tainted? It seems fine to me and anyone breathing normally.” Korekiyo came to a realization, stepping away from Ouma. “Are you ill? If you are, then you shouldn’t be running around—”

“—Of course _you_ don’t feel it because you somehow live on this stanky stank town of a planet! True, I’m used to it at this point, but I still can’t stand being forced to breathe this junk! It’s a wonder I haven’t keeled over from its toxins.”

“...You live on Earth as well.”

Ouma gave a flinty look in exchange. “Don’t remind me.” Smiling, he put his arms behind his head. “But, on the bright side, I don’t have to do it forever!”

“Huh?”

“Yep. Only a matter of time until I get my hands on the right equipment, carry out my master plan…” Ouma smiled, but far more dark than Korekiyo ever recalled seeing on him. “And kick back and watch as this miserable planet gets blown to little bitty pieces with the rest of mankind like they should have ages ago.”

“...Right. Ah, have we had a proper introduction before? I’m—”

“—Korekiyo Shinguuji, the Ultimate Detective. I know, it says so on the Monopad. Surely, you’ve heard of me already. Kokichi Ouma, currently the Ultimate Astronaut, but also the future conquistador of at least five galaxies and growing!”

“Mmm-hmm. I see. So, would you mind telling me how a teenager managed to become an astronaut? I’m sure that must be a very interesting tale.”

“Nishishi! Here I thought you’d never ask. My voyages through the cosmos haven’t gotten me any galaxies conquered just yet! But, I have taken over a planet or few. Why else would people start saying Pluto’s not a planet, then just up and change their minds?”

“...Are you certain your secret title isn’t the Ultimate Storyteller?”

“Nah, I was never the best at stories.” Ouma put his index finger to his lips, looking devious. “Or, am I? I am a liar after all. Not that it matters, either way! Whoever dragged me into this jungle dump won’t lemme out and do what I want most in life!”

“As in blowing up the galaxy?”

“Mmm-mmm, just Earth. The rest of the Solar System I’m just gonna conquer. When I do, you and the rest of your worthless species better count your days like they’re the last. Because, well, they are.”

“So, if I’m correct, you despise humans and wish for their demise… while you’re human yourself.”

“Yeah, sounds right. But, I can at least say I’m nowhere near as bad as the rest of the creatures stinking up the place.”

“Don’t you think that’s a tad harsh addressing everyone here so negatively? You’ve only just met them.”

“What’s that matter? You can’t differentiate scum from more scum. They all blend into the same puddle and ruin my nice shoes.”

“Now you’re just being hypocritical. If humans are scum, that makes you such, too.”

Ouma looked genuinely appalled, stomping his feet at the same time with balled fists. “Like Hell it does! I’m way better than any other human here, there, anywhere, or on Earth!”

“And yet you admitted to being a liar?”

“Sure did! But, that’s the one thing I ain’t lyin’ ‘bout, Shinguuji-chan.” Ouma saw Korekiyo roll his eyes. “Oh, don’t look at me like that! I figured you of all people would be agree with me. How many goons and baddies have you busted as a sleuth? All those murderers, and rapists, abusers and loiterers! Those kinds definitely aren’t worth letting up for, don’t you think?”

“Just as you likely are, I’m still in training. But, if it helps, you’re truly like no other I’ve ever seen before. Now, to answer your question. Those criminals are only a small portion of the whole of humanity. What about those that run charity organizations or use their lives to serve and treat the weak and sickly? Those people would seem to put a hole in your logic.”

It was Ouma’s turn to roll his eyes, seeming genuinely bitter with his arms folded and eyes not meeting Korekiyo’s. “Puh-lease. You can’t really believe altruism really exists here, can you? People only do those things to get themselves a pat on the back or recognition for being seemingly decent creatures. Makes me wanna puke that they do it AND have the balls to pretend it’s for ‘the good of humanity’ or some junk.”

“There are other motives aside from being recognized, you know. For instance, plenty do it to promote awareness to causes.”

“Why? So everyone else can get fame and praise? No thanks.”

Korekiyo’s face softened to that of great concern, one hand holding his elbow with the other on his cheek. _'Such a negative outlook on the world. That can’t possibly be very healthy.’_

“Whale! Enough about me, how about you, Medusa?” Ouma leaned on Kiyo, looking up at him with big eyes and a smile like that of a curious child. “You’re stuck in training and have a while before you get your wings, so how’d you get your title early, too?”

“Who, me? I’m at best a junior detective, but I only received my title because I—” Korekiyo’s eyes slowly widened as his mind played unpleasant imagery he knew too well, a voice like that of an enchanting viper’s echoing through him. “I…”

“You?”

“...I wound up spearheading an important and very personal case.”

Ouma noticed how distantly Korekiyo seemed to be staring, the normally well-mannered face having hints of fear and regret starting to seep from underneath. “Man… sounds like a doozy! If it’s as big of a case as it sounds now, then you should be the real deal, not some junior detective.”

“Don’t forget, we’re nowhere near old enough to sustain actual careers.” Kiyo shook his head to purge himself of the unwanted thoughts, mentally telling himself to get over it. “We have lots to learn before then.”

“But, I want mine nooooow!” Ouma stomped his feet impatiently. “I want my own space army! I want my own planet! I deserve it! I’m just as important as the rest of my crew!”

“Then perhaps you should try acting like it.” Korekiyo adjusted his cravat and strolled past Ouma. “If you are going to simply weave heroics about your soon to be conquests, I shall go ahead and learn more about this place we are at.”

“Wait! Going so soon?”

Korekiyo looked down and saw Ouma hugging his arm, still looking up at him with those big purple eyes of his and a smile that’d be rather innocent were it not for his true colors. “Yes. We were tasked with looking for potential exits, and there’s a lot more of this place I’ve yet to uncover. It was nice formally talking with you, Ouma-kun—”

“—NOOOOO!” Pitching a harder tantrum, Ouma pulled repeatedly on Kiyo’s coat sleeve. “Take a break, Shinguuji-chan! You gotta, you just gotta!”

“And why is that?”

“Because! All work and no play makes you a dull boy who drops dead from exhaustion. You’ll burn out if you don’t take five.”

“My work is busy work. I can’t afford to slack and miss a lead because of you. Now, run along.”

Ouma hugged his arm tighter. “Uh-uh! Don’t you at least sleep at night?”

“Well— oh, what does it matter to you, anyways? You hate humanity.”

“And you didn’t answer my question, Inspector. Don’t. You. Sleep. At night?!”

No matter how many times Korekiyo tried pulling his arm free, Ouma wouldn’t budge and still looked up at him demanding an answer. Giving up, he also gave in. “...No, alright? I hardly do because I suffer from, among others, a sleeping disorder.”

“Oh-ho-ho! Now we’re finally getting somewhere! Have you tried taking sleep meds?”

“I’ve been prescribed some, but they’re back home. ...Which I am not at. Oh, I at least hope Monokuma has some to spare in the nurse’s office, wherever that may be.”

“Nowhere. If we had one, it’d be on the first floor where access is quickest, wouldn’t it? If it’s not here, then it’s not nowhere. Your best chance is checking the warehouse for pills.”

“What?! What sort of school doesn’t have an infirmary?!”

“The same kind with overgrown weeds and entire trees growing indoors?”

“...Touché. That reminds me, for a school that’s seemingly abandoned, it’s also rather tidy and well-stocked with supplies. Why go through only half the effort?”

“Beats me. I’ll give them this; they must be going for ‘organized chaos’, which I can totally get behind!”

 _‘Do I feel sorry for Iruma-san should she have to clean your bedroom…’_ Kiyo carefully removed his arm from Ouma’s grasp, flexing it to get rid of its slight soreness and internally remarking how such a small boy was stronger than he looked. “If you let me get back to what I was doing, I promise to take a moment to clear my head.”

“You do?”

Korekiyo nodded. “I’m a sleuth of my word. Now, I must return to the task at hand.”

“Which hand? This one?” Ouma held up one of Kiyo’s hands, a pregnant pause in the corridor broken only by the slight snicker from Kiyo. “Huh! I just solved my own mystery!”

“Kuhu— and what would that be?” The detective covered his mouth, blocking anymore hints of laughter from passing his pale lips.

“Whether or not you’re capable of laughing. Everyone needs a good laugh from time to time!”

“Hilarious. But, no. I was referring to the task of learning more about this place while looking for an exit as Akamatsu-san instructed.”

“Oh, right. Eh, she’s not the boss of me. I’ll look around and see what I can get my hands on, but I can find a way out of this dump in my sleep!”

“Very well then. I’d hate to keep you, so I hereby let you go.”

“About time! I’m getting super bored standing in one spot for like years on end! I gotta go, go, go!”

“Then, I shall see you later.”

Ouma waved cutely to Korekiyo, doing nothing to prevent him from walking off. “Toodle-doo, Shinguuji-chan!”

Korekiyo left to his part of the investigation after that, now curious with Ouma. Someone with such an intense hatred of mankind, yet was seemingly concerned enough for his sleep schedule… quite a contrast put into one person. People never were just black and white, as Kiyo’s job never failed to remind him, but to witness a living paradox before his eyes was truly astounding. Did Ouma really have a suppressed sense of compassion buried deep underneath his misanthropic nature? He didn’t know, but Korekiyo could always wait and see.

Meanwhile, going away from him, Ouma’d stopped walking for a short bit to study the detective. His face lacked any particular emotion until intrigue arrived, his mouth wrinkling with an inquisitive smirk.

* * *

The search had gone nowhere, all the students meeting back up outside the gymnasium disappointed. All sorts of angles in the school within accessible boundaries, and not a single one led to a way out of there. Many ups and downs, prods and pokes, and random patterns of knocking didn’t unlock anything concealed from anyone who wasn’t a demented robotic bear. Everyone was starting to become quite worn out with keeping up the seemingly wild goose chase, wanting nothing more than to either rest or find the solution sooner to end it.

“No one’s found anything?” Kaede sighed, exasperated. “Not even a little hint at an escape route?”

“Did you? I’m hearing more bossing us around than actually pulling your weight,” Maki sneered.

“Saihara-kun and I have been doing nothing but looking, for your information. We’ve… just come up dry. But, we were close!”

“Yeah, right. You’re just as much at a loss as the rest of us, admit it.”

Kaede ignored Maki, continuing. “Okay, obviously, the exit’s nowhere obvious. They’d really want everyone to stay as much inside the school bounds as possible, so that means…” She gasped, forming an idea. “It’s hidden! Of course!”

“How do you figure that?” Hoshi asked.

“Well, if they wanted us to get out, the exit would be out in the open ready to use, but they don’t! And since there’s obviously a way here, the way to leave is hidden well enough so we can’t find it on the first go.”

“That— actually makes a lot of sense. Now, for the next question, where do you propose they hid the exit?”

“It’s either so far off that it’d take a lot of sweat and guts to find it, or it’s right under our noses and we just don’t know yet. It could be the most normal-looking spot that we’ve passed through hundreds of times, but it just doesn’t stand out—”

“—Wait, excuse Gonta!” Gonta interjected, raising his hand. “When Iidabashi-kun and Gonta were looking for a muse, Gonta saw something out in the courtyard.”

“You did? What is it?”

“A manhole. Behind the school building! Gonta thought it was just some sewer, but it was actually an underground passage.” He frowned, appearing hangdog. “But, he didn’t look further. So, maybe the manhole was just that…”

“No, don’t you see? That’s our breakthrough! Thank you, Gokuhara-kun, you’re brilliant!” Kaede pointed in the direction of where the courtyard was, confidence high. “Everyone, to the courtyard! Our gateway home awaits!”

With a flattered Gonta helping Kaede lead the way exactly towards where he saw it, the others following in a haste. Among the crowd, she noticed Korekiyo glancing directly her way, a prudent leer to his gaze that stayed for some unsettling seconds before he paid her no heed. If she hadn’t felt so unsure about him before, it was a definite now. What was with that guy?

Getting an answer wouldn’t matter until some other time. Right now, Kaede continued on with Gonta and the rest to the courtyard, each step closer to a way free from a future full of killing and misery amid oncoming despair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I thought it'd only be fair for there to be scenes between the other characters outside of our two leads, so I'll go with that. But, don't worry! The story won't deviate too much from Shuichi or Kaede; they are still the main stars, but I want as much development as I can possibly get my hands on. The scene between Kiyo and Ouma was from an RP a friend and I did a while ago (with some tiny changes), so I'll be sure to include others. Not that we did many because I decided to start that story, but some more are bound to come up! =w='
> 
> Sorry this chapter was kinda short. I wanna split up some things in a way that's not too much to read, but not too little either. Lots more should come next time, so look forward to that, folks! Thanks for all the kind words (and that choice sprite edit in last chapter's comments; would STILL die for you, btw) and see you soon!


	4. Episode III: Death Road of Despair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, the first chapter I upload not late at night (at least where I live) and it's longer than the previous one. I was supposed to be publicly graduating from school today, but because of "current events", it's been held off until about fall, so all I did was just finish my education. On the bright side, I got a Nintendo Switch Lite (in coral :3) from my older siblings as a reward for graduating, so after Monday, I'll be enjoying my new games and game system. I won't forget about this though, not even close. So, have this lovely update and enjoy it! See you at the end of the chapter!

As it’d turned out, the manhole Gonta had come across was more in the courtyard’s boiler room than the outdoors themselves. Behind the red door, an entire skylit area full of machinery and mossy grass contained what everyone was looking for so badly. It already seemed so high above somewhere, a ladder being the only other way down without falling to serious injury. Everyone gathered around a bronze lid in the ground, the Academy’s logo carved clear on its top portion.

“Will ya look at that?” Himiko gawked. “Gokuhara really came through for us after all. Good job.”

“How do you plan on lifting it?” Hoshi asked. “You can’t lift one of those things with your bare hands. You’d need at least a crowbar to pry it out.”

“Does that mean this was all for nothing?” Tsumugi sighed. “That’s such a shame. And I really wanted to get back to my men. They’re hopeless without me in charge.”

“Step aside, I’ve got this!” Kaito volunteered, spitting on his hands and rubbing them together. Squatting over the manhole, he got his fingers under it to his best ability, heaving and grunting in pulling at it. “Come on…! Almost got it! Gimme a second…!”

“Momota-kun, are you sure you have this handled?” Kiibo wondered. “It doesn’t look like it’s moved an inch.”

“These things take time, shut it! I just need to—! Pull harder!” Kaito got the manhole up by a small sliver, only to drop it and release his breath. “Shit! I was this close, too!”

“Get back on the bench, Jock Strap, you’re fuckin’ useless!” Miu snapped.

“I don’t see you pulling your weight over there! At least I contributed!”

“Ha! Yeah, I’d bet you’d like for me to bend over with you behind me, wouldn’t ya? Get a good shot at what’s underneath? Save it for your wet dreams!”

“Break it up!” Tenko demanded, getting between Kaito and Miu. “Arguing will do us nothing, nor help us escape faster. Now, I’ll see if I can make this cover budge so we can leave.” She glared Kaito's way, but not Miu's. “Do you mind?”

“What?” Kaito wondered.

“Don’t play dumb! You know exactly what you’re trying to peek at, so back up.” Kaito rolled his eyes, scooting away while Tenko wiggled her fingers and looked for a grabbing spot. “...I think Hoshi-san might have been onto something about the crowbar. The slit’s too thin to get under!”

“Anyone have a crowbar?” Angie asked. “Rantaro, perhaps?”

“Sorry to burst your bubble, but I’m afraid not,” Rantaro laughed uneasily, showing off the tool roll he took out from inside his apron. “Looks like I’ve got everything but the kitchen sink in this thing.”

“Then use a screwdriver! Maybe one of your wrenches?” Kaito suggested.

“Nah, those won’t help. Also, given the weight of the manhole, that’s a very good way to damage my tools, and I’d prefer not to do that.”

“What about you?” Himiko asked Maki. “Do you have any secret techniques that could levitate the cover out of the ground?”

“No,” Maki answered, bluntly. “I can’t just command it to lift right on the spot and then it will. There’s a whole process behind it that you’ll never get.”

“Then, it seems the manhole will have to wait,” Kirumi suggested. “If one of us makes a quick trip to the warehouse, there’s bound to be a crowbar available for use—”

“—Upsy daisy,” Gonta said simply, plucking the manhole cover up and holding it between his index finger and thumb.

“...That works, too. Thank you, Gokuhara-kun. You’re truly everyone’s hero today.”

“H-Him…?” Kaito whined, feeling shot down.

“Well, we’ve got the cover off. Let’s get going,” Shuichi said. “Put it somewhere so it’s out of the way.”

“But, where?” Gonta asked. “Littering is horrible to do, and Gonta won’t!”

“That’s only for trash or waste, so I think you’re okay,” Kiibo reassured him. “Manhole lids won’t hurt the ecosystem!”

“Oh… okay. Gonta trusts Kiibo!”

“Your first mistake exactly,” Maki muttered.

Although he’d intended for it to be his lightest toss, Gonta wound up reluctantly throwing the manhole cover a good few yards away from his stance. It landed with a loud _TWANG_ in the ground, everyone stunned by how much strength had gone into getting rid of it. Rantaro tapped his foot against the metal a few times, not even getting it to wiggle in place nevermind move from its new slot. Yep, that cover was stuck, but at least the hole it came from was exposed to the students’ personal use in investigating it for a way out of the sketchy Academy. The hole itself had a haunting chill, endless darkness awaiting those bold enough to climb down and explore the fathomless bounds.

“This is it,” Kaede gulped, slapping her cheeks a few times for pep. “The exit has to be this way! Is everyone ready?”

The others shared disheartened looks, staring down into darkness with fear as Tsumugi spoke. “I’m… not going down there,” she gulped. “It looks really creepy.”

“Seconded,” Maki agreed. “I don’t know about you, but a hole that screams nothing but ‘certain death’ isn’t gonna sit right with me. There’s curses brewing down there, and I don’t have to look to know so.”

“I too think it’s unwise to proceed,” Korekiyo stated. “While it may lead to the way out, potentially dying in the process of getting there renders such efforts moot.”

“Atua also says the entrance looks untrustworthy,” Angie hummed. “But, He beckons me to go and close myself off from His beautiful world no longer, so I shall not disobey.”

“What’s a little darkness scaring someone for?” Kaito scoffed. “I’ve had to deal with much bigger fish to fry, so this is a guppy in comparison! Let’s go!”

“You don’t know what’s in the darkness,” Hoshi warned. “Something this sketchy definitely has a lot more waiting in the wings. And not in a good way, either.”

“Bah, forget you pussies!” Miu cackled, spikes of spittle flying everywhere. “I could get us out with my eyes closed! You’ll all be thankin’ me for being born after I’m on the other side!”

“Look out below!” Ouma laughed, jabbing Miu in the back with his foot, but not hard enough to send her into the hole.

“Gah! Kn-Knock that off already!”

“What’s wrong? You said you wanted to find the other side by yourself. I’m just giving you a little nudge!” Ouma repeatedly prodded Miu using just a bit more force, which made her stumble with depleting balance. “Don’t be such a chicken! Your oversized silicone jugs should break your fall. Or your ribcage, whichever comes first!”

“S-Stop it, I mean it!” Before Miu could fall too far forward, Kirumi pulled her back from the hole and kept her there. “Eh?”

“It’s alright, Iruma-san, you’re safe now,” Kirumi said, then glaring at Ouma. “As for you, Ouma-kun, you could have seriously hurt her if she’d fallen in for real. Never do that ever again.”

“Aww, you’re so right…” Ouma faux-whimpered. “I should have kicked her harder, shouldn’t I? Yeah, definitely should have kicked harder.”

“I’ll kick you harder, you little shit!” Miu roared, jabbing her heel at Ouma and only failing to reach him with Kirumi and Kiibo pulling her back. “If you think you’re bigger and tougher than that little Christmas tree light in your shorts, you jump down there and break your neck for all I care before I do it for you!”

“Hmm… nah, don’t think I will. It’s so scary down there, I couldn’t possibly try it out!” Ouma’s pretend fear quickly melted into being casual. “I’m just not interested in the obvious death trap. See, unlike you, Iruma-chan, my life actually matters.”

“Then stay behind and don’t cause trouble for the rest of us if you’re going to act like that,” Shuichi scolded.

“Fine by me! Have fun getting eaten by mutant alligators.”

“You’re going in with me, Saihara-kun?” Kaede questioned, she and everyone choosing to ignore Ouma.

Shuichi nodded. “It may be risky down there, but we’re in this together. I’ve gotta be there to have your back and everyone’s where you guys can’t see it.”

Kaede smiled at Shuichi, then turning to the others a bit more serious. “Anyone else? A show of hands for who’s going.”

“Do we have to?” Himiko sighed, about to raise her hand when Tenko stopped her.

“Yumeno-san, it may be dangerous,” Tenko warned. “I’d hate for you to potentially get hurt in the line of duty. Staying here would be the safer option.”

“Nyeh, I’m not made of glass. Or cotton. That tends to tear easily when it’s pure.”

“Just like you…” Tenko’s dreamlike daze and pink hearts running along her collar were cut by Himiko’s sharp look, her faceplate heating with redness as she stumbled to correct herself. “The pure part! Not you tearing easily! Though, I’d hate for someone as cute as you to do that, too…”

“Ugh. Fine, I’ll stay if it keeps you quiet. Go on without me, but good luck down there.”

“Who else is staying, and who’s going?” Kaede asked again.

Kaede counted off the raised hands, seeing the other volunteers besides herself and Shuichi be Tenko, Gonta, Kaito, Hoshi, Angie, and Kiibo. Although disappointed that no one else would be following, she counted her blessings and quickly accepted her team. Tenko forbade any of the boys from going down first, allowing her, Kaede, and Angie to start one at a time despite the latter two lacking skirts. Everyone else who volunteered followed, the eight finding solid ground after climbing past darkness.

“Oooh! Roomy!” Angie gawked, taking note of the hangar-like scenery at the bottom. “Truly, those that have worked down here have made good use of industrial evolution. I can only imagine the vast, hollow caverns that once stood in its place!”

“You might have it backwards,” Tenko corrected. “Assuming it’s abandoned like the rest of the school, there actually could have had more technology in it, but everything faded and vanished over time.”

“Until nothing was left,” Hoshi finished. “Still, you have to admit this is pretty impressive to have underneath a boiler room. And yet…” Pulling the candy cigarette from his lips, Hoshi looked ahead. “Something’s not right. Escaping somewhere underground should not look this easy to navigate.”

“How should it look?” Kaito asked.

“More… cramped. And murky, full of dangerous obstacles, and.” He pointed at the sign reading “Exit” in black paint. “Not have that, most importantly. It’s without a doubt too good to be true…”

“Don’t say that! Attitudes like that won’t get us anywhere in the face of danger! When you give up, the worst comes right out to snatch you whole, and I’m not letting that happen to you or anyone!”

“You’d be wasting your time, then. From the little I remember, I’ve done nothing but let the worst get me. This, for me, is just another afternoon.”

“If all you’re going to do is slow us down, you should have never followed us to begin with,” Tenko hissed. “Either cooperate, or join the others upstairs and wait for us to get to the exit.”

“Look. Not to be such a downer, but all I’m saying is to not go in there expecting this to be a fine walk in the park. Escaping from something that’s one step away from qualifying as a prison is never easy. If it was, I’d have no reason to tell you any of this.”

“That doesn’t mean we should call it quits before we’ve even started,” Kaede said. “We’re getting through it, and we’re not gonna die trying! Our combined efforts and careful strategizing is our biggest shot!”

“Which means, everyone stick together and don’t lose focus or nerve,” Shuichi added. “When you panic, you… well, you’re not in the right mind to get anything right. So, uhh, try to stay calm and look sharp, okay, guys?”

“In that case, I for one will step in to protect Akamatsu-san and Yonaga-san from danger!” Tenko declared. “You degenerate males are on your own from here on out.”

“Gonta will take over protecting the menfolk, then!” Gonta proclaimed. “Just stay behind him or Saihara-kun, and we’ll all be okay.”

“I hope my Aikido can do well against booby traps, if there are any,” Shuichi hoped, flexing his wrist and freeing his joints of tension. “Here we go…”

Marching ahead into the underground tunnel, Kaede led her group with gusto down the stone steps carrying them along. Stopping at a metal gate blocking them off, she pushed on it and got it open gradually, surprising all but Shuichi with her strength while passing through. Kaito ran ahead, but was pulled back by the collar thanks to Kaede spotting the ground open as a trap door underneath him in time. He gulped looking down at the water that could have taken him, pushing himself back to safety with Kaede pulling.

“Careful! That was our first booby trap,” Kaede warned. “Whatever seems harmless always winds up being a land mine just waiting to go off.”

“Those action movies of yours are really paying off today, aren’t they?” Kaito chuckled, expelling his nervousness from his pacened heartbeat.

“Y-Yeah! You got me. Everyone, step back and get ready to take a leap of faith.”

The others did as told, backing up some to make a wide distance before running and jumping over the first trap door. It was safe to walk a bit, but Kaede had them all jump again over the next pitfall. In doing so, Kiibo nearly fell to doom into a flamethrower spitting blaze from underwater, saved by Gonta catching him and pulling him onto his shoulders for safety while the artist ran to catch them both up with the others. Upon avoiding the row of exploding gold coins, Tenko ended up getting blown away and eliminated by a stray, propelling Monokuma bomb.

“Tenko-san!” Kiibo exclaimed, unable to get down from Gonta’s shoulders while he jumped to avoid more bombs. “Akamatsu-san, we have to go back for her!”

“Where is she?” Kaede asked, not seeing any sign of the metal girl. “These must be some pretty strong traps… okay, we’ll— have to come back and find her soon!”

“No! No one gets left behind!” Kaito declared, running back despite Shuichi’s pleas to not go.

“Momota-kun, the water pit bombs!” Shuichi warned. “Look out!”

“Bombs?” Kaito looked too late, a surprise Monokuma bomb flying up and blowing up in his face, sending him sinking beneath the deep water.

“NO!” Tempted to go back himself, Shuichi changed his mind when more Monokuma bombs came his way, jumping down to the next floor and avoiding them easily. He couldn’t rest, running ahead to avoid the cages falling in an effort to crush him. “That was close.”

Kaede and Angie worked together to push the next cage open, waiting for the next round of bombs to fly past them and blow themselves up. When it was okay to keep going, they led Shuichi, Gonta, Kiibo, and Hoshi to jump onto an incoming blue platform carrying everyone across another bed of deep water. Running fast so the exploding coins went off behind them, what remained of the group found themselves in a different area full of ladders, more bombs, and complex platforms.

“We’ve made so much progress! Come, our liberation awaits!” Angie cheered, jumping just a bit too soon and getting a faceful of explosive when a gold coin hit her on the head. “Ah!”

“Yonaga-san!” Kaede cried, holding the boys back before allowing them to leap with her to the rest of the area. “This is gonna require a bit more patience, men. Stand by.”

“Let’s go up there,” Hoshi pointed out, everyone going higher up some static blue platforms and waiting for the bombs to pass. “All of this is starting to make me wish this were a normal sewer after all…”

“It’s very steep here, be careful,” Shuichi warned, him and the others jumping down to the next floor.

“Look up!” Kiibo shouted, everyone doing so and avoiding oncoming coin bombs. One was headed his way, so he hugged Gonta’s tightly and used himself to shield him from the explosion before falling off and disappearing.

“Iidabashi-kun!” Gonta cried, quickly pulled forward by Hoshi. “Let Gonta go! Our friend needs him!”

“He’ll be fine, but we won’t if you slow us down,” Hoshi said.

“Where’s the exit?” Shuichi wondered, running alongside Kaede.

“Just a little further!” Kaede insisted, passing through a dark spot and coming across a more metallic area. “It’s so close, I can practically taste it on my tongue!”

The quartet ran past more falling cages, jumping down just before another one and looking ahead at propelling Monokuma bombs. Shuichi and Kaede got across and jumped to some blue platforms easily, but Hoshi nearly fell had it not been for Gonta catching him in time while following the other two. One of the platforms started jerking erratically, heading towards more bombs, so Gonta did what he needed to and flung Hoshi across to safety, in the process getting blown away by an explosion.

“Sacrificed himself for nothing…” Hoshi sighed, guilty that he’d been the reason Gonta didn’t make it. “I’d better keep going. Akamatsu, what’s next?”

“Another cage,” Kaede said, her and Shuichi beginning to push it open when a stray bomb snuck up on them and detonated, taking the martial artist with it. “Saihara-kun!”

“Don’t worry about him right now, I think I can see the exit—!” Before he could join Kaede, the erratic platform flung him too high up, sending him hurtling into darkness below.

“Not you too! Come on, just a little further…!”

Only a few extra inches in, Kaede turned to see another Monokuma bomb fly at her, the last thing she saw before blacking out being the blaze of the ensuing explosion. In her state of lost consciousness, it felt like she was adrift among nothingness, carried away to places unknown and unseen. The next time she opened her eyes, she was back just before the dangerous labyrinth, the other seven who had joined her thankfully alive, but retaining injuries and discouragement from going through so much effort.

“You guys are okay!” Kaede panted, standing up sore and rolling her shoulder. “How did we get back from the beginning? Augh! I could literally see the exit, too! We were so close!”

“And still so far!” Monokuma tittered, popping up before the eight. “Look at you all sitting here! Couldn’t be bothered inviting me to your lame little pity party, huh? Too cool for your principal?”

“Good to see you actually noticed what we were doing,” Kaito snarled, rubbing his aching head. “Why’d you wait?”

“On the contrary, I’ve known from the get-go you lot would try a prison break! Happens all the time, and it’s happened before!”

“How’s that possible?” Kiibo asked. “We haven’t been here before—”

“—Not only did I know you’d try it, but I knew you wouldn’t succeed! However, I’ll give Akamatsu-san this; she got a lot further than I expected. Not that I’m too surprised, of course.”

“But, what I saw back there. That _was_ the way out, wasn’t it?” Kaede pressed.

“Correct! And hey, if you’re all lucky, you’ll be able to reach it for real and not just get a really close sneak peek.”

“Not that you count on us being able to get there, do you?” Shuichi deadpanned.

“Also right! Don’t try too many times, okay? I’d rather have only two dead from the killing game’s system and not your own hubris. See ya! Wouldn’t wanna be ya!”

Monokuma disappeared, leaving the eight alone again. “So, is it really not possible to get to the exit?” Gonta wondered. “We got close, but couldn’t go anymore.”

“It’s hopeless,” Hoshi sighed. “Sure, the way out’s accessible, but he made it too hard to keep going. Like a dog chained to the front yard that can’t get free.”

“We can’t just give up!” Kaede pleaded. “I saw the exit myself! If it weren’t for one little bomb, I’d have gotten us all out! If I can do that solo, then we can do better together.”

“And if we get blown right back to square one again?”

“Then… then it’s gonna have to be a case of trial and error. Once we learn all of the nooks and crannies, we’ll be masters of the maze.”

“Right. Well, here’s a better question. What if we _don’t_ learn all the nooks and crannies?” Hoshi bit off half of his candy cigarette. “Just when you think something’s so simple and we know how it goes, the rug gets pulled out from under our feet. And knowing Monokuma, there’s no way he’ll ever let anything else but happen. So, what then? What, hypothetically, would be the game plan?”

Kaede was quiet for a second, then holding onto her determination. “We improvise. Be ready for the surprises, face them head on, and overcome anything! Monokuma can’t keep up his act for too long!”

“Just like we can’t keep up fighting him for very long, either. He’ll win eventually.”

“He’ll win even faster if we let him now. And I know you’ve got your doubts, but I’ve got a feeling that deep down, you don’t want that happening either. Do you?”

Saying nothing, but seeming to think on it, Hoshi let out a low, singular laugh. “You’re a lot more hopeful about grim situations than I ever could. I dunno if I respect that, or just pity it.”

“Definitely don’t do the second, but you should follow me. Its’ a tough road, you guys, but it’s not impossible! Ready?”

Getting tired, but general agreement to try again from everyone else, Kaede marched back inside the underground tunnel for a second crack at getting out. Her friends were counting on her to succeed, and in turn, she counted on them to keep trusting her and each other enough to work as one. They started back where they had before, coming across the metal gate separating them from the first row of booby traps. Luckily everyone knew to jump over each one, Kaede pleased to see her comrades had learned from experience.

“Great job! Just keep that up, and we’ll be crossing the finish line in no time!” Kaede cheered, clapping her hands once and running to lead. “Let’s go! Let’s go, everyone!”

On the way to reaching the next metal gate, Gonta wound up being snatched up by one of the steel cages, taken up and away to an unseen fate. Knowing he hadn’t perished this time, everyone kept going, making promises of taking him along with the others waiting for them above ground. Before Angie could jump down and keep going, a Monokuma bomb caught her by surprise and blew up, sending her away like Gonta.

“Almost there…!” Hoshi grunted, helping the others push the metal gate open.

Jumping forward, he reached out for the blue platform coming his way. Before he could grab it, it flew away as quickly as it’d come, sending him to his watery demise and sent back to the beginning. The remaining five kept going on, running past golden coin bombs to the next area. While crossing and hopping onto one of the ledges, Tenko was the unfortunate victim who got blown away by falling coin bombs, now leaving everyone else to the rest of the road’s non-existent mercy.

“Here we go! Second time’s our luckiest!” Kaede encouraged, pulling Kiibo up to the rising platform.

“Alright, new record,” Kaito panted. “This is further than I’ve gotten before. We can do this!”

“Just keep an open eye out unlike last time,” Shuichi warned.

“You worry too much! ‘Careful’ is my middle—!” Kaito paused, taking the time to jump over a bomb and onto the next ledge. “Eh, you get it. Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

“Having no discipline isn’t small stuff. Without it, you’ll wind up getting into what you’re not ready for.”

“I’m an athlete. If there’s one thing I’ve got, it’s discipline. Actually, I’m not too far off from your Aikido.”

“You don’t use tennis rackets in Aikido. The exertion is there, but you’re comparing apples and pears.” Shuichi avoided another bout of falling coin bombs, continuing. “Some martial arts focuses more on self-defense, not necessarily striving to be as aggressive as possible.”

“Really? I thought it was all for kicking and punching.”

“Not Aikido. It’s actually meant for protecting yourself from kicking and punching in case you’re in trouble.”

“What’s the point of just having defense? You gotta fight back when someone comes at you! There’s no winning a swordfight with only a shield!”

“You can if you know how to use it right. It’s not that hard to think about if you actually do it enough. It takes quick reflexes and lots of wits, but offense isn’t all there is to fighting.”

“Neither is just defense. Your Aikido can’t protect you from flying bombs because one touch of these things and you’re a goner.”

“Maybe not, but I got far because I was focused and put some thought into what I was doing. Like so.” Shuichi jumped up the unmoving blue platforms, carefully waiting and avoiding each bomb until he got to the top to Kaito’s awe. “See? Try it out, and go slow.”

Copying Shuichi, Kaito jumped and moved away from the oncoming bombs, making it halfway up and rooting for himself. “Alright! Did you see that? I’m already a natural—” When another bomb came towards him, he fell down a platform, holding on for dear life. “N-Nothing wrong with a small setback! I’ve got this!”

“Hang on! I’ll be right down.”

Kaito shook his head. “Just keep going! I’ve already had your back, now I gotta get myself out of this mess!”

“But, Momota-kun—”

“—Did I stutter?! Go, man, go!”

Shuichi hadn’t moved when Kaito pulled himself up, watching sadly as the tennis player was blow up by a Monokuma bomb despite insisting he was fine. Taking his advice anyways, he persevered, running ahead and meeting up with Kaede and Kiibo. They waited for the platform to come, jumping on and going forward using the blue floating squares. When crossing, Kiibo unfortunately wound up landing on the erratic one, which sent him directly into the exploding coins and eliminating himself from the despair road. Now the only two left, Shuichi and Kaede silently agreed with one another and continued running towards the third and final area.

“Here we go again,” Kaede said. Running across, she evaded all of the falling cages except for one managing to snatch her up. “Ah!”

“Akamatsu-san!” Shuichi exclaimed, grabbing her hand while the cage tried pulling her away from him.

“I’m trapped, but I’ll be fine. You keep going ahead and I’ll see you on the other side! I promise!”

Although hesitant, Shuichi had no choice with his grip starting to lose it strength. “...I know you will.”

Letting go, Kaede ascended before his eyes with her hand still reaching for him, now out of sight as the cage reached its peak. Gulping, Shuichi braced himself and dashed ahead. He passed through more falling metal cages and the flames heating the platform underneath him, jumping over the propelling black bombs and proceeding to the blue lifts. Just up ahead, he could see the exit right beyond the metal gate, springing to safety on another platform. The second erratic one almost sent him into an awaiting bomb, but he pulled himself on a slower one and went to move the gate.

“Same spot I got taken out on last time,” Shuichi recalled, pushing the gate as it slowly opened up to him. “Come on, open up…! I can see it—!”

In the exact second it took for the Monokuma bomb throwing itself at him to detonate, Shuichi’s hopes were dashed as he ultimately blacked out and joined his comrades in the short abyss. Just like before, everyone woke up at the beginning, now even more drained than the first time they attempted to cross the apparently impossible obstacle course. The fact of coming so close, yet tripping at the finish line only felt like it’d hurt more alongside their injuries.

“You saw it better this time, didn’t you?” Kaede coughed. “The way out…”

“I did,” Shuichi confirmed. “It was just within my reach.”

“Exactly! We— we can’t stop now! Just a little more of a push…”

“Try number three?” Tenko wondered, readjusting her arm to make sure her wiring wasn’t out of place.

Kaede nodded. “Try number three. Come on! We won’t fail!”

And yet, they did nothing except. Every run, every effort, every try towards reaching the end was foiled by the falling cages, the decoy coins, and worst of all, those confounded Monokuma bombs. Every last danger sent them back to the start, Kaede forcing everyone to go through it again despite the growing fatigue, failure, and hurt. When they woke up at the start of the tunnel yet again, the motivation had all but dwindled in everyone except their peppy leader, who had her share of sores, but hadn’t looked ready to quit yet.

“Attempt… eh, not important right now,” Kaede said. “This is the one, you guys! This—! Huh?” Turning, she saw the other seven climbing up the ladder, quickly running over and grabbing Angie by her ankle. “Wait! Where are you all going?”

“Exactly where it looks like. Bed,” Hoshi bluntly answered. “We’re tired of failing all day, so we’re throwing the towel in.”

“So easily? Are you kidding me?!”

“A-Actually, Akamatsu-san. I’d hate to agree with a degenerate male more than anything, but…” Tenko hesitated, short circuiting as tiny sparks flew from her exposed wiring while rubbing her aching dents. “But, he has a point. We can’t carry on like this.”

“Gonta’s so tired…” Gonta whimpered, hauling an unconscious Kiibo on his shoulders. “There’s no way of going on right now.”

“Sure there is!” Kaede tried convincing to no avail, quickly following everyone up the ladder and through the courtyard after exiting the vacant boiler room. “We were a hair away from getting to the exit! This is the one to finally do it!”

“I’m sorry, Kaede, but Atua beckons me no longer,” Angie declined. “He highly recommends resting and trying again another day, if we must.”

“We might not have another day! The killing game has to end now, and escaping is our only other chance! Come on…!” Kaede’s pleas fell to deaf ears, not even Shuichi backing her up as he went with everyone to the Dormitory for rest. Frustrated, she let out a groan with her hands on her face. “The answer to our problems was within reach, too…”

“Are you quite done?” Korekiyo asked, startling Kaede, but standing at a distance so she wouldn’t attack him. “Or are you that bad with reading people that I need to spell out the obvious for you?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That I was completely right to predict this before. You’ve failed to heed my warnings about taking your optimism too far. A beautiful trait that lacks control has shown nothing but disastrous results.” Korekiyo glared at her, which chilled Kaede to her very core. He was a detective and all, but if looks could kill… “Do you realize that in trying to ‘save’ everyone, you nearly got them and yourself killed? Are you some sort of fool?”

“I— no! I’m not, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say I was. At least I did something to contribute; you didn’t even follow us.”

“Because if I had, I’d be like the other seven and be waking up rather sore in the morning. It goes unsaid that unlike you, I’ve made the smarter choice.”

“What? You think you know better than me because of your job? Is that it?”

“I know no more than anyone else here, and I won’t pretend to unless my sleuthing skills are required.” Kiyo stretched, yawning and proceeding to his own dorm. “If you’d rather I didn’t come off as some pompous nag, then stop giving me a reason to. Your actions today did more harm than it could ever benefit. Now, good night to you.”

Kaede didn’t respond, turning her back to Korekiyo as the sound of his door shutting informed her of his nightly departure. Another ringing of the school bell and consecutive message from the Monokubs on the monitor informed her it was 10 o’clock at night, but she cared nothing for them or what they had to say. The longer she stewed on Kiyo’s scolding… the worse she personally admitted to feeling. Harsh as it sounded, he did have a point, and everyone’s beaten faces were the pudding’s proof.

Okay, so dragging her friends into harm’s way was out of the question entirely. That was given. But, so was sleeping on the possibilities of breaking out when the exit was right in front of her like a sausage sitting on a hungry dog’s nose. Kaede looked back towards the direction of the boiler room, her indecisive brow furrowing into uncertainty. Everything in her backpack was there if she needed it, she definitely had the strength and stealth to pull off the otherwise impossible, no one would get dragged down with her. What did she have to lose?

In running back to where she came from, Kaede didn’t see the extra pair of eyes just exiting the school building on the way back to the Dormitory watching her go.

* * *

_BOOM!_

Sent back to the beginning yet again, her skin marked with scratches, scrapes, and bruises. Kaede was sure at any time, she would collapse from exhaustion or her injuries, but she didn’t care in the slightest. Charging back in gung-ho, she ran as fast as her body knew how to and used every ounce of might to force the steel gate open, resuming her spring and leaps using only one motion to avoid the trap doors.

Running past the coin bombs, Kaede ignored each explosion falling behind her, getting ready to jump and doing so over a propelling Monokuma bomb and a few more gold coins. Finally stopping, she saw more bear explosives flying around the water pit, taking out two throwing knives from her backpack and flinging them at the bombs expertly, showing no emotion when they’d detonated without going near her. In continuing towards the next steel gate, she was hardly able to get her hand on it as a stray Monokuma bomb snuck up on her and went off, knocking her out and restarting the entire effort just before the tunnel.

She only took a moment to catch her breath, sending a frustrated look towards the sign reading “Exit” before putting her hair up in a high ponytail and running back in for more. Repeating what she’d done prior with jumping over trap doors and evading the first couple of propeller bombs, Kaede arrived at the next challenge in time to see the black bombs flying towards her. Thinking fast, she purposely jumped towards the water underneath, catching herself from sinking by sticking two toothed daggers into the wall and waited for them to pass with her chin barely above the water. After they were far enough away, Kaede climbed back up and continued, sneaking around the bombs and proceeding.

The three metal cages were no match for her, landing too late when she was already out of reach. Instead of going directly to the next gate, Kaede waited, pulling out a slingshot and several sharpened stones and aiming at the oncoming bombs that caught her by surprise a few times before. She released the string, watching each explosive go off at once after the rocks struck them and cleared a path for her to push the gate open without anything interfering. The blue platform rescued her from more bombs flying in, carrying her to the gold coin bombs spelling “CLEAR” and having some explode when she ran past them.

“Is that all you’ve got, Monokuma?” Kaede breathed, ponytail loosening from how much exertion she’d shown.

Crossing more blue platforms and jumping off the erratic one to a safer ledge, Kaede took out two stiletto knives and leaped onto the only panels that didn’t move, slashing at each Monokuma bomb and moving away for them to detonate at a slight distance until she was at the very top platform. Jumping over more falling coin bombs and Monokuma-shaped ones on the next spot full of gaps, a stray one of the latter kind was headed for her. Thinking fast, but having nowhere else to land safely, Kaede purposely slid down to the abyss, landing hard on her stomach back at the beginning of the underground tunnel.

“That one’s gonna need an extra tool,” Kaede panted, paying no heed to her depleting energy and standing like a newborn fawn. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out some long rope and a metal, four-pronged hook, tying both together and stuffing it back inside for later use. “Perfect. Victory, my name’s Kaede, and you won’t be forgetting it!”

In again she went, going through the first area with the ease of experience and avoiding all the traps. When she reached the second area again, going past the trickier bombs coming at her, Kaede found herself back at the same point as last time. Pulling out her handmade grappling hook, she jumped while lassoing it, throwing the weighted end up and holding on when it caught onto the next ledge. It took little time to climb up, yanking the hook with her and moving onto the consecutive set of platforms.

She’d nearly fallen again after the last blue panel jerked up too hard, but managed to save herself using the grappling hook on where she needed to climb up to. Kaede ran to the final area, past the falling cages and landing on the floor below them, jumping over a pair of propelling bombs easily. She hopped the platforms, combat knife ready and cutting away the explosives on her way to the gate. This time, Kaede used her back to push it open, saving her front view for hitting more propeller bombs away from her with the knives.

“Go, go, go! I’ve got it…!” Kaede grunted, the heat bursting inches from her face with every bomb going off alongside the metal gate opening.

And just like that, she’d done it. She’d finally, finally done it.

The gate was open, no more bombs were waiting on the other side, and at the very end of the dark tunnel… her only goal. Smiling wearily, Kaede limped towards it, steps getting a bit steadier while staying at the same pace. A bizarre hexagonal force field blocked off the doors, but she was sure there was a way of bypassing them. So much effort, so much stress, so much heartache and resolution, and it all finally paid off.

“Well, I’ll be!” Monokuma commended, falling from the ceiling and landing nonplus. “Someone actually found the light at the end of the tunnel. Leave it to be Miss Kaede Akamatsu herself, no less!”

“You’d better believe it!” Kaede panted, proud amongst her injuries. “I took down every one of your little challenges solo. Now, shut off the barrier and let me and my friends go.”

“So frustrating… and the hardest difficulty, too! ...Very well, then. I know when I’m beat. Congratulations, Akamatsu-san! The exit’s this way as promised.”

“It’s really true then…”

“Yep! The outside world you’ve fought so hard to win back for you and your classmates is right there! I’ll go right ahead and disable the shield, but first, I’ll need you to hold something for me, won’t you?”

“Hold what?”

“This!” 

Monokuma held up a particularly large bomb with his face on it, the fuse already lit and fizzing shorter. Without a moment’s hesitation, he threw it at Kaede, who backed away and wound up getting caught in the blast that’d gone off seconds after. All she heard before losing consciousness was the sound of an evil bear’s maniacal laughter, the familiar cloud of darkness eating her up. The next time she woke up, she wound up in the very last place she’d hoped, none other than the beginning of the tunnel next to that stupid “Exit” sign mocking her very existence. Darting her head around, Kaede couldn’t believe it; it just couldn’t be! All of that amounting to yet another restart…!

“Damn it!” she roared, punching the ground and feeling the most nauseating round of fatigue hit her. “N-No… it’s not over… it’ll never be over until I say so…!”

Standing on two legs not only felt equal to a stabbing sensation, but every bone in them had been reduced to jelly. The dimmed tunnel before her started to blur with each step taken towards its starting point, Kaede fighting a losing battle against another black out using everything left in her being. A little further, and she’d be there… standing outside, then getting back to pull the others back to society with her…

The furthest she ended up getting was just past the “Exit” sign, hand still extended as Kaede’s body hit its lowest point. Without anymore resistance, she laid on the ground for a good few moments, not picking up on being lifted over a shoulder and carried up the ladder back to the Dormitory for the rest of the night.

* * *

_Ding-dong, bing bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the Monokubs exclaimed on the monitor the next day.

“Good morning, Gifted Juveniles Academy!” Monotaro began. “It’s now 8 am, so wake up and smell the coffee!”

“Or the dead-ass rotting corpse you might’ve left halfway buried!” Monokid cackled.

“Either way, whether any of ya croaked or not, it’s time to get outta bed and start the day!” Monosuke added.

“Can we cool it with the death talk for now? You don’t want a repeat of yesterday with me, do you?” Monophanie coughed, queasy.

“Have fun, all of you!” Monotaro concluded after Monodam stayed silent, the monitor shutting off.

Kaede groaned with a heavy body, eyelids twitching and waking up in a bedroom she initially believed to be hers. In trying to get out of the bed, her aching limbs informed her that they were covered in wraps of gauze like her forehead, square bandages on her left cheek and nose bridge. She also felt drowsy, despite only remembering having passed out normally. At best, she was able to sit up somewhat against the wall nearest to the pillow, realizing quickly by a certain other’s presence and objects she wouldn’t usually own that the bedroom didn’t actually belong to her.

“About time you finally woke up,” Maki said, going over to the resisting Kaede. “Quit struggling, you’re making your injuries worse. Besides, if I wanted to kill you, you’d already be long dead.”

“What am I doing in your room?” Kaede exhaled. “Everything hurts…”

“That’s what you get for wearing yourself almost dead trying that tunnel by yourself. You’re lucky I saw you wander off, or you’d have never made it out at all.”

“You— saw me leave? _And_ brought me back here? Why?”

“None of your business.” Maki went over to the nearby desk and finished pestling some sort of grinds, pouring them in a small, circular vial and stirring everything together. “It’s done. Drink this to the last drop.”

“Uhh… I think I’m okay. I’m not thirsty.” Nor did she trust the concoction put together. What if it were some kind of poison?

“I wasn’t asking for your permission. The numbing potion I gave you last night should have worn off by now, so thankfully, the two won’t mix inside you and cause more damage.”

“You drugged me?! With some kind of sedative—?!” Kaede was gagged by the vial being forced to her mouth, unconsciously drinking the foul-tasting spicy liquid until everything had been ingested. Heaving, she saw Maki pinch her lips together until the concoction sat too long inside her stomach to be thrown back up. “Urgh… what was that you just force-fed me?”

“A simple pain relieving solution. It’ll take some time to kick in, but you’ll thank me when they do. And don’t ask what I put in it because I’m not saying a peep.”

“Because a true magician never reveals her secrets?”

“Exactly. Telling unworthy ears prevents my potions and cures from working right.” Maki mixed a somewhat thicker liquid together, spreading it on her hands before rubbing them together. “Don’t move. This will also help.”

Kaede winced a bit when Maki carefully applied the lavender-scented gel to her exposed burns while mumbling some sort of incantation, relaxing at the cooling sensation and enamoring smell. “Mmm… I didn’t know you were also some kind of witch doctor.”

“I’m not. The name’s misleading, but witch doctors make remedies to _fight_ witchcraft. They think it’s inherently bad, but when used correctly, it can help people, too.”

 _‘Maybe if it were real, it would.’_ Yawning, Kaede stretched her sore joints lightly. “Are you a normal kind of doctor, then?”

“No, but regular medicine isn’t too far off from magic. The only difference is the beliefs.”

“Beliefs?”

Maki nodded. “Since modern medicine has been shown to work, people believe in it more and thus acknowledge it as normal. But, with magic, most _don’t_ believe it and thus get more worked up over it. As a result, one’s more accepted than the other.”

“Usually for a good reason, but… I think I see what you mean.”

“I don’t care if you do or not. Whatever works for me works, and that’s that.”

“Am I free to go now? The others are probably waking up around this time.”

“Give that a few more minutes, then if you can stand, go right ahead.” Maki got up from the chair, putting on her cloak and heading for the door.

“Wait!”

Turning her head, Maki raised a skeptical brow. “What?”

“...Thanks. For saving me back there and letting me rest up in your room. You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know. ...Don’t mention it, either. To anyone, while we’re at it. I don’t want anyone flocking to me for mystic remedies or any of my potions unless I say so.”

“Nothing leaves this room.”

The smile on Kaede’s face was gentle, but no less genuine, Maki still taking her leave to give her some privacy and eat the morning meal. On her desk, a decent-sized book was still open wide on a section, Kaede curious while finding the strength to get up and head out to treat her growling stomach. She felt tempted to look and see what sort of junk Maki just put on and in her body, but then remembered what she’d just exchanged with the magician. Deciding against looking, she closed the book with her eyes shut and continued on, going back inside the school and turning for the dining hall.

“Hey! Any of you virgins see Kaeidiot anywhere?” Miu barked, serving two helpings of eggs benedict to Hoshi and Angie after it’d finished being prepared. “She’s missing out on my eight-star quality cooking!”

“Oh no, she doesn’t get to eat contaminated slop for breakfast,” Ouma snarked, taking a bite from his blueberry pancake stack. “You’re saying that like it’s a bad thing.”

“If it’s contaminated, then why are you still eating it?” Kiibo wondered.

“Because I’ve been eating so much Earth garbage for so long, my body’s built up a resistance to it. Like an emperor that can’t be poisoned!” Ouma took the bottle of butter pecan syrup and started dumping a mess of it on his food, stopped only by Kirumi capping it shut. “Hey!”

“Anymore, and you’ll be eating more syrup than pancake,” Kirumi warned.

“What’s it to you? Maybe I wanna do that.” Regardless, Ouma stuck to eating more of his pancakes, pitching an overly-dramatic coughing fit whilst clutching his throat. “Ack! This is it!”

“Gonta will save you, Ouma-kun!” Gonta gasped, bolting over and performing the Heimlich maneuver.

“Stop— stop it!” Ouma got himself free of Gonta’s strong grasp, shooting him a dirty look. “Geez, don’t you know a lie when you see one? Gullible _and_ stupid! Just like the rest of this wet rock’s overpopulated species.”

“Even though Gonta’s an idiot, it’s better safe than sorry. What if Ouma-kun had been choking for real?”

“Well, I wasn’t. Thanks for almost snapping my spine in half.”

“You know he was only trying to help you,” Kiibo pointed out, displeased at the guilty look Ouma caused on Gonta. “How could he tell you weren’t really in trouble?”

“Not my problem. He should’ve minded his own business instead of making a bigger ass of himself than usual.”

“He was afraid you were actually choking and you yelled at him.”

Ouma snorted, not believing Kiibo for a second. “Right. It’s too early to put up with imaginary stories, so if you don’t mind, I’d like to eat my breakfast without my brain cells rotting having to hear you try to talk.”

“It’s hard to enjoy my cooking with all the shit spouting outta your mouth, Cockitchy,” Miu spat, placing a bowl of fresh oatmeal in front of a defeated Kiibo. “As for you, dig right in. I put a little ‘extra sweetness’ in it, and no! Not the kind you think you deserve from me.”

“...I don’t deserve brown sugar? Have I upset you?” Kiibo asked.

“Don’t play dumb, Larva Boy! You’d need to be at least a 10 like me to get the goods!”

“Oh. Then, may I get my own brown sugar?”

Miu blinked. “You— really just wanted some lousy brown sugar?” She received an honest nod from Kiibo, sighing and pushing him back in his chair when he tried getting up. “It’s already in there. Anymore and you’ll need a root canal from all that other sweetness.”

“It is? Thank you, Iruma-san.”

“Y-Yeah, my pleasure.” Miu and everyone else turned to the door, seeing Kaede arrive. “Well, well, well! Look who finally got the nads to show! If you were gonna ask me to whip you up something nice, tough shit! You had your chance and blew it big time!”

“I can get my own breakfast, then,” Kaede argued back, shooting Miu a dirty look. “I’d rather not get served by a maid that only does some of her duties. Who needs to deal with that?”

“Hey, you— you need me, of course! You’d probably be feeding yourself bile on a plate if it weren’t for me around! Just sit your ass down and I’ll be with you after I whip up the next dish.” Miu skittishly hurried back to the kitchen, cheeks flushed.

“Akamatsu-san, what happened to you?” Shuichi quizzed, worried seeing the bandages. “Were you attacked?”

“Yes, a very good question indeed,” Korekiyo agreed, raising a suspicious brow at Kaede after sipping from his coffee. “You don’t look so good for someone who I should assume went to bed following yesterday’s disaster. What transpired that I’m not aware of?”

“Isn’t it obvious? She was attacked!” Tenko gasped. “And you’re no doubt the perpetrator!”

“Because I’m male? Your so-called proof doesn’t have a leg to stand on and is thus insufficient to accuse me.”

“That’s all the proof I need! Human men are always the cause of assaults on a defenseless maiden. Especially one like Akamatsu-san that was left by herself last night!”

“Rather than jump the gun with absurd claims, why not allow her to explain herself?” Kiyo looked at Kaede, still giving her a look full of distrust. “Go on. Share with us your story.”

“I-I… well,” Kaede struggled to explain.

“Yes? Out with it.”

“Bah, leave the lady alone, will ya?” Kaito snapped just as Kaede opened her mouth again. “She doesn’t have to tell us where she was. What matters is she’s here, she’s living, and pulling through.”

“Actually, since we’re on last night, I wanna apologize to you and the others,” Kaede said. “There was no reason for me to almost get you guys killed trying to bust out of here. You all reached your limits and I pushed you too hard. There’s no excuse for what I did, and I won’t be endangering anyone that way or others ever again.”

“Why are you saying sorry? It’s not like your plan was to get us all killed, it was to escape. You had good intentions.”

“Ones that ended on a bad note! I completely ignored your feelings like that!”

“It’s alright, Kaede. Atua has forgiven you,” Angie comforted. “He sees you’re pure of heart and only wanted to help us, so He isn’t too upset.”

“Besides, we can find other, more safe ways to escape,” Shuichi reassured her. “That underground tunnel may be out of the question, but who’s to say it’s our only chance?”

“Yeah! Nobody has to seriously hurt themselves to get out okay,” Kiibo added.

“Gonta’s also sorry for making Akamatsu-san feel bad,” Gonta apologized. “From now on, he’ll be supporting her 110% in the next idea!”

“As long as it’s not going back underground, I’m fine with whatever,” Hoshi said simply. “But, yeah. Don’t sweat yesterday too much. If anything, I kinda envy you.”

“You… envy me?” Kaede asked, getting a nod as an answer.

“That positive attitude of yours, I couldn’t dream of having a thing like it. It could use a little more self-control, but hey. Better than being stuck in a vague rut with no way out. Don’t lose sight of that, ‘k? Having heart like you do takes a strength most out there would kill to have.”

“Wow, Hoshi-kun. I don’t know what to say.”

“Your breakfast order, as a suggestion,” Miu cut in. “I’ll whip up anything you wanna stuff your face with, so make it good!”

“An omelette with a side of toast, light strawberry jam. And, I could use some oolong tea, too.”

“Sugar in the tea?”

Kaede shook her head. “Just a little honey. Thanks.”

“What kind of ideas did you have for escaping, if you don’t mind me asking?” Rantaro wondered. “There’s no other exits in the school, and every other idea attempted or thrown out there has been botched.”

“Before you answer that!” Monokuma interrupted, falling from nowhere and landing on the table to most of the students’ fright. “I’ve come to make an announcement!”

“Don’t just scare us out of nowhere!” Tsumugi shrieked. “That’s enough to cause an out of body experience for some people!”

“You’re gonna wish that happened considering the ‘out of body’ trips here aren’t gonna be so temporary. But, those are about to be 20% more worth it after the great news I’ve got to tell you all.”

“Any news coming from your mouth can’t be great at all,” Himiko sneered. “But, I’m betting you aren’t leaving until you say it anyways, are you?”

“No, ma’am!”

“Okay. Out with it,” Rantaro said.

“Well, I’ve been doing some careful thinking lately. I’ve put you all in a killing game, right? Yeah… that doesn’t mean jack to certain others sometimes, so unfortunately, it doesn’t guarantee you guys will necessarily start killing!” Monokuma sat on his bottom, scratching his head inquisitively. “So, I sat down and I kept telling myself ‘think, think, think’, and I finally had a brainstorm of how to _motive_ -ate you people.”

“Motivate us into killing?” Maki dryly repeated.

“I’m not trying to get you to do anything else. So, to motivate someone, they need a ‘motive’, which is exactly what I’m here to give you! The first of many to come that only a few of you will live to see.” Monokuma’s face became what had to be his most sinister so far, mouth revealing sharpened teeth enhanced by his red glowing eye. “My very special motive will be known as the First Blood Perk! The first one to kick off this killing semester will not be subject to a school trial! Which means, kill someone and you’re automatically free to leave this dump in the dust. No strings attached, it’s my treat!”

“No class trial?” Gonta wondered. “But, Monokuma’s rules say—”

“—I know. I’m the one that made ‘em! However, I’m just as free to make exceptions if I must. And in this case, that’s now. First kill is on the house for the lucky bastard that lights the torch!”

“You can’t say that like this is a good thing!” Tenko objected. “Being free from here doesn’t do any good in the long run because you live with someone’s death stuck to your conscience!”

“I guess, but! You’ll be free to go, consider that. I can allow my students a little consequence-free murder as a treat.”

“That’s sick!” Tsumugi gasped. “There’s no putting ‘consequences-free’ and ‘murder’ in the same sentence!”

“I dunno. Lots of sickos out there beg to differ,” Ouma retorted, nonchalantly looking at his nails. “They kill and kill, then go about their day like it’s another part of their daily ritual. So, you can’t really say that as if it’s a fact.”

“Fact or false, it doesn’t matter,” Kaede bit, more towards Monokuma than anyone. “You clearly see all of this as a joke, but we’re not laughing. We all swore to find a better way of getting out, and that’s what we’re gonna do! You aren’t gonna be tricking any one of us!”

“And here we go with the bold claims,” Monokuma snickered. “The last time you motivated anyone, eight of you almost died! Why don’t you stay quiet and let the grown-ups talk, sweetheart?”

“I—! ...Yes, I admit that happened, and I should have been more considerate of everyone’s feelings. But, there is nothing I can do compared to what you’re trying to pull. You’re sick in trying to get innocent people to kill one another for a prize that’s hardly worth it, and I’ll do everything else in my power to make sure we stop you.”

“Sure, sure, but how much good will that turn out to be when your so-called ‘friends’ get desperate? They won’t be so chummy backed into a corner, will they?”

“Hmm. I’d been wondering how long you’d take to stop prattling on,” Korekiyo commented, closing his pocket watch and putting it away, now folding his arms at Monokuma. “But, now that you’ve said all that you needed, I see your method of changing around your own game. In order to reduce as much cooperation as possible, you’ve given us an incentive to try and manipulate us into committing taboo. That way, even those seeming getting along the best would do everything and anything they can to go home.”

“Why would we do that?” Kaito demanded to know.

“A simple principle known as the prisoner’s dilemma. Those who stray from the herd are bound to receive things no other can. And waving that in front of someone is bound to guarantee some takers. All in an effort to make sure Akamatsu-san doesn’t let us start trusting one another and cooperating. Sixteen against six can’t happen when there’s fewer joining the cavalry. Isn’t that right, Monokuma?”

“Eh, pretty much,” Monokuma shrugged. “It’ll all be in the bag after the first blood, anywho. I mean, you wouldn’t trust a murderer, would you?”

“Some have understandable motives that I take into consideration in seeing who they are as a person, but otherwise, no. Not at the possible cost of my own life.”

“And the same applies for others here as well,” Angie added. “When thrust into danger, natural survival instincts are at an all time high. You’re never sure who’s waiting in the wings holding a knife, so the first thought is everyone.”

“The more suspicious we are of the next murderer, the less trustful and cooperative we grow.”

“Which is why it’s better just to kill!” Monokuma laughed. “The less people alive, the less you have to worry about getting hurt, right?”

“You had me at ‘the less people alive’,” Ouma giggled, earning dirty looks from more than half of the students. “What? He might be onto something for once!” He pouted, putting on a fake sad face. “Don’t look at me like I’m a criminal. I’m just as terrified as the rest of you…”

“This bear is truly dead set on forcing us to kill,” Kirumi commented. “Just what is his objective?”

“Objective, nothin’!” Kaito yelled, raising his tennis racket. “I’m through lettin’ this piece of shit kick us around! I should have just done this from yesterday!”

“Momota-kun, stop! Remember what I said about discipline?” Shuichi exclaimed, reaching to stop Kaito from doing something risky.

Five well-known voices piped in before Kaito could get too close to Monokuma. “Rise and shine, ursine!” the Monokubs chimed, arriving to save their father.

“WA-OWW! We’ve got out first volunteer, ladies and folks!” Monokid bellowed, striking a loud chord on his guitar.

“Messing with Daddy is against the rules, remember?” Monophanie reminded. “If you’re going to hurt him, you have no place in our fine school!”

“Everyone else’d better pay attention and take note in case you wanna end up the same way!” Monosuke advised.

“Bring out the Exisals!” Monotaro ordered, snapping his fingers (paw?) and summoning his red machine to the dining hall.

“Momota-kun, run for it!” Kaede shouted.

_Stomp!_

Everyone looked to see the red Exisal had indeed crushed something, but rather than it be Kaito’s skull, under its foot, it was Monokuma with only his feet sticking out and curling in. Seconds later after letting out a pained screech, the bear exploded into pieces. There was silence after, the Monokubs flying into a panicked frenzy while everyone else was trying to process the event that’d just transpired. Kaito of all of them still having shot nerves from almost dying at the foot of the Exisal.

“Father!” Monotaro cried. “Oh, geez, I think I killed him!”

“Daddy’s gone!” Monophanie wailed. “Why must the good die young?!”

“Way to be, Monodam! Your deadbeat ass caused our pops to go under!” Monokid snapped, clocking his green brother upside his noggin.

“Ding-dong, the bear is dead!” Ouma cheered. “Boy, that was way too easy.”

“No, it’s not,” Kirumi corrected. “Monokuma has made things here everything _except_ easy. Don’t be so quick to celebrate.”

“At least he’s out of our hair, still,” Kaito sighed with relief.

“Hey! Don’t just undermine his life like that!” Monophanie scolded, still tearful. “All life is precious!”

“Coming from something that wants us dead,” Hoshi brought up. “You’re really not one to talk.”

“No, no, Monophanie is right,” Monosuke agreed. “We all have one life in this world, and our poor dad’s is up too soon. No replacements, no spares, no nothin’.”

“So, he really is dead?” Himiko asked.

“As a doornail!” Monophanie wept. “A-At least we can give him a decent burial. He always did say his children would be the ones to lower him into his grave.”

“Just so we can let him down one last time,” Monokid choked. “What a pro, going down in the line of duty like that! We’ll never forget you, Papa!”

“And after starts our very first day as the new headmasters,” Monosuke sighed. “It’s what he would have wanted.

“You five in charge is worse than one Monokuma combined!” Tenko barked, marching up to them and standing her ground. “I refuse to let any of you hurt my friends or try to!”

“Okay, we won’t,” Monotaro agreed.

Tenko looked down, surprised. “You won’t?”

“No, but that will,” Monosuke said.

The Exisal stomped forward, using its left hand to swat Tenko across the dining hall, the robot girl landing against the wall with a pained crash. Himiko and Angie ran to her side, parts that had been injured from the previous night’s endeavor reopened from the Exisal’s strength and crackling wildly while Tenko sputtered with malfunctions. Her neck collar read the word “ERROR” repeatedly, glitching at each short out. Showing no concern for the plight, the Monokubs gave their traditional “So long, bear well!” and left, breakfast left ruined by their mischief.

“Ouch. That was quite a hit…” Tenko winced, shivering with abnormal sparks. “I thought I’d patched myself up really well.”

“Is there a doctor in the house?” Angie asked. “A robot doctor, that is?”

“I’m pretty sure there’s a term for that,” Himiko said, then pointing to Rantaro. “Amami, it’s your time to shine.”

“Absolutely not!” Tenko snapped. “A degenerate male like him is bound to tarnish my advanced circuitry! Professor said so!”

“Nah, I can’t see myself doing that,” Rantaro replied calmly. “I always respect another person’s handiwork. Let’s take a look at how bad the damage is…”

“Stay— GZZZT! Away from me! Your ‘honorable’ inventor cover-up won’t fool— GTCH! Anyone! You just want to have your way with my programming and make me do things against my will! Well, I won’t let you!”

“Tenko, that Exisal and the labyrinth combined did a number on you. If I don’t repair what’s broken, it’s gonna get worse.”

“Hmph!” Tenko folded her arms, turning away from Rantaro and shorting out again.

“Well, if she shuts down, we can always get a new Tenko, can’t we?” Ouma half-joked.

“No, I’m one of a kind! Professor Chabashira made me to be an only— GZRTZZ! Child. Once I’m gone, there’s no replacing me.”

“Oh well. You’re majorly screwed either way since Amami-chan is gonna do naughty things to you.”

“I knew it!”

“Ouma, knock it off,” Rantaro scolded lightly. “I just can’t sit idly by while an innocent robot needs a tune-up.”

“She’ll get one, right after the lifeboats come and get us from this dump,” Ouma quipped. “Or, wait, is it just a shuttle? Yawn! It’s not even anything like the Challenger or HOPE-X.”

“Both of those got blown up and cancelled in that order, didn’t they?” Tsumugi wondered.

“You get what I’m saying! _Obviously_ , with Monokuma dead, the game’s totally over! We won, the end, we’re totally gonna be okay.” Giving a more devious smile, Ouma had one finger under his jaw. “Which is a huge lie. This game’s just getting started, if anything.”

“If you’re trying to get us to play along and kill like you are, think again!” Kaito snapped. “Everyone, hold him down so he can’t get any ideas!”

“Hey, hey, wait a minute!” Ouma hand his hands up, stopping a few students from ganging up on him. “No one said I planned on killing. Easy as it would be to outsmart you all, get free, and then fulfill my dreams of intergalactic conquest, I’d rather play rough, not dirty.”

“Yeah, right. You’ve done nothing but trash talk everyone here for being a person.”

“And I’ve got every right in the book to do so. You’re all desperate, hypocritical, free-loading, selfish creatures without so much as an idea what ‘moral compass’ means. I’m not gonna kill a single one of you individually, but that doesn’t mean I can sleep thinking any of you will do the same. Thanks a lot, murderers! Now I’m gonna get insomnia just like Shinguuji-chan!”

Getting a couple of stares, Korekiyo backed away. “He’s exaggerating,” he fibbed. “My sleep schedule is perfectly rational for someone with a busy schedule.”

“Kokichi, Kokichi,” Angie crooned peacefully. “All of this about frowning upon Atua’s greatest gift to our wondrous world does nothing. Yes, it is common to kill, to maim, and to spoil, but humanity is so much more complex than violence.”

“If that were true, we wouldn’t be here ready to kill, genius,” Ouma scoffed.

“Things may seem bleak right now, but I have faith that we’ll persevere through these dark hours.” Angie hugged Ouma close to her chest, laying a gentle hand on his scalp. “Atua will never make us take innocent lives. We will be okay, and He suggests you give everyone far more credit where it’s due.”

“...Gh. Ee— EWWW! One of them is touching me!” Ouma leaped back, frantically rubbing himself free of Angie’s contact overdramatically. “Now I’m gonna die with an infection! This is the worst day ever!”

“Infection? But, I’ve just bathed.”

“No amount of soap and alcohol will ever clean you enough! And for the record, Atua or whatever’s full of it. Gimme one reason to listen to some phony-baloney, human lover deity.”

Angie was quiet for a few seconds, her smile not letting up but gaining a noticeable malice to it as if giving a warning. “Because He can and will punish you if you do not seek forgiveness or listen. He is willing to forgive only those that want to be.”

Ouma gasped quietly, getting on his knees and bowing his head to Angie. “I’ve been such a fool! Forgive me, Atua, I’m so sorry! D-Don’t strike me with your divine punishment from above!” Jets of tears burst from his eyes, Ouma rolling over and kicking his heels against the ground. “WAAAAAAHHHH! Please protect me!”

“He forgives you already.” Angie smiled at her usual brightness. “Good thing you saw reason just in time, or else He would have had to do something He’d surely regret.”

“Phew! Close call.”

 _‘There’s no way he’s actually giving in that easily,’_ Kaede doubted in her thoughts, the amused look on Ouma’s face that Angie didn’t see definitely confirming it. “I guess that means we’ll have to keep searching for exit routes after all.”

“ _Not_ including the underground tunnel,” Maki bit, giving Kaede a forbidding look. “Those bandages you’re wearing should keep you from trying anything stupid again, I hope.”

Kaede shot back an equally stern expression. “I know. There’s more than one way to skin a cat, and we’re gonna find those other ones to end this game soon.”

“That means no giving into temptation,” Shuichi said. “No matter how juicy it sounds or easy it is to take, we don’t do anything Monokuma wants.”

“Aye-aye, Captains!” Kaito obeyed, saluting the two.

“In the meantime, everyone scram. Breakfast is over and totaled now,” Miu sighed. “I’ll be cleaning up after your asses, so don’t bug me.”

 _‘I don’t think I was really hungry to start,’_ Kaede sighed in her thoughts.

The other students started heading out a few at a time, conversing amongst themselves at what to do next. Himiko and Angie worked together to help Tenko, who glared swords at Rantaro to force him into keeping his distance from her after another malfunctional glitch. Miu was cleaning up the leftover food and dishes at an astounding, yet efficient pace, even though she was grumbling about how her careful meal had gone primarily to waste. Kaede figured it was best to leave, too, only stopped by Korekiyo speaking her name and requesting an extra moment of her time. She was reluctant after what he said last night, but still stayed put.

“What is it?” Kaede asked.

“You’re probably thinking I’d like to speak with you regarding our previous conversation,” Korekiyo guessed. “If so, you’re right on the money.”

“Look, I get it and agree with you. I screwed up, and my actions were reckless. You were right telling me that.”

“Indeed, but while I’m pleased to see you’re aware of the error of your ways, I too would like to express my regret.”

“For what?”

“The manner of which I’d come off to you in telling you off. I feel as though I’d implied it were a personal issue between the two of us. It wasn’t, and I’m deeply sorry for that. I meant what I said, but I don’t want you thinking it’s because I see you as my enemy.”

“Oh. Well, you don’t have to apo—”

Kiyo quickly cut her off before the word could be fully said. “—I do. I got too hotheaded with you and I should have kept it simple.”

 _‘If that’s his idea of being hotheaded, I’d hate to see what he considers mildly annoyed.’_ Kaede held her open palm up. “Don’t worry, you were reasonable. I’m not mad at you, Shinguuji-kun.”

“That’s relieving to hear. But, now comes my other point that I’m far more reluctant to admit. Monokuma, in some way… is right.” Kiyo raised his index finger, sensing Kaede was about to lash out. “Let me finish. Although it may seem easy to just have everyone trust each other, even the kindest are not above resorting to killing. Motives vary in why people do it, some fairly reasonable, others just because they have the ability and show no qualms to ending a life willfully. Either way, crimes are committed when a person is put into a situation they feel they have no control over, which is exactly where we’re currently at.”

“But, you wouldn’t kill someone you trusted, would you?”

“It doesn’t matter if there’s trust or not. When there’s no way out, you would do anything to make one, even if you’d normally never consider such otherwise. All I’m asking of you in this is that you stay positive, but mindful. Blindly believing nothing bad can happen here just because you said so will be your last and most fatal mistake yet.”

“I don’t disagree that anyone, even the most innocent-looking people, can kill. But, you can’t say there’s no such thing as damage control.”

“Not at all. By all means, keep things peaceful to your best ability, but be prepared for the worst. I’m hoping there won’t be a need for me to solve any murder cases, but the possibility is highly likely.”

Korekiyo left Kaede at that, the girl at a loss of how to react. Once again, he had a good point, and it made things even more complicated than they should have been. Staying calm would do anyone lots of good, so she didn’t allow herself to get worked up past rationality. There was no denying the killing game was officially on, this time with a motive, but only for those out of options. If it took her providing them, then that was easily a choice Kaede was willing to take.

Ironically, it was her who had no other options left. Either she did something, or someone would be guaranteed a death sentence within mere days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The part where Kaede was going through the Death Road™ by herself was inspired by that part in Frozen 2 where Elsa's trying to tame The Nokk (the water horse thing), and done while listening to an arrangement of "Mulan's Decision". Either way, it's pretty damn cool.
> 
> It might be a couple more chapters until someone dies because I wanna get some interactions out of the way in order to develop some characters and whatnot. A problem I had with the original V3 is that as a group, they didn't seem... unified. And no, it's not bc they're in a Killing Game™ either bc the first two main casts seemed more united. Granted, it's because they're really complete strangers with fabricated backstories and thus aren't really friends, but you all saw where too much distrust (looking at you, Ouma and Miu) got too many of them (aka, dead). I hope to add as much growth to them as I can before their imminent deaths, but I'll see how well I can pull it off.
> 
> That does it for this chapter, so I'll see you in the next one, lovely folks! Stay healthy, stay safe, and stay fresh! ♥


	5. Episode IV: Daily Life 1.1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone, sorry this took so long! I wanted to see how many pages I could get in as possible, and I only stopped at 17 (and the days I took off from writing to play New Horizons and watch A:TLA didn't help, either). Which means, this one's a shortie, unfortunately, but important stuff still happens! You'll see exactly what that is, so go on ahead and check out this update. I'm still working out the kinks of everything that goes on here, but I hope it goes well in the end. Enjoy, all!

Before Kaede could leave, she heard a loud crash from the kitchen, quickly running to check it out. Miu was still there, angrily scraping food into the garbage disposal and grinding it to bits and throwing the dishes inside the sink of sudsy water. Some of it splashed onto the floor, which further irritated her as she got the microfiber mop out and cleaned it up, flinging it back into place and getting to washing the dishes clean. Kaede avoided getting hit by the mop in time, carefully sneaking over to Miu and seeing if she could be talked with or not. She personally bet more on the second result, but it was always better to try and see what were to really happen.

“Son of a bitch! Even in death, that stupid bear manages to screw me over!” Miu roared, scrubbing so hard at the plates she could have easily worn them down before drying them to shine and putting them away neatly. “My perfect meal went to waste because he wants all of us dead! I hope he’s rotting in Teddy Hell or wherever his ass went!”

“Iruma-san?” Kaede spoke up, earning a yelp from Miu.

“If you’re gonna take me from the back, warn me first! Didn’t you get taught not to sneak up on people, or did your folks drop you on the head that many times as a brat?”

Kaede continued, not in the mood for Miu’s nonsense. “There was a lot of shouting coming from here, and I thought it might be you. I was right.”

“Congrats, Sherlock, you cracked the case. Actually, even Shitguuji would have been able to know it was me without looking for proof! Besides, I thought I told you to beat it while I tidied up breakfast.”

“Well, that’s also why I’m here.”

“‘Cause you can’t listen to simple directions?”

“Because I want to help clean up. You look like you’re pretty stressed out from earlier, so I wanna take some weight off your shoulders.”

“Do you think I can’t do my job?!” Miu only got angrier, slamming the cup into the cupboard. “Take your butterfingers somewhere else and stuff ‘em up your hot dog hallway. I don’t need you getting in my way.”

“You’re the Ultimate Maid for a good reason, and it’s not because you’re incompetent. Just foul-mouthed and pissy.”

“Die mad about it. What you see is what you get. You keep talking, and I’ll be behind in room service, so get out of my sight before I make you.”

Not accepting the empty threat, the defiant Kaede marched forward and started washing out some of the dishes using a sponge and the sudsy water. Miu refused to take that, splashing Kaede in the face using a mug and laughing when she gasped and sputtered. Saying nothing, Kaede merely dried the mug off and put it away, forcing her way back to where she stood before and continuing to wash. The next attack from Miu was a jab to the ribs using her elbow, which Kaede retaliated with a much harder punch to the stomach to send the maid reeling in pain.

“Oww…! What was that for?” Miu whimpered tearfully, clutching her stomach.

“Hitting me, so I did it back,” Kaede said in a serious tone, not looking at Miu while scrubbing a pan. “It’s not nice to lay your hands on another person, so don’t do it again or else.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am! I’ll do whatever you want, and you can hit me harder if I step out of line again! Hell, you can do anything else to my body to t-teach me a lesson!”

“Uhh, no. None of that. Just let me help you clean so your job can be easier.”

“Being a maid ain’t supposed to be easier! If it was, any old, less hot idiot could have my title. The point of my job is keepin’ busy and keeping clients happier. Does that sound like a walk in the park to you?”

“No, but it’s all the more reason to accept help from those that want to give it to you. It doesn’t make you any less good at your job, it just gets things done.”

“Weird request, but it’s harmless enough for me to not turn down. Fine, do what you want, but just this once! I don’t wanna turn all useless slacking off or anything.”

“Thank you, Iruma-san. That’s all I wanted.”

At a much calmer pace, Kaede and Miu got to finishing the dishes, the former washing and the latter drying when she was done inspecting how clean they were coming out of the soap suds. When each one was put back in its place, the sink and floor were wiped free of lingering puddles, the kitchen looking close to brand new afterwards. Kaede went on to helping sanitize the messy table and reorganizing whatever chairs weren’t pushed back in, getting as far as halfway done when Miu opted to take over and shooed her away.

“Alright, alright, you’ve used up your token,” Miu said. “I can handle a little table scrubbing with my eyes shut. ...You didn’t do too bad for a rookie, but leave the rest to me. I gotta go clean the dorms anyways, and I’ll start with yours since you lent me a hand for some stupid reason.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary. Get to mine when you can,” Kaede insisted.

“It’s either I start cleaning your room or I don’t touch it at all. How about that?”

“But, you won’t do that, will you?”

Miu was silent, face falling defeated. “Just scram before I throw you out myself. Don’t make me take back my high praise.”

No skin off her nose. Kaede let Miu be, though not feeling as irritated with her as she remembered being last time. She could still stand to remember her place and manners, but small improvements certainly beat none at all. Down the hall, she heard a commotion outside of the public restrooms. Curiosity got the better of her judgement and controlled her, sending her to a hiding spot near the source and coming across Kaito, Maki, and Hoshi in the middle of some sort of debate amongst themselves. Only the tennis player’s voice was particularly loud enough to alarm anyone, the other two trying to get him off their cases, but having their side fall on Kaito’s deaf ears.

“You’ve been nothing but a Negative Nancy since we all got stuck here!” Kaito snapped mostly at Hoshi. “Even last night, when a way out was right in front of us, you were still ready to throw the towel in!”

“Uhh, did you forget we nearly died?” Hoshi reminded him. “Sorry I’m not exactly enthusiastic about an escape that was doomed from the start anyways.”

“We didn’t know that yet! Akamatsu and Saihara got close to finding the way out, but things just… didn’t go entirely right. But, you can’t walk around here acting like it’s impossible to leave!”

“No one’s acting. I don’t exactly see the red carpet leading us out.”

“Then it’s up to us to make one!” Kaito turned to Maki. “Can’t you make him some kinda potion, or— cast a spell to give him a boost? A little faith for the road?”

“No,” Maki said flatly. “My magic can change how someone feels, but it can’t just undo who they are as a person on the spot as if that would solve everything. Are you that much of an idiot that you’d go suggesting that?”

“I’m not an idiot! It was only an idea, and all you had to say was the simple ‘no’. But, while we’re talking about it, how come you don’t share your skills with anyone? They could be really useful in helping everyone.”

“I don’t just give my charms out like candy to trick-or-treaters. If I’d ever want to share my abilities with someone, I’d do it because I said so, not just because I was asked out of the blue.”

“And you don’t think that’s kind of a huge setback for our situation? We need all hands on deck, including yours.”

“My hands are staying where they are. And if you try to argue with me on it, I’ll sic every curse in my book on you without a second thought.”

Kaito gulped, face losing color. “C-Curse…? Hey, you’re— just joking around on that, right? Magic and potions I can buy, b-but curses are a load of horse!”

“Do you wanna test that out?”

“No! M-Moving on.” Kaito steadied his breaths, going back to speaking with Hoshi. “My… my point is, chin up a little, will ya? It takes a team to do the really big stuff, and you’re a part of it. You’re not doing anything alone on my watch!”

“You’re looking for good in all the wrong barrels, kid,” Hoshi sighed, tugging at one of the ears on his leather hoodie. “I can’t even remember my talent, nevermind have high hopes for this place.”

“Then I’m just gonna have to jumpstart you enough until you’ve got some to motivate you!”

“He’s not a broken down car, you know…” Maki sighed.

“No, but he is still someone in need of a little boost! And I’ll be one of the people to give it to him!”

“Kind offer, but that’s not really something I need,” Hoshi argued. “I’ve got no way of knowing my old life apart from bits and pieces, and even those are all but implying it’s not worth remembering. What do I really have to smile at trapped in a broken down prison?”

“The… way we’re gonna—”

Hoshi held his small hand up to cut off Kaito, who began to tremble. “—Save it. You can hope all you want, and I won’t stop you. Some people deserve that hope to keep going, but I’m not one of them. The only thing I am is a big blah that drags others down. Your disappointment in me, though understandable, does nothing more than prove it.”

“CUT THE SHIT ALREADY!” Kaito’s face reddened with anger, slamming his fist into the nearest wall and alarming both Hoshi and Maki. “Talk like that’s made me sick from day one, but now it’s getting too much! I’m gonna make this clear as day, Hoshi, so you’d better listen and listen good. You have a purpose just like everyone else. It’s there and fully existent; all you’re doing is refusing to see it, and I’m tired of it! Easy as it may be to give up… to just go and say there’s no hope for you…” Kaito’s tone was noticeably sadder, looking down, but not into Hoshi’s attentive eyes. “Ya just can’t do that. Not when life’s waiting to pull the rug out from under your feet in ways you could have never dreamed.”

“...How can you be so sure it’d even think to happen to me? Miracles don’t exist for everyone.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re specifically exempt from it. If it can happen to me, then why can’t it happen to you?”

Hoshi ground the candy cigarette between his teeth, not biting down this time as he gave a sad smile. “I dunno what’s gonna happen to me at this point. And frankly, I don’t think I wanna know, either.”

As Hoshi walked away, Kaede watched him sympathetically, prepared to sneak off and pretend she wasn’t eavesdropping when her cover was blown. “Akamatsu,” Kaito called after her, stopping her from taking so much as a step. “You think you can do something? You’re the unspoken class rep and all.”

“Me? Really?” Kaede wondered. “Even after I almost—”

“—Nobody cares about that anymore! Let that go already. But, yeah. You seem like the type to be able to get through to anybody, so you might be what the doctor ordered.”

“A little pep talk is always good, but am I really in any place to do something right now?”

“You were in the right place to listen in on someone’s conversation,” Maki snarked. “That means you don’t need to be filled in on any details, so get going and say something. If he doesn’t crack, well… that’s that. Nothing can convince him.”

“Nothing except Kaede Akamatsu!” Kaito praised. “Her and I are the class speakers that can help anyone and anything!”

“I never said you were any kind of motivational speaker,” Kaede corrected. “If you really think I can do it, I’ll try. Better than saying nothing.”

“Great! You’ll do fine.” Kaito turned back to Maki, a bit uneasy. “Say, uhh, Harukawa, right? You were just joking about that whole ‘curse’ nonsense before, right? Not all magicians can do every kind of mystic mumbo jumbo in the world, I’m sure.”

“That’s true, but if you’re really doubting me…” Maki pulled out a small black book, reading aloud something akin to gobbledygook. “Ahben tahkay, ahben tahkay, ahben atum ahben, takayah—”

“—LALALALA! If I can’t hear it, it doesn’t work! If I can’t hear it, it doesn’t work!” Kaito speed walked off covering his ears and shouting, Maki trailing close behind him still reading her enchantment out loud.

Kaede followed Hoshi to outside the Academy’s main building, quietly trailing out of sight as he’d gone ahead to the Dormitory. Going up and knocking on the door with his pixelated icon on it, she waited a bit until he answered the call. Hoshi didn’t look particularly displeased to see her, but it hadn’t taken an expert’s eye to notice how drained he clearly felt following his talk with Kaito.

“If you’re here to give me part two of a so-called pep talk, you might as well turn and leave,” Hoshi sighed. “You shouldn’t be wasting your time around some likely dangerous nobody like me.”

“No one knows if you’re really dangerous, not even you,” Kaede fought. “Besides, I’m not planning on yelling at you like Momota-kun just did.”

“Ah, so you heard the whole back and forth, I take it. Sorry him and I caused such a commotion. That was pretty uncool of me to do.”

“I— think that’s more on him since he was raising his voice.”

“Definitely, but I also got the guy worked up.”

“Well, Hoshi-kun, you don’t think there’s a pretty good reason for that? It looks to me like a clear sign he cares about you and wants you to do well.”

Hoshi passed a cynical “tch” from his tongue. “We’ve hardly been stuck here one day; you don’t suddenly like someone in such a short time. Plus, what good can an amnesiac trapped in a caged death school do? It’s already unlikely I made something worthy of my life before this.”

“It’s never too late to start! You’d be surprised how deep of a rut some people get themselves into, but manage to get back up and walking just fine after.”

“Are they really just fine, Akamatsu?” Hoshi’s gaze sharpened, much to Kaede’s nervousness. “Sure, plenty of others do okay after escaping the abyss, but the scars are permanent no matter how far you try to run from them. Don’t you dare try and tell me everything’s suddenly fine and peachy when they get back up again.”

“I… geez, I was only trying to give you a boost.”

“Well, A for effort, but D for doomed when it comes to me. If I were you, I’d save that positive energy for someone that’s not too late to save. See ya later, and sorry for wasting yours and Momota’s time, ‘k?”

“Wait, Hoshi—” The door clicked shut in her face, Kaede frowning with guilt. “That could have gone better.”

“What’s wrong? Crotch Level not gettin’ anything through his thick head?” Miu asked, shutting the door to Angie’s room behind her and walking down the stairs.

“No, and frankly, I’m getting worried. I’m still working on a way to end the game before it starts, but if I don’t do it soon enough, someone might jump in and… well, use Hoshi-kun to get out of jail free.”

“Is that really so surprising? He’s hardly even trying to stay alive and just romps around the place whining about a life he doesn’t even know jack about! The only thing he doesn’t have on him is a giant target painted on his ass!”

“Exactly what the problem is. While I’m putting together my escape plan, I also need to make him less vulnerable to desperate hands.”

“Right, as if that’s realistic…”

“It is! And I’m gonna make sure of it, even if it sucks me drier than a 4-year old to an apple juice box.”

Miu laughed hard enough to fire spit from the sides of her mouth. “Looks like Shyhara’s got serious competition, in that case!”

Ignoring the remark, Kaede went on her way and left the Dormitory, wandering through the courtyard with nary a clue on how to save everyone quite yet. Something was bound to hit her sooner or later, but “sooner” needed to come right away. Let’s see; there would be no more going underground, no one could find or bust a hole in the glass dome, digging under it probably didn’t seem smart either, so where else would a good opening be found? Of all the things those bears had to hide and keep all to themselves…

“Akamatsu-san! Over here!” Tsumugi called, running up and meeting her when Kaede turned to see her. “I was in the library doing a bit of reading when I saw something inside one of the shelves. You’ll never believe what!”

“Is it a secret way out?” Kaede asked, hopeful.

“Sadly, no. But! I did find a clue that could lead to us getting out. It’s a little harder and less simple as just getting up and walking out, so I don’t know if I should tell you…”

“Definitely tell me! If it’s good enough to be a clue of ending the game, it’s important to hear. How did you know where to look?”

“Eh, lucky guess. Then again, my future secret base would have a lot of secret passageways for me to slip in and out of without anyone besides my underlings knowing. Or, actually, I wouldn’t even tell any of them because they might stage a coup.”

“So, you found… a secret passageway for the Mastermind?” Kaede’s eyes brightened with her smile. “Lead the way! I mean, you’re great at doing that anyways, so— yeah, lead the way! This is great news!”

“Isn’t it? Already, we’re getting so close to leaving. Come on, I remember how to activate it.”

Tsumugi led the eager Kaede back inside the school, secretly flashing her a devious smile with a glimmer of darkness behind her orange sunglasses. She quickly hid it behind a kinder-looking one each time she nearly got caught with the expression, reveling in the intentions she had waiting in store. Going down the basement stairs for Kaede felt less paranoia-instilling with Tsumugi around, preparing to jump in and protect her if anything did pop out. Thankfully, they’d made it to the library without that happening, approaching the only bookshelf not covered head to toe in hardly legible literature.

“This is it? It looks just like the others,” Kaede said.

“Not quite. See?” Tsumugi asked, pointing down and showing Kaede the floor markings. “Don’t you think that’s a little odd? None of these shelves move easy enough to make marks.”

“You’re totally right…! This has to be the Mastermind’s passageway! But, how do we open it?”

“Like this. Watch.” Putting her hands between the gap, Tsumugi caused the bookshelf to rumble and move, opening up like a safe and revealing a door colored almost exactly like Monokuma.

“Whoa! So, whoever locked us here and wants us dead has been hiding inside the library this whole time.” Kaede banged on the door with the side of her fist repeatedly, listening with an ear to the door and finding nothing. “Anybody home? Maybe wanna come out and deal with me themselves?!”

“Oh, you can’t get in unless you have a card key.” Tsumugi showed Kaede the card reader with a red light and a blue one side-by-side. “And obviously, only the Mastermind has a way in. What should we do?”

“I’ll tell you what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna turn their little hideout against them in a way they’ll never see coming.”

“Huh? How, exactly?”

“Shirogane-san, plans need more than just a few seconds to be thought of if you want them to work. I don’t have an idea yet, but I’ll be coming up with one. Thanks to you, I just found a way to set everyone free.”

“Me? Oh, no, no, this was by accident. A plain old girl like me shouldn’t get all the credit for your amazing schemes.” Tsumugi got pulled into a hug by Kaede, gradually reciprocating.

“You should give yourself more credit of your own. Those leadership skills of yours could help anyone for the better. If it weren’t for you, I’d have never found such a great clue.”

“I guess if it really makes you happy…” Tsumugi smiled. “You’ll be free to thank me later. Oh, and let’s keep this between us girls, okay? Since this is the Mastermind’s door and all, it means one of us… hmm, nevermind. I don’t wanna spook you.”

“One of us is what?”

“Just a hunch, but I personally think that since this door is out where the students can access it, one of us here is… the Mastermind.”

Kaede drew back, horrified. “Really? And all because the entrance is here in the library?”

“Mmm-hmm. If I were to hire someone to be my double agent, I’d want them to be able to get into my lair and help me out sometimes. Since I wouldn’t need to hide myself from my subordinates, who already know I’m the boss, neither would Monokuma or his kids. It’s all a matter of who’s got something to hide and who doesn’t.”

“That makes a lot of sense putting it that way…”

“Which is why you can’t tell anyone else. You don’t know who you can trust here, so it’s safer not to with the wrong info. In some way, what you know could be turned against you.” Tsumugi giggled. “Hey, it’s kind of like what you wanna do to the Mastermind! Ironic, huh?”

“Not in the funny way. Alright, I’ll make sure the wrong ears don’t catch wind of this.”

“As far as you know, that’s everyone else here. I just want you to be really careful, Akamatsu-san. I’d hate for something to happen to you because of this.”

“Don’t worry about me too much. We’re both strong, tough girls that can handle anything!” Kaede flexed one of her biceps, holding it down using the other hand while throwing a flirty wink in Tsumugi’s direction. “I’ve especially got more than enough of an arm to defend myself in an emergency. Did I tell you I work out?”

“You did just now. Being stronger than you look is a great trait; people underestimate you, but then you turn around and show ‘em what’s for! Kinda reminds me of Nui Harime, except… well, not evil and a dad-killer.”

“I’d bet Yumeno-san would be able to catch onto that better than I can. But, I’ll take it as a compliment anyways!”

Kaede left, only seeing Tsumugi wave to her on the way out and not the sadistic smirk on her face afterwards. Someone among them has secretly been the Mastermind this whole time? Was it true? As logical as that sounded, she couldn’t jump to conclusions, seeming right or otherwise. On the brighter side, now she had a much better idea of a plan, so her thoughts were thanking Tsumugi more than ever now. It took an Ultimate Supreme Leader to know a devious tyrant, after all. Carrying out the plan solo would be easy, but putting it together might need an extra pair of hands. 

But, who could she really trust?

* * *

Shuichi left the empty gymnasium, having found nothing else to do there except for some light warm-ups and exercises to keep his energy flowing consistently. Being stuck in a school hosting an outrageous killing game was a surefire way to drain someone, but allowing it to dishearten him past sensible levels violated his personal code. Maintaining his focus and spirits combated anxious thoughts very well, which he couldn’t be more thankful for, but now came the matter of how everyone else was coping since they were not the same as him.

He kept roaming aimlessly through the first floor, eventually coming across Classroom A and hearing a slight commotion from inside. Initially, he thought nothing of it, ready to carry on his way when he picked up on a pair of distressed yells; one angry, the other just as concerned as Shuichi felt. Barging in and ready for danger, he instead found Kiibo trying to quell a frustrated Gonta, both standing before a painting in-progress, but vaguely looking like the mechanical rainbow grasshopper in the jar on the desk.

“Why aren’t the colors blending well?!” Gonta groaned, looking disdained at his artwork. “Gonta used the right shade of scarlet for the head, but it’s still wrong! Maybe it’s the black not mixing well with it…?”

“It could have to do with you using a live model,” Kiibo suggested. “Not drawing something that’s standing still does make it a lot harder.”

“No, that’s not it. Gonta’s grown used to drawing living animals. What’s going wrong?” Gonta let out another irritable grunt, his painting exacerbating his foul mood. “It’s so messy. There’s no way it could move people like this! Is Gonta losing his touch?”

“Of course you aren’t. You might see all the flaws in the world with this, but someone out there might disagree. And if they don’t, just work on what you need to improve. Right, Saihara-kun?”

“Uhh! Yeah, what he said,” Shuichi stuttered, realizing he’d really been seen. “It’s okay to make some mistakes here and there. They aren’t the end of the world as long as you either work with them or learn. Both can make you even better at what you’re doing.”

“But, Gonta can’t afford mistakes,” Gonta lamented. “He can only be successful at being a great artist and gentleman if he gets it right! And now, one painting isn’t going great.”

“If no one made mistakes and was just instantly good at everything they did, that would take all the fun out of anything. Without messing up sometimes, you wouldn’t know what to avoid. Practice makes perfect, even if it takes time.”

“And really, who wants to get something done on the first try every day?” Kiibo added. “It’s more about the journey than anything. But, you’ll also reach your destination sooner or later.”

“None of it means you’re a bad artist. Just one that needs to put some more careful time into your works. And if it feels like you’re low on steam, taking short breaks is necessary.”

“Does this mean Gonta’s not losing his touch after all?” Gonta asked, receiving nods from Shuichi and Kiibo. “Oh, thank goodness! Gonta was so worried.”

“If you’d like, I can go find you a new specimen to paint,” Kiibo suggested.

“No thank you. Gonta’s fine with the metal grasshopper right now. He can’t ask that of Kiibo-kun.”

“Really, you’re not asking the moon of me. I’d insist; just ask me.”

“Is it only nature-related things you paint, Gokuhara-kun?” Shuichi wondered.

“Usually, but not only,” Gonta answered. “There’s a lot to the world around us, and sometimes, Gonta likes to recreate the modern parts, too, such as mansions, cities, and even passing boats. Classy paintings are also popular with very important people!”

“Have you drawn someone human before?”

“Err, no, actually. Gonta normally sticks to animals, plants, and things. Even in his sculptures! But, Gonta would love to try! Does Saihara-kun want to be the first model?”

“Maybe some other time, because I don’t know if I can sit still for that long right now. Until then, Iidabashi-kun could be a good substitute. If he wants, I mean.”

“Me? Oh, gosh, I’ve never been painted before,” Kiibo murmured, meek. “Do I really have the face for it?”

“There isn’t one face for art. All kinds of them make anything beautiful!” Gonta commended. “But, if Gonta had to say something, you do have a very angelic face. It’s very cute, like a baby’s!”

Kiibo grew more bashful than before, chin sinking into his shirt collar. “Cute? You really think so? Saihara-kun, what about you?”

“Yeah. You are pretty adorable overall,” Shuichi agreed. “Both on the outside and the inside.”

“Ah… if that’s two yeses, I guess I can’t argue there. Now, I’ve got even less of a reason not to be your model.”

“You and Saihara-kun will be great!” Gonta chirped. “Gonta could make something with you two together someday.”

“First, you should probably finish your grasshopper painting,” Shuichi suggested. “I’ll get going since you two seem to be doing okay. Good luck with it, and show me the finished product!”

As Gonta and Kiibo bid him goodbye, Shuichi exited politely to continue his walk so they could finish up the painting. Hardly a few steps away from it, he heard yet another uproar down by Hallway 1F’s center, hurrying to check it out in case it was a real emergency. For people who seemed mostly keen on maintaining peace per Kaede’s wishes, this was not a very good start in the slightest. He saw the source was none other than Ouma, caught in the middle of a squabble with Kaito, who held a dented and bent version of his tennis racket with an infuriated expression.

“Keep your grubby little hands off my stuff!” Kaito barked. “Now look! I gotta somehow find a new racket or get this one undented! Do you know how hard either’s gonna be in this place?!”

“I was only defending myself from the enemy,” Ouma claimed. “Your racket just so happened to be the closest thing to a weapon I could find, so what else was I supposed to do? Next time, get a less flimsy tool and we won’t have an issue.”

“Right now, you’re my issue! Hardly even a day in, and you’re already causing trouble!”

“Don’t hate the player, hate the game. You’re only getting so worked up right now is ‘cause your fuse is tinier than that walnut on a stick you call a brain.”

“My brain’s the size of anyone else’s and works just fine! Bein’ an athlete doesn’t mean I don’t have a good head on my shoulders.”

“Denial always seems to be the first stage, doesn’t it? It’s okay to be stupider than a chimp, Momota-chan. That just means you’re only human! Except, wow, I’m sure even a chimp with a bad concussion had more brainpower than you ever could. How’s knowing that going for you?”

Kaito cracked his knuckles, gritting his teeth. “Why don’t I go ahead and beat out whatever brains you think you’ve got and see who’s still talking right after?!”

“Stop! No fighting!” Shuichi intervened, grabbing Kaito just as he raised his fist and rolling his arm under them both, clamping him and lowering themselves until Kaito was pinned to the ground with his wrist kept to Shuichi’s body. “Count to ten.”

“What…? Get off me, Saihara—!”

“Count. One, two, three…”

“Four, five six, seven, eight, nine, ten?” Kaito was finally helped up by Shuichi, though now bewildered at what had just happened. “What was that all about?”

“Breaking up a fight before you two could start one. I get you’re mad that your racket got busted up, but violence is the last answer here. We need to remain as peaceful as possible until we get out, then you’ll never have to deal with this ever again.” Shuichi turned to Ouma, far more stern. “As for you, don’t touch things that don’t belong to you or start fights.”

“Wow! That was amazing!” Ouma beamed, starry-eyed and completely ignoring the scolding. “Do it again, but this time, make him hit his head so hard he starts speaking another language!”

“No. Aikido isn’t meant for that. It’s meant for preventing disasters like this one before they can begin.”

“Aww, lame! There’s so much more you could do with it, and you choose that?”

“Yes. Because if I hadn’t, you’d have gotten a really bad punch to the face.”

“Uh-huh, cool.” Ouma dismissed him apathetically. “I’m done messing with cute little Momota-chan, anyways. Really, what good would a tennis racket prove when someone’s coming at you?”

“Tennis rackets can do plenty!” Kaito argued. “They’re just meant to be used for sport only, not banging it up against people or walls. I guess I could find a spare from the warehouse to use until I can get this one back in shape…”

“Sorry I had to do that to you, Momota-kun,” Shuichi apologized.

“Don’t worry about it. Nothing’s busted, so I’ll live.”

As Kaito walked off, Shuichi stopped Ouma from leaving so soon by grabbing him. “Stop. I’m not done talking with you.”

“Funny, ‘cause I’ve been done associating with Earthlings since the day I was born,” Ouma spat childishly, forcing Shuichi’s hand off of him. “If you’ve got nothing important to say, then I don’t care what you’re trying to tell me.”

“Luckily for you, it is important. You’re not in trouble, but I just want to talk because I’m worried.”

“About me? So flattering from you, Saihara-chan, but I’m craftier than you’ll ever be.”

“Yes, about you. With what happened at breakfast and even how you’ve been behaving since yesterday, you’re making yourself an easy target getting on everyone’s bad side this easily. What are you trying to prove?”

“What do I have to prove to you people? I already said I’m not killing anyone. That’d just be stupid stooping to basic levels.”

“I’m not saying you’ll kill someone; I’m worried you’ll get killed instead with this bad attitude of yours. You hardly even know anyone here, and yet you act like you already hate us.”

“Who’s acting? I’m not gonna pretend to be all buddy-buddy with a bunch of strangers I don’t even trust. You and Akamatsu-chan can go ahead and claim everyone getting along is the answer to all your problems, but I’ll have nothing to do with it. The more you think someone won’t use you as a way out, the more screwed you wind up being.”

“Ouma-kun, please. I get trusting someone blindly isn’t gonna do any good, but neither is just trusting nobody. If anything, that backs you into a deeper corner because you have no one to fall back on or have supporting you, then you just get paranoid thinking everyone’s out to get you and you end up biting yourself in the butt instead.”

“Is that so? ...Darn.” Ouma glanced down disappointed. “I was hoping you’d have more of a clue going for you, but I guess I was wrong. It’s always the cute ones with the nice behind that let you down the most, huh?”

Shuichi’s cheeks turned pink. “Cute?”

“Nishishi! That got your attention, didn’t it? But, back to the point at hand, we’re not the same person, I’m afraid. You and I think much differently, and that’s just how it’s gonna stay! Sad, but true, what can ya do?”

“Try to help. Which is exactly what I wanna do for you.”

“Kind offer, but I don’t need anything like that here. I may be small, but I’m mighty enough to conquer Venus and Ceres at the same time!”

“Which I take is a lie?”

“For now, maybe, but not forever. It’s gonna suck when you get killed in this place, but I can’t stop that. I could with my superior mind, but… nah. That’s no fun for anyone. I can’t save a lost cause.”

“I’m specifically trained in self-defense, but you’re putting yourself in danger by painting such a big target on yourself. Don’t you know people go after who they wanna get rid of the most?”

“As if I’d let an Earthling outsmart me. They’ll have to try really hard if they wanna gank me.” Ouma stretched, turning to leave Shuichi. “It was nice getting my ear talked off and all, but I’ve got better stuff to do than that. Buh-bye!”

“Wait. Please, listen to me.” Running in front of Ouma, Shuichi put both hands on his shoulder delicately. “Having spiked walls may seem like the best way to protect yourself now, but later in the road, you’ll only wind up hurting yourself on them. You probably don’t believe me when I say this, but I don’t want that to happen to you. Everyone deserves to get out of here and go home, and you’re not the exception.”

“Oh, Saihara-chan. This is so bold! So sudden!” Ouma pretended to faint with the back of his hand to his forehead. “Declaring you’ll be my knight in shining armor when we've just met? It’s straight out of a fairy tale! Romantic, but not very realistic, don’t you think?”

“What? No, no! I’m saying I want you to be safe, and most importantly, behave.”

“I’ll do the first just fine, but I’m always on my best behavior. Stop getting worked up over nothing already. That’s how you get wrinkles before 70.”

“Don’t say it’s over nothing. I have every right to worry about anyone here.”

“Then do what I’m about to and go bother someone else. Fooling people with schtick’s my thing, so I’m afraid it won’t work on the master.”

Ouma plucked Shuichi’s hands from him, skipping off rather merrily and leaving the Aikido master at a loss. There wasn’t much else to tell that boy, so he just left the other way hoping for a miracle. It wasn’t very late in the day, and yet one conversation with Ouma rendered him feeling pretty tired. Turning around, he changed course for the dining hall for a quick drink of water, passing the public restrooms and turning the corner to arrive. He almost thought no one else to be there, but the sound of short circuiting alongside glitchy frustration gave away Tenko buffing out her large dents and doing a bit of self-repair at one seat.

“You’re still malfunctioning?” Shuichi asked innocently, earning a glare from the android.

“Why’s that any of your concern?” Tenko spat, fastening her shoulder back into place and covering the wires up. “Get what you need to and leave me alone. I won’t have the presence of a human male mess up my self-maintenance.”

“Maybe a certain ‘human male’ could be the answer you need to not falling apart. Amami-kun is pretty handy with machinery.”

“Of course you defend him— GZZZT! You’re all the same in wanting to ruin lives and cause disaster for maidens both mechanical and fleshy! GTZCHT!”

“Tenko-san, you really don’t look so good. Giving yourself a tune-up can only go so far. Like trying to cure yourself without going to the doctor.”

“It’s not serious enough that I’d stoop so low as to ask Amami-san for help. GRRRT! I take far too much pride in myself to let my wiring get thrown out of whack.” Tenko frenzied again, tapping her chestplate a few times and bringing herself back to normal. “That stupid Exisal. Why did it have to throw me? BZZZRT!”

“There’s no shame in asking for help from anyone. Sometimes, you have to take the unlikely option if nothing else works. And if there’s one person who could help, it’s the Ultimate Inventor.”

“It should be someone more trustworthy than some lecherous cad holding tools! Degenerate males like you and him need to steer clear away from anywhere that isn’t jail. And no, this place doesn’t count, either.”

“But—”

“—I don’t— GTCH! Wanna hear it! You’ve distracted me enough as is, Saihara-san, now get out before I activate my defense maneuvers and deal with you myself!”

Quickly grabbing a water bottle from the refrigerator, Shuichi left without another word to Tenko. Chugging the cooled liquid rid his throat of dryness, effectively quenching his thirst during his walk. Whatever story was behind her hostility towards men, he frankly didn’t dare to ask, knowing he’d never get an answer. It hardly felt any of his business to begin with; most people just couldn’t be pried free of personal information. Across the hallway, he saw Rantaro of everyone, going over to him for a short hello while he was at it.

“Saihara-kun, what’s up?” Rantaro greeted. “Have you seen Tenko-san anywhere?”

“Yeah, she’s in the dining hall,” Shuichi answered. “We just got done talking about you, so long story short, I wouldn’t go in to try and fix her.”

“I figured. How bad’s her damages looking?”

“Still pretty bad. She’s short-circuiting and I think her arm’s ready to fall off. But, she won’t let you fix her because you’re a boy, so what are you gonna do?”

“I’ll have to think outside the box, because throwing the towel in and letting one of our not-classmates literally fall to pieces isn’t an option.”

“Getting close enough to get the job done sounds easier than doing it. Reasoning with her’s impossible.”

“No, not impossible, just difficult. It’s none of my business why she hates men beyond AI programming since I’m sure she’s got a perfectly good reason, but I can at least level with her using compromise. Whenever one or several of my sisters threw a fit, that’s normally how I ended up getting through to them.”

“You have sisters?”

Rantaro nodded. “All younger. Let’s just say I owe a lot of my ‘humble beginnings’ to them. I think some of them still have my earlier prototypes on hand, actually. Here’s hoping no one kept my electric dentures… those were _definitely_ not my best work, I tell ya.”

“Having a handy brother like you must mean they got first dibs on some really cool gadgets, huh?”

“Usually, yeah, but I’ve only got two arms. And, they were smaller, more harmless ones since I’m not giving little girls dangerous things to mess with. When one of my younger-younger sisters was born, for instance, I handmade her mobile, music box and all. That same one’s been passed down to the youngest and works as good as the day I put it together.” Rantaro’s eyes grew noticeably more sullen, looking off to the side. “Wonder how everyone’s doing back home…”

“It’s natural to be worried about them. I won’t pretend I understand all of it since… well, I don’t come from a large family at all, actually. But, the sooner we all get out, the better, right?”

“Typically, yes. I don’t wanna stay here for another minute, but what good is that without a solid escape plan? And, I mean this in the nicest way possible, that’s something Akamatsu-san has yet to fully conceive. Which is a problem.”

“She’s working on it. Just be a little more patient and don’t go stir crazy in the meantime.” Shuichi put his palm to the knuckles of his fist, bowing his head with closed eyes. “‘An able body keeps the soul thriving, but it is nothing without a sound mind to steady it from making its fatal mistake’.”

“Wow.” Rantaro eased up a little, now fairly impressed and scratching the back of his head. “That’s some proverb you just gave me out of nowhere. Did you come up with that yourself?”

“Oh, no. Master did. I’m just relaying his wisdom and sharing it with you. Panicking is easy in stressful situations, but when you do that, you lose your cool and wind up doing things you wouldn’t normally. Akamatsu-san and I want to avoid that, so we’re taking precautions.”

“You two make quite a team. Almost like the class representatives, if we were to have any.”

“I’d be more like the deputy, if anything. Akamatsu-san is a natural-born leader, and I don’t know if I could ever compete. Not that I’d want to! She’s perfect for the job in every way.”

“Maybe you could be the school’s enforcer?”

Even though Rantaro was likely joking, Shuichi was still very hesitant. “I think Momota-kun would fit that bill a little more. Abusing my skills as a martial artist like that would be disgraceful and unfair of me to do. Look, that’s not important right now. What matters is leaving so we wouldn’t need a system like that for the long run.”

“It shouldn’t come to it with Akamatsu-san’s quick thinking. Knowing her, she’s probably trying to sniff an exit out like a bloodhound. The next plan of attack doesn’t seem to be putting everyone in danger, so whatever she’s got ready, I’m in.”

“Hang in there in the meantime. We’ll have beaten Monokuma in no time.”

“Speaking of no time, I’d better think of my own secret plan of attack. I won’t be going to the dining hall right now, but if I just had the right parts… eh, nevermind. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. See you some other time, Saihara-kun.”

Rantaro parted from Shuichi, who continued exploring the hallway for anything or anyone of interest. Even with all of the sudden encounters with his other classmates, he still didn’t have specific plans of how to go about his day, not helping how much he didn’t want to be there in the first place. The first floor didn’t have much to show, the new rooms on the second were still off-limits, so where else could he stumble upon? If only an exit would just show itself and let them all go free… maybe checking the courtyard (where the boiler room wasn’t) would provide something useful.

“Saihara-kun! There you are,” Kaede piped up, running up to Shuichi. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“What’s the matter?” Shuichi asked.

“Nothing except great news! You’ll never believe what Shirogane-san and I found in the library.”

“A way out?”

“Sadly, no. But, it’s definitely worth checking out and may just help us with that, too. Come on, I’ll show you!”

Not wasting a moment, Kaede pulled Shuichi along to the basement steps at a jogger’s pace, sliding back into the library and taking him to the exact shelf Tsumugi led her to earlier. Telling him to watch carefully, she put her hands between the bookshelves and activated its secret passageway, opening up like a door and revealing the monochromatic sealed entrance to a shocked Shuichi.

“You’re looking at the passageway to the Mastermind’s control room,” Kaede announced. “This is going to be the answer to all our problems.”

“This is really it?” Shuichi exhaled, scanning it from top to bottom. “To think it was hidden away in the library of all things.”

“I know! Right from under our noses, but now that leads me to the catch, and you have to promise not to tell anyone. And, you have to keep hush-hush about the door since I technically wasn’t supposed to say a word, either.”

“Why did you tell me of all people, then?”

“Because of everyone so far, you’ve had my back the most and I don’t know who else to turn to that much. Momota-kun can’t keep a secret, Hoshi-kun I haven’t even scratched the surface of, and Shinguuji-kun gives me too much of the creeps to really trust him, which leaves you as my best bet.”

“Wow. I’m honored you think that much of me. I promise word of this won’t get out to anyone. That’s guaranteed to make things go from bad to worse. Now, what’s the catch?”

“Since Monokuma felt the need to hide this from everyone’s sight… one of us might be the Mastermind and is trying to keep it a secret.”

“What?!” Kaede nodded her head to confirm the suspicion, making Shuichi more uneasy. “Is this true?”

“It’s incredibly likely. Secret passageways mean no one else can find the entrance except the one in charge pretending to be on our side. And us, of course, but that was before all of this.”

“While that sounds like a pretty reasonable claim, it’s still just that. You’re gonna need to prove it so we can be absolutely sure this is the case and not just going based off of a smart hunch.”

“Right. And I know exactly how to do so.” Turning away from Shuichi, Kaede went through a separate pocket in her backpack and pulled out a sheet of colorful stickers.

“You’re gonna give the Mastermind a sticker?”

“No. Stickers are for good behavior only, and whoever put us here deserves nothing but a punch to the face and then some.” Kaede peeled off the four-leaf clover one, sticking it underneath the card reader’s scanning slot enough to stay out of sight. “Perfect. Now, Saihara-kun, if that sticker’s either not there next time we check it, or winds up torn, then the door’s been used.”

“And even if the Mastermind sees it and rips it off, it’s still a good sign because no one else would come here to use the entrance. We should be the only other ones who know about the sticker! That’s brilliant! But, why a four-leaf clover?”

“For luck in our favor. But, no matter which one goes on, we’ll be steps ahead of the Mastermind at the rate we’re going.”

“What are you gonna do next? Once the sticker’s been messed with, that is.”

“Best case scenario, we just catch the Mastermind.”

“And the worst-case scenario?”

Kaede didn’t say anything for a few hard seconds, shaking her head smiling uneasily. “Let’s not be so quick to come to any. It’s always better to focus on the best one first and foremost.”

“Yeah. For now, all we can do is wait and see if someone bites the bait. That gives us roughly a full day to think things over.”

“Sometimes, that’s all someone needs. And remember, Saihara-kun.” Kaede put her index finger to Shuichi’s lips, then her other to her own. “This stays between you and me.”

“Mmm-hmm. My lips are sealed until the time is right.”

Kaede closed the secret bookshelf entrance behind her, following Shuichi out of the library and back to the first floor away from the basement’s slight chill. A lot more work needed to be done if any of them were going to escape the Academy intact, but the road to victory was still paved far thanks in part to the Mastermind’s lair. It was only a matter of time until they made one mistake and exposed themselves in front of the rest. Although she knew now that not everyone was to be trusted, Kaede remained faithful to her skills and optimism, sure that they would prove fruitful to bust the baddie in no time.

* * *

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

The only one of the Monokubs on screen for the Night Time announcement that evening was Monodam, who as usual, said nothing before the screen went black. “What? Just one tonight?” Kaede scoffed. “Fine by me. The less extra noise late at night, the better.”

A drag of the pencil went across a rejected idea involving a large fishing net and hot glue, Kaede realizing how absurd of a scheme that would sound to try and enact. That left her with yet another solution down following a few others, exhaling wearily as her mind went over the pros and cons of the survivors running entirely on its depleting fuel. She acted it all out internally as if rehearsing it, but ran into too great of a barrier to get out of quick enough.

In the end, the notebook sheet joined its brethren on the floor, crumpled and tossed haphazardly near the garbage basket. Although growing more entranced by her bed’s alluring calls of her name, Kaede persisted after a quick yawn to ease her body’s troubles, scribbling down more Mastermind-trapping strategies and ideas. Her time spent on plotting made her confident, certain that one would be the method to shine brightest and free her alongside her new friends. She thought carefully, meticulously including any detail great and small to each potential idea while her eyelids were kept separated against their will. Fatigue interrupted every few seconds, its whispers ignored by Kaede’s might.

Just when it thought it had her after barely jotting down a third idea, the modest knocks at the door ripped Kaede back to full consciousness. Quickly hiding the notebook, she got up and answered it, relieved to see who’d come and visited.

“You’re up late,” she said to Shuichi with humor. “Hard time sleeping?”

“Not as much as when I was younger, but you can guess what’s kept me up a little longer,” he answered. “How goes the brainstorming session?”

“Terrible.” Kaede flashed her eyes to the paper balls on the floor. “And yet, I’m on a roll! I know to center busting the Mastermind around where they’re the most exposed, which in this case, is the library door. As soon as I find the perfect way to trap them, we’re golden.”

“It’s great you’re thinking things over carefully, but don’t you think you’d work better with a good night’s rest? ‘Exhaustion is the mind and body’s worst enemy, as it hinders their collaboration best’.”

“Good thing I’m not exhausted, then. I feel great!”

“Akamatsu-san, I don’t just say so because I’m quoting someone I really look up to. I say it because I don’t want you pouring all your time into trapping our warden. It’s not a good way to plot.”

“I know that. But, the Night Time announcement just went off. You say this like it’s midnight or close to morning.”

“It’s still best to think as clearly as possible, which you can’t do if you’re tired—”

“—I’m not tired! Quit breathing down my back!” Kaede’s irritability cooled seeing the stunned look on Shuichi after her voice was raised, rubbing her eyes and lowering her voice. “Sorry. Maybe I’m a bit cranky, but that’s more on how stressed I am at all of this.”

“Which gets worse with fatigue. Everyone went to bed safely, so there shouldn’t be any you-know-what’s anytime soon.” Shuichi held Kaede’s hand, looking her in the eyes pleadingly. “I would never ask you to give up. Just to take a short break when you need one.”

“And only _when_ I need one. Your concern is appreciated, but I’m fine.” Kaede stumbled, but managed to catch herself by leaning against the door. “I haven’t gotten so sleepy that I’m hardly conscious.”

“No, but I’d say that’s getting pretty close from the looks of it.”

“Oh, it is not! I just need to rest my eyes a little… and I’ll be fine…”

Kaede’s knees gave way to her exhaustion, Shuichi quickly diving and catching her before she could hit the ground. Carrying her so daintily in his arms, as if she were porcelain despite knowing how much stronger she was than that, the top of her bed was the perfect place to lay her as he peeled back the blankets of its other side and rolled her into place there. Brushing away a section of flaxen hair so it couldn’t disturb her, Shuichi watched for a few seconds longer as Kaede fell deeper into slumber, unable to resist the smile on his face seeing her get to be so peaceful, even just temporarily. Her breathing was soft, but even, acting as the cue for him to depart.

Locking the door first, he closed it behind him after shutting the lights off, leaving Kaede to a secured rest without anyone else able to enter. Stretching with a mute yawn of his own, Shuichi returned to his own dorm room, closing the door and using his key to lock out any intruders. Crawling into bed, out went the lights and together went his eyelids in a single blink. The night passed him as sleep made him numb, fortifying his nerves for tomorrow’s possible turn for what well could be the worst.

If only he knew just how right he would wind up being.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that does it for this chapter. Still as always working on the next one, but I'm trying to stretch it out as much as possible so you guys have plenty to read (and so I don't feel lazy lmfao). I don't really have much to say this time around (unless I go back and edit these author's notes 'XD) since the heat's probably messing with mine head, but I will see you guys in the next update happily and fully! Stay freeesh~! ♥


	6. Episode V: Daily Life 1.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One really bad heatwave (that we're still in where I live), some binge-watching of Sailor Moon: Crystal mixed with hanging out with my friends over Animal Crossing, and an ever-solid rewatching of all four parts of Sozin's Comet later, we have an update! I tried my damnedest to work yesterday, but the heat made it just too impossible to stay at the computer in one sitting. Still, I'm happy I finally got this out and about at long last since we're finally pushing the story along! May have done some more planning for future chapters rather than what I was working on now, but it's still good nonetheless.
> 
> Have fun with the update! You know where I'll be if not dying of heat stroke -w-"

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

Just like the night prior, only Monodam showed up for the Day Time announcement, abruptly shutting the monitor off when he hadn’t a word to say. Kaede stirred in her sleep, cleaning her eyes and regaining her lost consciousness. All she could recall from the night before was planning, talking with Shuichi and assuring him she was fine, and then—

Oh, no! She fell asleep! Running over to her desk, she stripped her notebook of its hiding place and checked for any changes, relieved when all she could find was identical to the way she’d recalled it to be. The banging on her door made her hide it all again, rushing to answer and discover Miu was who’d come to stop by for the wake-up call of a lifetime.

“Hey, Sleeping Booty Call!” Miu roared. “Since you’ve still got your ears clogged apparently, it’s time for breakfast! You’re not getting out of eating my cooking this time now that Monokuma’s shit his bowels and kicked it!”

“Sorry, I just woke up,” Kaede yawned. “I’ll be down as soon as I’m ready.”

“Which is now.” Dragging her back inside, Miu ripped Kaede’s sleep-tainted outfit off and dressed her in a fresher version, using a hairbrush to straighten out the bends in her pale blonde locks and readjusting each clip to their proper position. “There. Still a lot more to be desired to make you less dumpy, but I’ll work with what I can get. You’re not getting your old clothes back until I’m through with laundry.”

“Thanks, but you didn’t have to dress me. I’m not two.”

“Could have fooled me since you can’t get your own ass out of the sack.” Miu saw the crumpled paper balls on the floor, groaning and marching to put them all in the wastebasket where they belonged. “And you can’t keep your room tidy? You’re lucky I was born or you’d be wallowing in a dump!”

Kaede moved to get Miu away from the area in fear of her seeing what she wrote, only to get blocked off. “I didn’t ask you to pick up my stuff.”

“Maids don’t always wait until they’re asked. They just do. And if you don’t like it, get over it ‘cause I’ve got a job that actually means shit to people.”

Mimicking Miu under her breath in disgust, Kaede stormed out of her own room and went ahead towards the entrance to the school’s main building. Her stomach gurgled with hunger, but there was absolutely no way she’d be eating her pride first thing in the morning. On the way, she’d caught sight of Angie and Himiko doing some odd, yoga-like movements on the ground directly under where the artificial sun shone through the cage. Getting closer, she’d earned a more direct greeting from one, but a half-hearted, sleepier acknowledgement courtesy of the other.

“A wondrous morning to you, Kaede,” Angie addressed, folding her hands. “Have you come to greet the day with Himiko and myself?”

“It’s too early for this… but, at least I’m not running a marathon first thing in the morning,” Himiko drowsed, stretching herself to the side with her hands together above her head. “Yonaga says not to sleep too late, or else I’d miss too much of the day’s surprises.”

“Which would be such a waste to do. Why not take the time to bask in Ranginui’s beautiful sky that he shares with us mortals? The one he loves most cannot partake directly, so it’s up to us to ensure it’s appreciated.”

“Tāne did the right thing, personally. I’d hate to be living all cramped in the dark for the rest of my life. But, then again, maybe it’d get me more sleep since the night’s longer…”

“Longer, yes, but permanently. Atua in all of His forms cannot see His children live on in the dark.”

“At least Atua as Kami-sama would be giving us way more privacy.” Bending down, Himiko let her joined fingers touch her toes. “But, yeah, I’m with you. I can’t work on commissions or projects in the dark, or else it’d come out looking horrible.”

“See? The sunlight is a gift from above. Without it, Ao could not come to those in need of His daylight.”

“‘Ao’?” Kaede wondered.

“Yes. He is the reason we have light in our realm as is. In fact, Ao is one of many who provides us with life itself, primarily the clouds, the sky, and whatever doesn’t belong in the underworld.”

“Kinda like Izanagi, you mean?”

“If that’s how you remember Ao as such, but it is not His true form. Simply put, Izanagi is merely a translation for others in Japan to understand Ao and His brethren’s great work.”

“Are you implying people have been using the wrong name this entire time? Because I really doubt it’s your place to say that.”

Angie shook her head. “Oh, no, no! There is no such thing as a wrong way to remember the divine. For everyone all over the world to use the same name as the rest would tarnish their uniqueness. Without that, we as a species would lose our best quality.”

“Basically, you can call Kami-sama anything you’d like, but just don’t forget who He really is under the disguise,” Himiko translated. “It’s like going by an alias, or a stage name.”

“Calling the rose by any other name would make it smell as sweet, but the rose under its soil goes by its true identity. So! Did you want to partake in our yoga? There are many ways to start the day, but unwinding feels best.”

“No thanks, I’m not in the mood for a sermon,” Kaede declined, turning to leave until Angie blocked her way and started feeling her shoulders. “Hey! Personal space, please?”

“In a minute. Hmm… ah, just as I’ve suspected. A long night’s sleep, and you still have lots of tension where you should be relaxed.” She moved down to her arms, lightly pinching the biceps with her hands. “You’re quite muscular for a girl. Do you work out?”

Kaede pulled away. “Sometimes. What are you getting at?”

“If you’re stressed mentally, then it will affect you physically and you cannot carry either all day long. Come, take a seat by Himiko and myself for a short while so that you may relieve that tension.”

“We won’t be long. We were gonna head to breakfast afterwards, so kill two birds with one stone,” Himiko added.

“...Oh, alright. One little yoga session shouldn’t hurt,” Kaede agreed.

Deciding she didn’t care in the slightest if Miu would scream her head off for not going to the dining hall right away, Kaede stood between Himiko and Angie under the glass dome’s morning sun for some simple yoga stretches. Raising her hands as instructed, she inhaled and leaned back, then bending over and touching the tips of her toes while exhaling. She got on the ground to tilt only her torso back, getting into a planking position and holding her breath, then letting it out after getting lower. Now in a cobra’s position, Kaede inhaled, exhaling when told to raise only her bottom to the sky, then taking another deep breath inside of her lungs after her right thigh went tucked in the middle of her arms.

“And now, we conclude by forward folding and letting our toes meet our fingers,” Angie said, doing just that along with Himiko and Kaede. “Be sure to exhale whilst doing so to release all of your tension. We want as much icky stuff out of us as possible. Next, lean back with your arms stretched and inhale again.”

“Then, we do one last exhale back in the mountain position,” Himiko instructed, standing straight while releasing a soft breath. “Congratulations. You’ve officially greeted Tama… mama— the sun.”

“Wow. I feel great!” Kaede confessed, twisting herself back and forth to work out any lingering kinks. “Do you do this every day, Yonaga-san?”

“Only on most days, or when the morning feels finest,” Angie said. “Back on my island, I was a full-time oracle for our one and only God, but also a part-time yoga instructor.”

“That must have been some class you ran, I’m sure.” Kaede could hardly fathom the possible chaos running amok with anything led by Angie, but she otherwise gave her the benefit of the doubt without being too judgemental.

“It was! Everyone able to do so was required to partake to start off with a full mind cleanse. If necessary, medical attention was included to reduce disastrous results.”

“Such as…?”

“The time I attempted a stunt I wasn’t experienced for and nearly pulled my hip clean from its socket.” Angie wrapped her foot around her head and tucked it there, amazing Himiko, but horrifying Kaede. “But, whenever I do it now, I don’t feel a thing! My yoga techniques have blessed me with partial invincibility.”

_‘Somehow, I really don’t think that’s why you can’t feel anything there anymore.’_

“Could I learn to do that with enough yoga, too, do you think?” Himiko asked.

“I don’t see why not, nor does Atua have anything to say against it,” Angie agreed.

“A-Actually! Too much yoga can be bad for you, especially on an empty stomach!” Kaede squeaked, pushing Himiko towards the Academy. “Breakfast awaits us, ladies!”

“That too is a wise idea. I shall be right beside you and Himiko! ...As soon as I get myself untangled.” Kaede went back and returned Angie’s foot to the ground, the latter squatting and rising to softly crack her hip. “HOO! There we go. Thank you, Kaede.”

Kaede continued to the dining hall with Himiko and Angie going ahead as a pair. When they’d arrived, half of the students seemed to be in rather pleasant moods and showing it. The others, however, were far less relaxed and actually appeared more on edge. Such contrasting feelings made the morning air feel as though it was at war with itself, yet was also missing one powerful component to cause it all to head south. Miu still prepared and served breakfast like she usually did, dragging Kaede and making her sit while slamming a plate of the exact dish she missed out on the previous morning to her exact desires.

“Eat up,” Miu demanded. “I didn’t slave over a hot stove for nothing, so don’t make it that way. One bite of this, and your taste buds are gonna be screaming my name for weeks!”

“I’m not sure if I wanna eat it after that,” Kaede said, her growing stomach betraying her.

“Your gut says otherwise, so dig in or starve to death. Anyone else’s cooking would send you to the hospital compared to what I can do!”

“I seriously doubt you’re the only one in the world who can cook well, let alone this place,” Shuichi cut in. “By the way, Akamatsu-san, did you sleep well? You… may have passed out last night, and— well, you know.”

“I figured you had a role in it,” Kaede guessed, amused. “It’s the first time I’m the one being tucked in instead of the other way around.”

“Oooh, Akamatsu-chan went to bed with Saihara-chan!” Ouma teased after another bite of his omurice. “How scandalous! What was it like sleeping with a girl?”

“You forced that poor girl to— BZZZT! Share a bed with you?!” Tenko gasped, slamming her hands on the table and glaring at Shuichi with her collar showing nothing but red popping veins. “You pig! I— GTCH! Am so going to make you regret ever laying your hands on Akamatsu-san!”

“We didn’t share a bed! She got so close to exhaustion she passed out and I…” Shuichi hesitated, scratching his cheek timidly. “Well, I guess I did kinda tuck her in, didn’t I? But, then I went to my own room for the night and didn’t see her again until just now!”

“Likely story. I expect no less from someone like you to lie just to save his skin. What’s the truth, you degenerate m— GRRRCH! Male?!”

“That is the truth,” Kaede confirmed. “I was up last night and I was more tired than I expected, so Saihara-kun helped me to bed and left after. I know this because I didn’t catch him in my room when I woke up today.”

“Oh. My mistake, sorry— SHZKKH! A-Akamatsu-san.” Tenko steadied her face, waving off the other malfunction. “I guess my injury took more of a toll on my system than I thought.”

“Not that you didn’t have fifty screws loose before the Exisal threw you,” Ouma snickered, getting splashed in the face by Tenko using Kiibo’s glass of milk. “Ah! Sick! Ever heard of table manners?!”

“My milk!” Kiibo cried. “Couldn’t you have used something else?”

“Don’t cry over it, I’ll be fetching another one,” Miu said, wiping up the white liquid from the table as Ouma dried himself. “Same as before?”

“That’s okay, Iruma-san. I’d hate for this glass to get thrown, too. Thank you anyways, though! Are you gonna sit down and have breakfast yourself?”

“I can feed myself just fine! Don’t act like I need some bib and highchair to get my meals in!”

“I never said that. I only want to make sure you’re not working so hard that you forget to take care of yourself, too. You’re doing a great job with keeping everyone healthy and clean, but remember you’re also one of us and have needs that need to be met.”

Miu stammered, withdrawing as her face turned pinker than her outfit. “Oh. Then… well, say that next time! Thanks for asking, but I’m okay.”

“Good to hear.” Kiibo’s smile made Miu feel shyer, the maid quickly hurrying to get the rest of the orders out and eaten.

“Iidabashi-kun seems fond of you,” Kirumi commented, accepting her cup of breakfast tea and bowl of tamago gohan drizzled with soy sauce. “And I can tell you of him, too.”

“You can’t tell nothing. He’s probably just buttering me up so I’ll be extra obedient. O-Or… something like that.”

“Somehow, I seriously doubt that. He doesn’t appear to be the type to do such a thing.”

“Looks don’t always equate to personality, Hoejou. I’m not saying I don’t dig the praise, but you gotta be wiser than that or you’ll wind up croaking like Monokuma finally did.”

“While I agree entirely, I fear our troubles may not be truly over even with his… death. There has to be something else ensuing.”

“Yeah, don’t be such a brainless bimbo as usual! I know that’s hard for you, but the fat lady hasn’t sung yet,” Ouma said to Miu. “Monokuma getting squashed like an ant doesn’t mean anything!”

“Ah, shove it up your shithole! The head honcho behind this joint is dead as a doornail, so quit ruining things for the rest of us!” Miu snapped.

“That’s all he ever does around here,” Himiko grumbled. “He’s probably only upset that he didn’t get to kill anyone.”

“No, I’ll still get that chance on my next trip to space,” Ouma corrected. “All I’m saying is to not make stupid assumptions. Then again, I don’t know what else to expect around here but that.”

“Ouma-kun’s right,” Rantaro agreed reluctantly. “Monokuma’s no ordinary stuffed bear, he’s mechanical. And because of that, the one controlling him would never just make one and be done with it. I’m willing to bet there’s plenty more copies where that came from.”

“And really, can you name an instance this nauseatingly easy that stays as such?” Korekiyo inquired.

“So, Monokuma’s still alive?” Gonta whimpered. “Gonta thought all our troubles were finally over!”

“Lovely as that sounds, I’m afraid things have only just begun.”

“Too good to be true. I knew it,” Hoshi sighed.

“Okay, you’re not someone who gets to keep bumming everyone out!” Kaito scolded, then pointing to Kiyo and Ouma. “As for you two, knock it off. Whether or not Monokuma’s gone, you can’t deny things have been really peaceful since he got destroyed. Do you really wanna ruin that for the rest of us?”

“I wouldn’t take it as them ruining it,” Kirumi defended. “They’re only being rational in case something awful does occur. Please understand that everyone handles situations differently and is more than welcome to speculate.”

“You were the first to bring this up, Toujou! The only reason you’re saying this is because you agree with them!”

“And that makes her wrong to prepare for danger?” Korekiyo bit. “It’s a mouth such as yours is what nearly got you killed, Momota-kun. I’d best put that at rest, if I were you.”

“Things were going so well until you and Toujou-san brought up Monokuma not being dead,” Tsumugi lamented. “Getting into a fight this early in the morning isn’t doing any good.”

“For someone so quiet, you’ve definitely caused plenty of— GZZCHT! Trouble!” Tenko barked at Korekiyo during another glitch spasm, then pointing to Ouma. “And you’re only here to make it double!”

“Guys, please, not today,” Shuichi beseeched, intervening. “This is exactly the kind of chaos Monokuma wanted us to stir up among one another.”

“Speak of the devil, and he shall appear!” a very unwanted voice sang, the formerly deceased Headmaster in question popping up with pointed ears and a golden haramaki around his belly while surrounded by blue wisps.

“What the?!”

“GYAAAAH! It’s a ghost!” Kaito and Tenko shrieked at the same time, quaking with fear.

“So, Monokuma’s been hiding from us this whole time,” Rantaro figured. “I should have known you’d fake your death and give us a false sense of security.”

“‘Monokuma’? No, kuma!” Monokuma objected. “He’s who I used to be, but ever since this great big flash, everything has changed! With my molecules all rearranged, I am now Jibakuma, kuma! Say hello to your new Headmaster, kuma!”

“That verbal tic is going to be a nuisance to listen to however long he intends to keep at it,” Kirumi groaned.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it, kuma! It’s pretty tough to swallow at first. ...Kuma.”

“He just hesitated! Hardly two seconds in and everything!” Kiibo griped.

“Not to mention, his Jibakoma cosplay looks like something my two-year old cousin whipped up,” Himiko criticized. “Actually, I take that back. Hers have heart, that’s just got vomit.”

“Perhaps it’s a… unique. Homage to a less common breed of youkai,” Angie suspected. “Do tell us, Jibakuma. What are you?”

“A fuckin’ migraine, that’s what!” Miu spat. “Why don’t you crawl back to the Ghost Zone where you belong and stay there?!”

Frustrated, “Jibakuma” ripped off his costume and went back to being normal Monokuma. “Ugh! It’s just not easy with you people, is it?! At least the first time around, I was humored with some stupid lecture on how youkai aren’t the same as ghosts that I wasn’t even listening to!”

“This is the first time I’ve ever brought it up. How can that be so?” Angie asked.

“It’s not all about you, Yonaga-san. Have a little more shame than that, will ya?”

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the Monokubs chimed, popping up beside their father.

“What’s with all the commotion?” Monosuke yawned. “I could hardly catch a wink last night with Monokid’s—” He stopped upon seeing Monokuma, stumbling on his words breathlessly. “It can’t be… Pops, is that you?!”

“Bull! Papa Kuma would never spit in Death’s eyeballs like this!” Monokid objected. “Once you’re dead, you’re dead, and he’s no exception!”

“Actually, I can name a few times he’s broken that rule,” Monophanie argued. “Maybe this is his spiritual projection, and he’s talking to us from the Great Beyond!”

“No, I’m not. That bit’s dead, but I’m still kicking,” Monokuma sighed.

“Oh! So, that was just Monodam we threw into the bonfire and danced around last night, then!” Monokid cackled. “Good to hear! About time that fucker kicked the bucket!”

Monodam said nothing, so Monotaro spoke in his place. “That can’t be right, either. Monodam’s standing right next to me,” he said. “What’s going on, Father?”

“The body you gave the shitty cremation services to was me, but this is also me,” Monokuma growled, irritated. “I have more than enough bodies to spare, but you don’t. Once you’re all dead, that’s it. Finito. Concluded. Met your maker and shook their hand! Shuffled off the mortal coil! You’ll all be ex-bears, etcetera, etcetera!”

“Didn’t you say this to us before?”

“I did. But this time, I mean it!”

“Oooh!” Monophanie realized. “Because this is our one and only second chance, and if we blow it, we’re done for—”

Monokuma stopped his daughter from elaborating further, licking her with a big, sloppy tongue all over before doing the same to her brothers. “—HOW I love my little Monokubs! You’re all so cute, I could just eat you up! Monokuma’s super-effective Lick is now underway!”

“Ah, sick! Knock it off, Papa Kuma!” Monokid gagged when his turn came up, being tossed away just as quickly.

“We’re happy to see you, too, but we’re all set!” Monosuke insisted, getting a faceful of slobbery robot bear tongue.

“Isn’t there such a thing as a little too much love?” Monotaro wondered, wiping off the saliva while Monodam just got done being licked.

“...I’m sorry, is anyone else highly uncomfortable right now?” Tsumugi asked. “Because I definitely am. I couldn’t imagine licking my subordinates like old stamps no matter what I feel for them…”

“That’s the least of our problems,” Korekiyo said. “Monokuma having faked his death only means one thing.”

“Killing game’s back on, everyone!” Ouma announced. “I’d bet you guys are feeling pretty sheepish for trying to prove me wrong. Now, as much as I hate saying ‘I told you so’—”

“—Which is a lie,” Kirumi interrupted.

“Also true! But, you cut me off, so the moment’s dead. Thanks a lot for ruining everything, Toujou-chan.”

“Fun while it lasted,” Himiko grumbled, then looking away from the teal scanning light going up and down her body. “H-Hey! Tenko, was that you?”

“Yes,” Tenko admitted before spasming from her injuries again, showing Himiko the word “Upset” popping up on her neck monitor. “At least my Feelings Reader works just fine— BZZLRT!”

“Don’t scan me, it’s creepy. Besides, you don’t need a function to tell that this isn’t a good situation. It only takes a simple read of the air.”

“I can get a clear reading on the air molecules. That way, if there’s a funky smell or gas going on, I’ll be able to pick it up on the spot!”

“N-No, you’re completely missing what I’m— oh, forget it. Just save your functions for when you’re not about to blow a gasket.”

“I should have known,” Kaede said, hiding how nervous she really was. “It’s not enough just to get rid of Monokuma.”

“We’d need to get rid of whoever’s controlling him first and foremost,” Rantaro suggested. “Just as I gathered. A puppet’s nothing without someone holding the strings.”

“I can’t say I’m surprised,” Shuichi added.

“Maybe not now, but you will be! In juuust a second!” Monokuma chirped, turning menacing in a swift second as his sharp teeth and glowing red eye became more prominent. “Because for the sort-of first time, I’m announcing an additional motive! Since none of you got worked up nearly as much as I’d wanted about the freebie kill— which is still in effect, by the way, just saying— I’m giving you guys a little more of a push where you need to be.”

“What is it?” Kaede asked bitterly.

“If a murder does not occur within the next 48 hours or so, everyone who was forced to participate in this killing semester will die! As soon as the clock strikes 10 o’clock at night in two days, I’ll be painting these walls with a fresh coat of pink paint! Courtesy of my personal army using my humble students as the color.”

“There’s a time limit now…?” Hoshi exhaled while Monokuma cackled the day away sadistically.

“Hey! That’s not fair!” Kaede objected. “It’s bad enough you’re still bugging us to kill, now you’re backing us into a smaller corner?!”

“All’s fair in love and war,” Monokuma giggled. “Emphasis on the ‘war’ part since you’ll all be at that against each other with your lives at stake.”

“So, it’s come to this,” Korekiyo commented. “You’re this desperate to get your way that you give into your impatience and make game participation mandatory. May I just say how tactless whoever is piloting you is acting right now? They’re doing so poor of a job at managing their own scheme, that they have to act cheap. It’s quite sad to think about, really.”

“Hmm? Where’s this coming from? Is it because you’re ‘so sure’ nobody here is going to stoop so low as to kill someone?”

“Not at all. If anything, you’ve just made it nigh-impossible _not_ to kill. But really, to reach this point, you must really be out of options so early on.” Korekiyo shook his head, his blank expression unchanged save for a pitiful glance towards Monokuma. “I almost feel sorry for you. You have to rely on being the Headmaster in name only, considering you can’t run a proper killing game nevermind a school.”

“Stop encouraging him, asshole!” Kaito snapped. “You should be criticizing him for putting us here, not how he’s running things!”

“Shinguuji has a point, though,” Maki argued. “Now, we know to watch our backs harder than ever instead of pretending nothing’s happened. And, the Mastermind’s seriously desperate to resort to using our lives as ransom.”

“Not you too, Harukawa… whose side are you on?”

“Nobody’s. I hardly know any of you and trust you all even less.”

“Yeah, listen to Little Miss Hex Maniac!” Monokuma encouraged the others. “At least with my extra motive, you can all quit pretending you’re friends or allies. You don’t know what sort of secrets someone is hiding, so how could you say they’re trustworthy? Everyone here is nothing but a deranged killer in disguise, meaning you can just kill to your heart’s content and not worry about the consequences if you don’t screw it all up and get executed!”

“My only worry is all the gore that’s bound to happen,” Monophanie gagged. “Oh, and I just had a big lunch and everything…”

“Suck it up, sister! The blood and guts are inevitable!” Monokid exclaimed. “Either they play and lessen the blow, or don’t and wind up splattered on the wall! Choose your poison!”

“Ah… well, if it’s the first one, then maybe it won’t be so bad after all. I can deal with that!”

“So, you have a choice,” Monokuma concluded. “Either attempt to work together and wind up all dead at the same time, or don’t and spare everyone else. Maybe. One of you might actually get out of here easily! You’ve got two days to think it over.”

“This calls for a celebration!” Monotaro cheered. “For Daddy’s return and the killing game happening after all!”

“FUCK YEAH!” Monokid sang, striking a chord on his guitar. “Let’s blow this place! I want front row seats, but I’m not getting caught up in the mess!”

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs all sang, disappearing along with Monokuma.

After that, the atmosphere instantly went from mixed to downright hopeless, a majority of the students openly fretting over their lives potentially having only a couple more days left on Earth. Himiko curled into a ball and looked to be close to tears, Tenko holding her close in an embrace that would be comforting were it not for her being made of metal and spasming on occasion. Others such as Kaito, Kiibo, and Shuichi kept at telling everyone not to panic, with little to no successful results. Korekiyo gave Kaede a wry glance, as if silently asking either what she intended to do about the situation, or if she had any ideas at all.

“Guys. Okay, let’s settle down now,” Kaede spoke up amid her associates’ panic, then raising her voice to make sure they could hear her. “Everybody! I know our problem’s looking really bad, but we can’t let Monokuma beat us! Despite what he just said, now’s the time to cooperate more than ever!”

“Are you braindead or just dense?” Miu hissed. “I’m not working with a bunch of crazy-asses guaranteed to kill me! The world outside needs to rely on me, and I’m gonna get sick of serving you ungrateful heaps of cow shit!”

“And really, do you honestly think working together is gonna guarantee nobody’s gonna stray off?” Maki questioned. “It’s those who seem closest that wind up being the first to start trouble. Right when you least expect it.”

“This time, without any means of preventing the worst from happening,” Tsumugi added.

“I d-don’t wanna die, please… I d-don’t wanna die!” Himiko whimpered, no longer caring how cold Tenko’s metal exterior was as the robot girl stroked her head tenderly. “Nothing’s okay anymore, and it never was…”

“So, this is how it shall end, is it?” Angie inquired. “They do say everything is part of a plan, but I didn’t think it would all happen in just two short days.”

“Akamatsu-san, I mean this in the most respectful way possible,” Kirumi spoke up. “How do you plan on dealing with this? It was easier before killing was declared mandatory, but now it’ll be much harder to say things are going to be okay.”

“They will be!” Kaede dictated. “We’ll be out of here before any of us could think of doing something drastic. In fact, I can guarantee it with what I came up with yesterday!”

“You found something that can help us?” Gonta asked. “What is it?”

“I… well. Actually, Gokuhara-kun, I don’t think it’s a good idea to say it right now.”

“That’s because you’ve got nothing, but you’re too much of a little bitch to admit it!” Miu roared. “You can at least say you’re a sad excuse of a class rep instead of blue-balling us!”

“Hey! I did find something, for your information! It’s just risky, is all.”

“Yeah, yeah, tell it to the walls we’re all gonna be splattered on after Monokuma kills you all before he gets me!” Miu frightened herself, knees turning to jelly. “Or m-maybe it’s gonna be the other way around. The hot ones always go first in these cases!”

“What are you so worried about then?” Ouma snickered to Miu’s ire, turning to Kaede. “Also. Even if you did find something semi-useful, you can’t assume it won’t just blow up in your face like everything else has thus far. For all we know, it’s bound to be yet another failure!”

“No!” Kaede shouted, gathering the rest of the students’ entire attention when she slammed the side of her fist on the table. “This is definitely gonna work! I can guarantee success, and I can’t stress it hard enough right now! You’ll all see what I mean within the next two days, but this game is as good as over!”

“And do you really want to just let Monokuma have his last laugh so easily?” Shuichi questioned. “Cooperating and not going astray isn’t gonna get us killed. It’s actually what we need to do now if we wanna beat him. There’s more disaster happening when too many people just give up and play into it.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Maki spat. “You’re a martial artist that was practically fed how to defend himself. The rest of us don’t have it that easy.”

“Maybe alone,” Kaede said. “Seeing ourselves as enemies is going to make enemies, so what do you think doing the opposite will do?”

“What do _you_ think it’s gonna do? You don’t know how the future will turn out, which means there’s no safely guaranteeing everything’s just gonna be suddenly okay if everyone works as a team. Backstabbers and dirty players can happen, so if you’re not prepared for that, whatever happens to you won’t shock me.”

“I don’t need it to. People usually resort to doing awful things in life for a reason. And in this case, that reason is the killing game. When it ends before the timer’s up, that reason is gone, thus eliminating any chances of someone betraying us and starting what never went down.”

“So, like, nipping it in the bud?” Kaito guessed as Maki rolled her eyes.

“Yes,” Kaede answered. “Without a killing game going on, nobody would kill. Simple as that. We need to remember the bears are the only harmful ones, and keep them out of our way Escaping is still our ideal option, but… if it comes to something else, then that’s just fine with me.”

“Pray tell, what kind of ‘something else’ did you have in mind?” Korekiyo inquired, suspicious.

“I’m not saying anything that’s not set in stone, but desperate times call for desperate measures. The issue is making sure those don’t involve any of us here.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

Kaede ignored Korekiyo. “Our situation is tighter than ever, but the last thing we wanna do is act before thinking. We need to remember ourselves, and not get carried away. It seems hard and impossible, I know and understand, but you can’t think that way! We can and will pull through!”

“Watch her be one of the next dead after all of this she’s spouting,” Ouma tittered. “That’ll be really good for a laugh!”

“That’s not funny, Ouma-kun,” Kiibo responded, earnest. “You shouldn’t laugh at people’s endangered lives like that.”

“I shouldn’t, but here I am doing it anyways because I’m my own man and couldn’t care less what you all think of me.”

“Akamatsu’s our faithful leader, so I’d better see you all acting on your best behavior!” Kaito demanded. “And if you won’t answer to me, you’ll answer to Saihara and his Aikido!”

“Well, I don’t plan on using that on anyone for no reason,” Shuichi clarified. “Just, don’t pick any fights, get along with others as best as you can, and more importantly, no killing for any reason. Right, Akamatsu-san?”

“Y-Yeah! Especially that last part,” Kaede stuttered.

“I’m not liking the tone of your voice just now,” Ouma teased.

“Gonta will do his best to protect his new friends from danger!” Gonta declared. “And if not that, then he’ll play his part and not harm a soul. Everyone deserves to live long and well.”

“Which means, if anyone here doesn’t wanna be a pawn, don’t act like one,” Rantaro advised, peering to the side pinching his chin. “You may believe you’re safe or secure, but little do you know, you might be playing into Monokuma’s tricks without even thinking too hard on it.”

“And as soon as I’m fully fixed— BHTZTH!” Tenko started exclaiming. “As soon as I’m fixed, I’ll be safeguarding whoever needs my protection from this place! Akamatsu-san, we know we can count on you.”

“Thanks, Tenko-san,” Kaede said. “Now, if you’ll all excuse me, there’s something I have to check out.”

Kaede looked at Shuichi once, giving him the subtle hint to follow her and putting her cleaned plate and cup in the sink to be washed later. She waited until they were a good enough distance away from the dining hall to walk as a pair, arousing suspicion at the bottom of either of their lists. The approaching set of stairs took them down to the basement and consecutively, the library with a very crucial hiding spot for their greatest nemesis. Moving the bookshelf and watching it open its secret passage, they checked the card reader and saw the clover sticker was nowhere to be seen.

“Ah-ha! Red handed!” Kaede blurted out, quickly covering her mouth and lowering her voice. “I knew the Mastermind would come through here after all.”

“What other choice do they have? It’s all thanks to one sticker that we’ve got the proof we need,” Shuichi remarked. “Let’s put another sticker there so we can track the next time the Mastermind comes through here.”

“Good idea.” Kaede reached into her backpack, peeling off another shamrock sticker and attaching it to the bottom of the card reader slit. “We’d also better cover up the evidence before someone stumbles in here and gets the wrong idea.”

Pushing the bookshelf back in place easily, Shuichi sealed the entrance nice and tight. “How long do you plan on keeping this a secret for?”

“Just until we’ve dealt with the Mastermind and ended the game. After that, there’s no more secrets to hide from anyone.”

“And what secrets would that be?” Korekiyo spoke up, jumping away before Shuichi or Kaede could grab and injure him. “Sorry. That isn’t going to work a second time for either of you.”

“Did you hear a lot?” Shuichi nervously asked.

“No, but what I did hear is plenty. You’re both obviously up to something, and I don’t like it one bit.”

“You don’t even know what it is if we were,” Kaede sneered. “So, you can’t disapprove of something you’re not aware of.”

“It’s quite easy when faced with who has to be among the most suspicious of us thus far. Your desire to encourage us all to take the high road to survival seems genuine, but even the kind have plenty to hide in them.”

“Why are you here, Shinguuji-kun? If you just wanna bug us, then mission accomplished, but get lost already.”

“Initially, I wanted to share some very crucial speculation with you two, but now I’m not so sure you’re to be trusted with it. And, since you’d rather not stay in my presence for very long, I’ll take that as my cue to be going.”

“Wait,” Shuichi said, grabbing Kiyo’s wrist and stopping him, receiving an elevated brow in the process. “We promise that we’re not hiding anything bad that has to do with us, but it’s too big to tell you or anyone else yet. You’ll find out soon, just not now.”

“Is that so?” Korekiyo wondered. “Then, could I assume you’ll keep what I have to tell you a secret? Or do you plan on using it for malicious purposes?”

“Definitely not the second one. We promise, we’re on your side.”

“Excuse me if I have a hard time believing that if you two are down here conspiring in private. Something is telling me that you’re not just spending all this time together because you’ve grown fond.”

“I couldn’t care less if you believe us,” Kaede spat. “Either you have something to tell us, or you don’t. What’ll it be?”

“...If you really must know, it has to do with what Monokuma said to us earlier. Now, this could very well be an over-analysis, but never leave even the smallest stone unturned. If you remember, he mentioned that if no one kills by the end of the time limit, then everyone _forced_ to participate in his heinous game will die instead.”

“That’s right, he did say that, didn’t he? Why didn’t he just say everyone would die?” Kaede had the feeling why, but deliberately kept everything she knew from Kiyo.

“Because somebody among us isn’t like the rest, and will thus be exempt from death should the time limit expire with us. My biggest suspicion is that very person isn’t with us, they’re secretly against us.”

“Like a traitor working with the Mastermind?” Shuichi coyly guessed.

“No, Saihara-kun. Like a traitor who _is_ the Mastermind.” Silence. Korekiyo looked between Shuichi and Kaede confused. “You two don’t seem very alarmed.”

“Huh? Oh, that’s— because it’s a very likely hunch,” Kaede claimed. “But, are you sure that’s the reason?”

“It would explain Monokuma’s abrupt return. If it was only him in charge, then he’d have no way of coming back without a second pair of hands pulling the strings. Do you honestly believe those demented children of his would be competent enough to stay under the radar this well?”

“What’s your guess on how he came back?” Shuichi asked.

“Personally, and very likely, there’s something hidden in this school behind all the Monokuma copies in the event of his destruction. Because he obviously wouldn’t be able to access it if he’s been smashed into hundreds of pieces, one of us is going back there and fetching another version built exactly the same, all while under the guise of an imprisoned Ultimate.”

“Then, it’s true,” Kaede realized. “There’s definitely a Mastermind pretending to be our friend. And someone smart enough to put together a killing game this elaborate is gonna have no trouble acting natural to avoid suspicion.”

“Which is why you must be careful, as anyone here could be a traitor in disguise. As important as collaborating and not going astray is, don’t simply assume it to be the cure to giving into temptation without doing much else.”

“I’ve got it covered. If that’s all you wanted to say, then we’re done here. Come on, Saihara-kun.”

“Thanks for the heads up,” Shuichi thanked Kiyo before following Kaede out of the library. “Well, that was pretty helpful, don’t you think?”

“Sure, but I’m sick of him not having a little more faith in me. Does he think I can’t handle this situation myself?! He claims to know so much, but I don’t see him doing diddly squat!”

“He could be, but just doing it quieter than we are. Or— not _quieter_ , but differently. Shinguuji-kun is more the type to prefer working solo since it’s easiest for him to do without his parents around.”

“That still doesn’t give him the right to criticize every last thing I do. If I were him, I’d consider butting out and minding my own business.”

“It could be his strange way of helping. And yet, he made it clear he doesn’t trust us too well…”

“Well, that’s gonna be his problem. Ours is busting out of here within the next two days before the Mastermind can stop us.”

“That doesn’t give us much time to think up a plan. But, 48 hours is way more than zero, so we’ll need to think fast and now.”

“And assuming the Mastermind comes back around here since this door’s important enough to them, this might have to be where we catch them. Usually, the best place to get rid of your target is the place where they think they’re safest. You know, because it’s not somewhere they expected.”

“I agree. But, how will we know when they come back here?”

“They’ll have to eventually, considering Monokuma said he’d need a ‘personal army’ to kill us all. To do that, his puppeteer needs access to this room, and this is their only way in. And as soon as they open this door up, they’ll be standing right where we want them. Let’s take tonight to put some ideas together, and then tomorrow, we put the best one into action.”

“You really want my help?”

“I wouldn’t ask anyone else. I know anyone here could be the enemy, but…” Kaede smiled delicately, her cheeks flushing. “I trust you. So far, you’ve been nothing but helpful and supportive, and I couldn’t ask for a better friend to have run into.”

Shuichi grew meek, but gave Kaede just as tender a smile back. “Right back at you. Partners?”

“In stopping crime.”

Kaede accepted the hand Shuichi offered, shaking it and letting go so they could part for then. She went upstairs and traveled across the corridors to take an almost perfect loop around the first floor. Past the hot pink cage marking the hallway’s end, she assumed no one was near until she spotted Maki several feet ahead of her standing before a wall. Three long, pentagon-shaped holes were in its center, two of them filled with brown blocks reading “Ancient Passport”, a lone hand pressed flat against it as Maki got closer, now making more contact using her forehead and closing both eyes.

“There’s a presence beyond this wall that’s in tune with me,” Maki said quietly. “I can’t get past it, but something’s almost… calling to me. What could it be that’s resonating this strongly?”

“Did you find something?” Kaede finally asked, getting the expected scowl and showing no visible response to it.

“Not unless you consider a wall to be anything new. I sense something, but you wouldn’t understand what it is.”

“It still doesn’t hurt to ask a question. And judging by there being a piece missing, your— ‘senses’, might actually be onto something.”

“I don’t know what it is yet. Without the third Ancient Passport or whatever this thing wants, anything past here is blocked off. What a rip-off.”

“It might be something we’re not meant to see. Not that it matters, anyways. We’re not gonna be here for much longer.”

“Yeah, we only have two days left before Monokuma kills us all. So much for your stupid escape plan that was doomed from the minute it left your head.”

“If this is about the tunnel, get over that. I’ve already admitted you were right about it being a mistake. What more do you want from me?”

“To get a serious reality check.” Maki jabbed a finger into Kaede’s breastbone, shooting her a look full of knives. “I don’t know what kind of fantasy world you live in, but get out of it before you get someone— probably yourself first— killed at a young age. Every little idea you think is putting you ahead of Monokuma, he’ll prove once again you’re no match for him.”

Kaede lowered Maki’s finger, undaunted and serious. “You’re a magician and some kinda herbalist, not a psychic. Do I know for sure if my ideas will be a shoe-in? No. Does that mean I shouldn’t bother trying? Never. There is nothing you could ever think to say to me that’s gonna change my mind on finding some way to save everyone’s lives.”

“ _Everyone’s_?”

“Yes. And as much as we haven’t been seeing eye-to-eye, that includes yours. You’re free to hate me or distrust me all you want, but I don’t care. You’re coming with all of us to a better ending whether you like it or you don’t.”

“As if I wanna stay here. I’m just as itching to leave and get back to my uneventful life as the rest of you, but I’m not going around screaming empty promises to everyone like you are.”

“Maybe they seem empty now, but that’s only because Monokuma’s spreading so much doubt and fear. No one thinks right when they’re scared, and it’s up to me to take care of that.”

“You can try, but don’t act too surprised when it backfires.”

“If. Not when.”

“No, I mean when.”

“If.”

“When.”

“If.”

“ _When_.”

“If!”

“When! What part of that do you not get?”

“The whole thing because nothing’s a guarantee until two days pass. Maybe even less, but I’ll change where that road goes.”

“For better, or for—?”

“—Better. Just you wait, Harukawa-san!” Kaede flexed both of her arms, which caught Maki’s eye in the noticeable biceps under her blouse. “To survive in life, you need to do a little fighting. So, if I have to fight for you like your personal champion, I’m not backing down!”

“You sound just like Momota. Are you two brother and sister or something?”

“Oh, no. I’m a twin, but I don’t have a brother. That’s just us having similar attitudes is all.”

“Could have fooled me. It’s like you two are clones.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad one?”

“Yes.” Maki turned away from Kaede, preparing to leave. “You two could both stand to use as much brain power as you do heart. Only one of those actually helps you think straight.”

Maki walked away and so did Kaede, who frowned more with worry. Both for the other girl in general, and the possibility of her being right. Just as unsure of how things could turn out poorly, she knew just as little how much the tide would be in her favor. Still, the worst possible thing to do in times of peril was nothing at all. Everyone was mostly depending on her, and she was gonna see to it they got their wish. If there had been one thing Kaede Akamatsu never once failed in her life, it was a mission.

Over by the gymnasium, Hoshi leaned against the lockers, pushing up his jacket sleeve and looking at bright orange wristband underneath. “241159” etched across the white section of it, right beside a photo of him. His name was beneath that, but the messy scratches completely erased what he assumed were the words that served as the clearest clue to his true identity. Not that it mattered; he could take a hint from the rest of it. What sort of good samaritan would have a sketchy wristband on in the first place? That couldn’t be worse news.

“This thing tells me everything but the kitchen sink,” Hoshi said with a grimace. “They must really be pulling out all the stops in making sure I don’t know a thing about myself.”

“Did you find another clue for your memories?” Kaede quizzed, approaching him.

“More like the opposite. I can’t tell if whoever brought us here is trying to protect me, or outright mock me.” Hoshi laughed dryly, both hands going inside his pockets. “Given how everything’s turned out, it’s gotta be the second one.”

“You really think you were that bad in the past, don’t you?”

“It’s all but said. But, Akamatsu, you’re actually the one I had a question for. If you’ll hear me, that is.”

“Shoot. I’m all ears.”

“...Do you really think everyone here is capable of doing good? Even if they’re the worst person ever born, or might be, that they can still pull themselves together and help out?”

Kaede opened her mouth to answer right away, but found herself closing it when she remembered how one of sixteen wasn’t actually what they seemed. Whoever that was definitely didn’t have a shred of good in them, but as far as she knew, she could have been getting help from them the entire time without having a clue she’d been working with a villain. And yet, if such were true, it was far better than no help at all right now. Hoshi didn’t strike her as the “Mastermind” type, either, but she’d reserve full judgement on that until her plan was complete.

“It would be their call,” Kaede answered. “Decisions don’t always make a person good or bad, since even good people make bad choices sometimes.”

“What? Does that mean bad people make good choices? Is that what you’re telling me?”

“...Like I said. What someone does isn’t always indicative of who they are as a person. Even if you’ve made mostly bad choices all your life, everyone has a chance to do something different, in the best way or the worst. In most cases, the only person who can make such a big decision is themself. Someone else can encourage them, but ultimately, nothing happens until they either do it, or don’t.”

“Alright. Sounds fair to me. But, tell me another reason why. Why bother encouraging them if they’re such a lost cause?”

“Very few people in the world are lost causes, in my personal opinion. When all hope seems lost, it can take just a little faith to help someone turn around. Like— say you have a child, and they do something that you can either encourage, or discourage. If you encourage them, they’ll have more of a reason to keep doing it. But, if you don’t and make it clear why they shouldn’t continue, then they’ll stop.”

“Kinda the same for teenagers and adults, isn’t it? When no one’s around to cheer you on, even yourself, you start losing the drive to keep going. People don’t like admitting it, but everyone needs a personal cheerleader every now and again.”

“Right! And in getting that very approval, it hurts less to keep going on. So, it can seem like someone might be beyond help, which some people sadly can be. But, others may see things differently and have the strongest feeling things may not be over yet. And often, they can turn out to be just the beginning that they might have missed before.”

“I guess so. How do you know things are guaranteed to turn out right for them, though?”

“That’s just it. It’s never a guarantee, more like a ‘look and see, but you’ll never know until you do’ kind of scenario. Assumptions can feel like our safe haven, but really, they’re usually our worst enemy because they make us miss out on what could end differently instead.”

“...Heheh. I think I get you now. Maybe.” Hoshi bit half of his candy cigarette, clamping the other end between his teeth. “I’m not sure if I’ll understand what you see in the bottom of the barrel, but… well, there’s a reason it’s called rock _bottom_ , huh?”

“And even if you feel like you keep going lower than that, it’s not the only direction available. You can either keep going under, or start climbing up to see something new. But, you can’t climb sitting still in the barrel.”

“You really can’t, can you?” Hoshi tugged on the end of his hoodie, a small, genuine smile pulling up the corners of his mouth in a rare sight. “I’m surprised you’re not the Ultimate Motivational Speaker or something. You’ve got a way with words like it’s a talent.”

“Well, that probably has to do with being around people. Albeit really young people, but it still counts! I really hope our talk could help you in some way, Hoshi-kun.”

“Can’t say. That would be an assumption, remember?”

“A good one, but— ...oh, nevermind. Just try not to sell yourself… well.” Kaede stopped, receiving a warning look from Hoshi that made her change her words. “With less credit.”

“It’s worth a shot. See you later, Akamatsu.”

Hoshi left, Kaede waving to him until she couldn’t see him any longer. She wasn’t entirely sure whether or not she’d gotten through yet, but that didn’t stop her from feeling pretty good about their talk. Nothing exciting awaited her in the gymnasium, so she turned and went back the way she came. Passing by the girls’ bathroom, Kaede swore she heard someone inside of it, but looked in and saw no one strangely. Scratching her head, she jumped back when out of nowhere, Gonta appeared before the bulletin board, which was stripped clean of the old paper now in the little wastebasket put down under it.

“Akamatsu-san, it’s fancy seeing you here,” Gonta greeted before growing nervous. “How much did you see Gonta do?”

“Not much at all,” Kaede replied, suspicious. “Why are you cleaning the bulletin board?”

“So there’s room for new notices. The board had a lot of clutter, so Gonta made room for everyone to put up notices and anything they want here now!”

“Are you putting something up?”

“Yes! But, Gonta can’t tell you what it is.” Putting his pointer finger to his lips, Gonta lowered his voice. “It’s a surprise until lunchtime.”

Kaede peered over to the cleaner sheet of paper Gonta was holding, which he hid behind his back quickly. “What’s that?”

“It— has to do with the surprise. Does Akamatsu-san not like surprises?”

“Only good ones, but I don’t handle them too well besides that. Say, Gokuhara-kun, did you happen to see anyone go into the girls’ bathroom when you got here?”

“A gentleman would never peek inside of there! A lady deserves the right to privacy at all times.”

“That’s a no, then. Alright, thanks anyways.

Kaede continued walking, still curious at what would be so important that Gonta felt the need to keep it from her. Knowing him, it likely wasn’t anything worth worrying about… or was it? Could he have found something crucial and lost his nerve at sharing it due to its potential danger? That was the best case scenario (she thinks), but the worst…

No, no, Gonta couldn’t be! Him of all people being the Mastermind in disguise? While not impossible, her base instincts were saying the odds of such were incredibly low. Still, Kaede wondered just what it was he had planned for later…

* * *

“Everyone! Could Gonta have your attention, please?” Gonta asked later that day during the last few moments of lunch, clinking his glass and standing up. “There is something important he has to say!”

“Is it a way to stop the time limit or help us out of here?” Himiko groaned, picking at the food on her plate.

“Of course not! Idiots like Gonta wouldn’t be that useful in life,” Ouma laughed.

“Could you let us speak?” Kiibo demanded, patting out the bunches of peas fired into his hair earlier by the same spaceman. “We’ll make it quick.”

“Besides, I don’t see you pulling your weight around here,” Maki bit. “Someone talking this big has to be covering up the fact that he’s been no help to anyone but himself.”

“Darn skippy!” Ouma chirped proudly. “Now, I _was_ going to tell everyone where the secret exit is in just a little bit, but since you were so rude to me just now, I guess I’ll be keeping it to myself.”

“A definite lie. Even if the exit were that easy to find, you wouldn’t tell a soul.”

“Right again. Whatever happens to you creatures in less than two days happens. Sucks I won’t be around to watch it all go down, but I’ve got bigger fish to fry than any of you!”

“Hey, come on. None of that now,” Rantaro scolded, batting Ouma lightly with his spoon. “We all want out as much as you do, and everyone deserves an equal chance. Not to mention, Gokuara-kun and Iidabashi-kun were ready to talk before you interrupted.”

“So?”

“The sooner they say what they need to, the less you’ll have to hear it or anyone. Does that sound like a plan?”

“Well… okay! The floor’s all yours, you two! Say it loud, and say it proud!”

“And make it quick!” Miu snapped, finally sitting to eat when everyone had their meals. “It’d better be piss your panties-level important if it interrupts my mealtime!”

“Perhaps if you kept your own mouth shut, they’d have cleaner air to breathe without your existence tainting it,” Korekiyo hissed, stabbing the table with his fork and glaring at Miu. “Now, silence.”

“Heeee! I-I was just shuttin’ my yap, so sorry, Master Shinguuji! I-It won’t happen again, I promise you! Whatever you have to do to me after, I’ll take it without question…!”

Korekiyo looked at her curiously for a short moment, then just turning his attention back to the front of the room. “Proceed with your announcement, you two.”

“Thank you,” Gonta said, unveiling a poster depicting a pair of paintbrushes at the top and bottom after having painted the words “Free-For-All Paint Night” over an artist’s palette, some splotches of different bright colors decorating the rest of the page. “Tomorrow evening, we are holding an event from 4 at night until 6. Anyone is free to come, and Gonta will offer art lessons to those that do!”

“You can also do whatever you want,” Kiibo added. “You can paint, sculpt, draw, sketch— the sky’s the limit!”

“We thought this would help calm everyone’s troubles before the night after. Gonta is confident we’ll be okay because of Akamatsu-san, but stress can be bad if it gets too high.”

“And what better way to destressify than with a little painting? Everyone deserves a breather at times.”

“Using art, though?” Kaito scoffed. “Doing all that doodling and making paintings is more of a chick thing. Why not put together something less embarrassing?”

“No, no, art is for everyone who is able and wants to express themselves,” Gonta argued. “Also, Gonta isn’t a lady, but he’s the Ultimate Artist.”

“Well, that’s just you. Painting isn’t manly, it’s lame. And I’m not gonna be a part of it.”

Gonta became furious, eyes flaring a burning red as his fists balled. “Painting is not lame! Just like all forms of art, it is freeing, peaceful, and a very worthy use of your time! Gonta will not exclude you from paint night, but either Momota-kun comes with a better attitude, or he doesn’t come at all!”

Kaito backed up from his seat, hands up defensively. “Whoa, whoa, easy there, big guy. All I’m saying is I’m not interested. You can do whatever you want, and there’s nothing I can do about that.”

“We shouldn’t force anyone to show up if they don’t want to,” Kiibo said. “It wouldn’t be right and defeats the purpose of this being a ‘free choice’.”

“...You’re right,” Gonta sighed, now more disappointed if anything. “Gonta’s sorry for scaring Momota-kun like that. It wasn’t very nice to do.”

“I wasn’t scared!” Kaito insisted. “And quit apologizing over the small stuff. Real men don’t do that.”

“Have you tried not speaking for anyone else?” Maki wondered. “People aren’t the same as you, so quit trying to dictate them and grow up.”

“Yeah, that’s more my job,” Tsumugi agreed. “Even then, I only force my legion to do what I tell them, not always what I think or feel.”

As Kaito grumbled bitterly while slouching in his chair, Kiibo continued. “It’s tomorrow night at 4, free of admission, and taking place in the A/V Room. We hope to see you all then!”

“Can we get back to lunch now?” Miu groaned before seating Kiibo, slowly pushing his dish closer to him and batting her eyelashes at him. “You haven’t even finished your kitsune udon. Do you want me to feed you something hot and delicious?”

“But, you already have,” Kiibo answered simply, continuing to eat the food. “And I don’t need you to feed me. I’m not a toddler.”

“I know that, I only meant— ah, fuck it. Glad to hear you’re enjoying my dish.” Miu played with her hair a bit, avoiding eye contact. “Took me forever making it look nice and not just taste nice.”

“Presentation is key, but at least it has no direct impact on the flavors.” Kiibo swallowed a bite of fried tofu, holding off on the udon for a little bit. “By the way, Iruma-san, were you interested in coming to paint night tomorrow? We’d love to have you.”

“Me? Nah, I’m pretty good with food art, but regular art like painting and all that stuff isn’t really my thing. Unless you want me as a naked model, and who wouldn’t, I’ll have to pass for now.”

“Speaking of paint night, Gokuhara, do you take commissions?” Himiko asked.

“Co-missions?” Gonta wondered. “What does Yumeno-san mean?”

“You know, I make a request for art, give you some money, and you draw it for me. Have you never gotten a commission before?”

“Well, one time, Gonta sent his work to a very fancy museum and got a lot of money for it in return. Do you have a museum exhibit that needs filling?”

“Huh? No. I just wanted some fanart.”

“Wait, you painted for a museum?” Shuichi wondered. “What piece was it?”

“Gonta called it ‘Regrowth’. Between winter and spring, the snow started melting and he wanted to capture the middle stage as soon as possible. Even though two seasons can’t happen at the same time, Gonta made do and went with the gut.”

“Oh, I remember seeing that one!” Angie beamed. “You managed to keep the two apart by an unseen barrier, getting every last detail of cold and warmth, and yet at the same time, a harmonious flow from one into the other unified it all. I could hardly take my eyes off of it!”

“You saw Gonta’s paintings?”

“I did. I myself have donated to the local museums whenever I came across never-before-seen findings on my travels, so it wasn’t hard stumbling upon your art.”

“See?” Kiibo directed towards Kaito. “Art isn’t lame or stupid! There’s lots of power in it. Besides, lots of famous painters are men, too.”

“Can we drop that, already? I already said what I needed to,” Kaito dismissed, feeling Gonta’s wary eye burning a hole in his shoulder.

“While I disagree with Momota-kun’s views on the arts, I too would like to move on from this,” Korekiyo said, neatly placing his napkin atop his empty plate. “And since my meal is finished, I must be going right now.”

“What’s your hurry? None of us have anywhere to be outside of this place,” Maki pointed out.

“Important business. That’s all I will say on the matter.” 

Without anymore justification, Korekiyo stormed out in a rather hasty manner. Kirumi stood up, having finished her food as well. “I’ll go after him. The meal was wonderful, Iruma-san. Thank you for putting something so delectable together,” she complimented.

“You shouldn’t expect any less from me,” Miu gloated, picking up the empty dishes and watching Kirumi leave. “I wonder what’s eating Inspector Shag-It? Does he have some kind of bad experience with arts and crafts?”

“That’s probably not it,” Rantaro guessed. “I’m no psychologist, but the reason’s gotta be a lot deeper to get to him that much.”

“I’m… sure he’s okay,” Kaede predicted. “Well, besides with what’s going on right now, I mean.”

In truth, Kaede had trouble believing her own words for once. She hurried up with finishing her lunch and made her departure after a few others who were also done eating. Around the corner and down the hall, she picked up on distant commotion, getting close while maintaining stealth behind the nearest spot to hide. The two talking turned out to be Korekiyo and Kirumi, the former of which looked to be rather close to the end of his rope despite the other trying to reach him.

“Shinguuji-kun, I understand how stressful this whole predicament is for everyone,” Kirumi told him. “But, you can’t just tirelessly snoop around or look for hidden answers all day long. Sooner or later, you’ll need to slow down.”

“That’s the last thing I could ever afford to do here,” Korekiyo countered. “While I commend Gokuhara-kun for wanting to do what he loves best, I’ll have nothing to do with his paint night. It’s nothing more than precious time I could be spending getting to the bottom of Monokuma’s game and the Academy itself.”

“No one’s telling you or anyone to just give up. He made it very clear it’s only to take a break from all the craziness going on. If you do, you won’t be so worn out and actually work much better.”

“I have yet to get so exhausted that it results in me falling behind during an investigation. Which means that leaves me with plenty of energy to do my job without dallying.”

“How long is that going to last you?” Kirumi put both hands on Kiyo’s shoulders, kneading her fingers around and feeling nothing but tightened muscle. “Look at you. You’re already close to a meltdown just from the mention of having downtime.”

“That’s just it, Toujou-san. None of us have that.” Korekiyo removed the hands, dusting off the area. “We have just two days until we all possibly meet our demise. Do you really think the best thing to do next is to relax? To pretend nothing is wrong? Absolutely not.”

“There isn’t a single person here acting as though we aren’t headed for disaster. It’s wonderful that you’re this concentrated, but don’t forget, you’re only human. You can’t do everything by yourself, or all at once.”

“You say that as if I have a choice.” Korekiyo turned his back on Kirumi, but his head went to look her way. “Either we get out between now and tomorrow, or we don’t get out at all. Good day, Toujou-san.”

Kaede quickly fled before Korekiyo could come her way, looking behind her only at a somber Kirumi taking her leave, too. The sight made her frown, but by the time she’d gone to the courtyard outside, it’d long become anger. Not towards anything she’d just heard, but the heartless, vile creature that had trapped everyone without the easy chance of leaving. What could they have possibly done to deserve something so horrible? So cruel, so thoughtless?! And with Monokuma giving everyone only two more days left of life, it was unforgivable!

The notes on her desk went over possibilities and strategies for catching the Mastermind, but in her fury, Kaede ripped them all out and slammed them into the trash where they belonged. She sat down, going over some newer ideas without the possibility of consideration from before. While scheming with a demeanor like that of cooled lava, she wrote down a different, much better title to categorize her suggestions and plots:

KILL THE MASTERMIND

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not telling you when it's going to happen, but the Deadly Life will be here fairly soon. That's all I'm going to say on it, but even though Kaede's still gonna try and kill the double-M (especially being the Ultimate You-Know-What as her secondary talent)... well, you'll see where that road goes.
> 
> Hope you liked tonight's update. The next will be jam-packed full of fun and wonder, just for y'all! Stay tuned for it, and stay both cool and healthy! ♥


	7. Episode VI: Daily Life 1.3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, finally! It's done and ready to go, y'all! It's also plenty long, so you won't run out of very much to read until... well, the end of it, obviously. That just goes without saying. Plus, now that the AC is finally on in my house, I won't have to nearly kill myself from heat stroke and can actually work better. The next few updates might still be a tad slow, but that's just 'cause I'm getting it nice and ready for you lovely folks reading this fic!
> 
> Without further ado, enjoy the update and have a very Happy Reading! ♥

The Night Time announcement sounded throughout the school, but Kaede paid no heed to it. She was too busy writing and listing everything important in her newest plan. Each method, every nook-and-cranny, all necessary supplies went down with little side notes on their specific purpose. If the Academy had proved good at one thing, it was providing just what she needed to bring it to its knees from the inside out. As much as she’d been hoping things wouldn’t have to come to what she’d chosen, Kaede just as easily disqualified the Mastermind from mercy the minute they managed to cross the line even further with everyone’s safety.

Finally, it all fell into place after one idea showed the most promise. Start to finish, it was all foolproof, and crucially, diverted attention away from her being who thought of it. Kaede felt her share of nerves for the shortest moment— just one where she almost considered backing out, but it vanished when her hidden instincts kicked in. No more remorse or regret as far as she could see. It was perfect. Putting the notebook somewhere secluded and safe, Kaede got ready for bed and crawled in with the lights out.

Tomorrow was the start of a brand new, liberating day with another to spare.

* * *

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“Rise and shine, ursine!” four of the Monokubs chimed the next morning, Monokid still asleep on the sofa with a belly full of honey and its pot thrown aside.

“...Monokid, the announcement,” Monosuke spoke up, only for his brother to snore louder. “MONOKID! The announce— ah, screw it. We’ll handle things.”

“It’s 8 am, everyone!” Monotaro proclaimed. “Time to wake up, start the day, and possibly end someone’s.”

“‘Cause if ya don’t, we’ll do it for you after tomorrow night at 10 pm! That’s when Pops’ time limit officially reaches its last tick.”

“And sooner or later, so will you guys if you don’t hurry up!”

“Don’t ask us to do your dirty work for any of you,” Monophanie scolded after Monodam had nothing to say. “Getting my hands all filthy will so much blood… and guts, and your innies on your outies—!” She upchucked, the mess splashing on Monokid and waking him with a start.

“GUH?! Who’s there?!” Monokid sputtered, hardly able to sit up from his bulbous belly. “Oh. Mornin’ already? Yeah, whatever these guys said. Don’t blow it!”

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs harmonized, shutting off the monitor.

Today was the day. Not for actually enacting the plan, but for at least getting it ready. Kaede yawned and stepped out of bed, undressing and discarding her dirtier clothes to wrap a towel around herself and go to her bathroom for a quick shower. The hidden filth in her skin followed sudsy water down the drain, Kaede grimacing, but unsurprised when it did nothing to free her arms, waistline, thighs and legs of the brown, scarred gashes that sullied them. Each one told a story running differently than the others, but all of them ended in almost identical ways.

Her shower concluded, one foot out of the stall when her doorbell rang to call her. Thinking it to be Shuichi, she quickly put a towel around her body and left the clothes she’d prepared on her bed, tucking her hair back and pinching it lightly as she answered the door for her visitor.

“Saihara-kun, I just got out of the shower, but if it’s really so important, I don’t mind telling you—” Kaede began to trill, eyes widening to see Kirumi instead. “Oh! Toujou-san, I thought…”

“I’m very sorry, Akamatsu-san, I’m not the one you were expecting,” Kirumi apologized. “I have something to share with you as well, but if you need a moment to get dressed, I’ll wait.”

“Wait, we’re both girls, so… I won’t kick you out if it’s urgent.” Kaede batted her eyelashes, tilting her head closer to Kirumi. “Whatever you wanna tell me, I’m all ears. Take your time.”

Kirumi’s cheeks flushed, but she nonetheless turned away and shut the door after her outside. “Really, I’m patient. My news can wait for a few minutes longer.”

“Fine. Don’t go anywhere.” Kaede dried herself off somewhat dismayed, getting dressed in her usual attire and finishing with the long daycare apron around her abdomen. Quickly stuffing the notes inside of her backpack, she opened her room door and greeted Kirumi again. “You were saying?”

“It’s insignificant news, but I got a visit from Monokuma this morning telling me about my Research Lab. Apparently, the renovations have just been completed last night, so… it’s open.”

“Really? That’s great! Aren’t you excited to finally get to play music again?”

“Oh, I’d hate to just get worked up over something so trite. I’ve been playing the piano and similar for a while, so nothing in there should shock me.”

“Maybe it won’t be anything new, but it’s not a crime to be happy over what you love. Then again, since Monokuma made the Labs, I wouldn’t let my guard down until you see it.”

“Would you like to come with me? I stopped by wanting to share it with someone else.”

“Sure! I’d love to see your personal work space. Let’s go now!”

Kaede and Kirumi went inside the main school building and took a left up the stairs. The same door with the musical keyboard on the front stood there, no longer denying entry when its handle was twisted down and pushed inwards for access. What was unveiled before the girls was astounding. Appearing more like that of a recital hall painted beige, five neat rows of four black seats sat in front of a clean stage housing a grand white piano under its inactive spotlights, two large speakers and a few musical stands. A trip behind the crimson curtains revealed the vicinity to be bigger than it seemed, an entire backstage full of equipment, switches, levers, and anything meant for making the performance of a lifetime.

“This place is incredible!” Kaede beamed. “You could have your own personal concert here.”

“Look out here,” Kirumi said, calling Kaede to her side to discover the shelves of CD’s and sheet music books galore. “Every great composer the world can name has to be here! Mozart, Debussy, Bach— Chopin! I have all this access to Chopin’s music…!”

“You like Chopin? Why him of all people?”

“Many have said his music sounds rather depressing, and I can’t say I blame them, but it’s just so beautiful to listen to. The keys twinkling like stars, the tempo not too fast, but at a lulling pace to send you into bliss, how smoothly it all flows into one another— ooh, I could go on for ages!” Kirumi quickly covered her mouth when she realized she’d been smiling hard, hiding away from Kaede. “But, I won’t. You’d hate to listen to me blather on about classical music.”

“Not even a little! This is the most excited I’ve seen you, and music makes you really happy. You should embrace that, not reject it.”

“I do embrace it. Music is a very big part of me. But, I know others do not always feel the same way, so I don’t want to sound like some snob or little kid talking someone’s ear off about nothing.”

“It’s not nothing to you. If someone can’t accept how much this means to you, then who cares what they think? They’ve got poor taste.” Kaede thrust a random song into Kirumi’s hands, moving her onstage and in front of the piano. “Why don’t you play something for me? I wanna hear some pretty playing from a pretty girl.”

“Oh! Well, I don’t believe physical appearance is a necessary factor in how well I—”

“—Play it! Pretend I’m your audience just itching for an amazing performance. You wouldn’t wanna keep anyone waiting, would you?”

“...No, that does seem pretty rude of me to do. Alright, have a seat in the front. I won’t be boring you with the whole thing since this is a fairly lengthy piece, so I’ll find a good place to end it for now.”

Eagerly sitting, Kaede watched Kirumi get ready. Dainty fingers stretched under gloves, starting with a deep chord followed up by a short climbing of several notes, ending on a softer note. A proud crescendo ensued and led to the repeating of the first part, Kirumi repeatedly playing key after key at a fast pace until she finally slowed and settled on a lighter tempo. It was still merry despite the earlier warnings of Chopin’s music, but Kaede found herself bouncing along in her chair.

The song hit heavy on the notes, which made for a melody that was strong without being forceful. It sounded pleasant enough for someone to dance to, eventually easing up towards the end and concluding on a few mild chords and a single key. Kirumi eyed Kaede for a short, anxious moment until she’d received applause, standing to take a modest bow in front of her piano chair.

“You must be some kind of angel, because I just went to heaven hearing that,” Kaede swooned. “What song did I give you?”

“Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53,” Kirumi answered, reaching a hand back to her shoulder from the kind words. “You actually gave me a rather famous piece, as it’s considered one of Chopin’s most admired compositions. Not to say it’s simple to play, just beloved.”

“Have you considered playing for the others here? Maybe Shinguuji-kun, for example? From yesterday, he could definitely learn to chill out for a few minutes instead of acting like a grouchy old man all the time.”

“Oh, don’t think of him like that. Shinguuji-kun seems to mean well, he’s only stressed out and won’t take off any weight from his shoulders. You’re definitely right in him needing some downtime before he cracks too much.”

“Then invite him here later today so you two could spend some time together. You weren’t kidding when you said you were good at de-stressing people with your music. A skill like that could calm anyone down, even the really stiff and stuffy.”

“What if he says no? He didn’t exactly sound keen on my suggestions yesterday, so I don’t see why today would be any better.”

“It’s worth trying. Sometimes, to really convince someone of anything, it takes a few more tries of prodding to get your point across.”

“Are you sure that won’t make me come off as demanding?”

“Absolutely! You’ve got great intentions, you just need him to settle down for a short bit. Then after, he’ll be free to get back to work.”

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask him. He was probably tired last time, so a good night’s sleep might provide better results. ...Do you think he’ll enjoy it?”

“There’s no doubt in my mind. One listen, and he’ll be hooked.”

Kirumi went with Kaede to breakfast, smiling to herself on the thought of making any one of her new associates happy using her piano playing. The Lab’s door closed behind them, probably the sole good thing to come about the Academy and it’d sadly be abandoned all over again after everyone got out… one way or another. Fun as it will be for however long it lasts, there was nothing to do to save it. No more Academy meant no more suffering or panic, and that was that.

* * *

Breakfast was uncharacteristically uneventful, with over half the students not bothering to show up in fear of trouble ensuing or one of the others pulling something. Even Miu didn’t seem to care as much as she would have before, callously dismissing it as “everyone’s loss” for whoever would miss out on her premium cooking. Thankfully, no one had perished thanks to accounts of attendance from passersby on their way to the dining hall.

Kaede took advantage of the quick meal and left when she’d been satiated, hurrying to the library. Shuichi wasn’t anywhere to be seen, unfortunately, so the state of the sticker would be relayed when she finally told him of her plan in a short while. The stairs practically flew under her feet from the speed of which she’d climbed down them, kicking the library door down and coming to a harsh halt upon realizing she was not alone.

“Morning, Akamatsu,” Himiko greeted. “You’re just in time for Angie’s storytime session.”

“Storytime?” Kaede parroted.

“Yes,” Tsumugi confirmed. “Yonaga-san was about to tell us some very interesting mythos from the mouth.”

Some aggressive, muffled sounds came from Kaede’s right, appalled to see a certain Ultimate Astronaut tied with rope and gagged with duct tape. “Ouma-kun?!” she gasped, kneeling and ripping the tape off. “Who did this to you? Are you okay?!”

“Her!” Ouma wheezed, pointing to Angie with his head. “I was just minding my own business when out of nowhere, that crazy human-lover jumped and kidnapped me!”

“What?! Yonaga-san, why would you do that?”

“I had to get his attention someway or another,” Angie answered normally. “How would I get him to see the error of his ways if he does not comply?”

“By not taking him by force! That’s no way to get anyone convinced, and you could have seriously hurt him.” Kaede wagged her angry pointer finger at Angie. “Shame on you! We don’t treat others like this for any reason.”

“Yeah! You deserve the chair!” Ouma interjected.

“H-Hey, I never said anything like that. Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Well, still. If Yonaga-chan wants so badly to prove humans aren’t the garbage they are, she’s off to a pretty lousy start by kidnapping me. Yeah, I’m _real_ convinced now!”

“If I hadn’t tied you up, you would have escaped,” Angie justified, “and if I hadn’t gagged you, you’d be screeching like a parakeet over my tales! Interrupting during a story is unkind, so I took preventative measures.”

“And the less Ouma talks, the better, if you ask my opinion,” Himiko snickered.

“Good thing nobody cares about your opinion, then,” Ouma mocked.

“Keep it up, and I’ll sew your mouth shut so tightly, no pair of scissors will save you.”

“That’s okay, Yumeno-chan. I’ll just use the scissors to cut that tacky hat you love so much into bite-sized pieces! A little tit-for-hat sounds fair to me if I can’t speak anymore.”

Himiko removed her hat and hugged it close to her. “You stay away from my hat! Nyeh, Angie, are you sure we can’t kick him out? He’s like an annoying little moth worm eating up expensive fabric.”

“Kokichi must stay,” Angie insisted, smiling with a highly contrasting dark aura. “Plus, if he tries to run off again, don’t assume I won’t just chase him down and bring him right back here.”

“Okay, okay, this can be compromised,” Kaede reasoned. “Ouma-kun, you sit and listen to whatever Yonaga-san has to say, under the condition that she let you go after. And untie you.”

“I’m fine with those last two parts, but no way am I listening to her backwater snoozefest storytime!” Ouma objected. “I might as well be stuck in history class!”

“I’ll make it worth your while.” Kaede pulled out a few wrapped chocolate graham cookie sandwiches with a marshmallow filling. “Good little boys get LunePies as a reward.”

Ouma had to act as though he hadn’t been gawking at the treats like they were a lost treasure restored to mankind, raising a brow at Kaede. “You’re bribing me, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am.”

“...Well, you’re in luck, because for today only, it’s working.” Kaede untied Ouma, who snapped his teeth at the LunePies quickly taken from his reach. “Gimme!”

“Excuse me?”

“...Please gimme?”

“Better, but these are for after, as per our deal. Can you handle it for just a little bit?”

“Ugh. What-to-the-ever! I guess I can listen to one little story.” Ouma sat criss-cross, slouching despite there being nothing but air to support him. “Humor me. Tell your little tale and I’ll be the judge of where it goes—!”

“Ouma-kun!” Kaede quickly dove and sat behind Ouma, propping him up with her body so he didn’t hit his head on the ground. “Be careful. There aren’t any chairs over here.”

“‘Cept you right now. This is a pretty cushy headrest for me.”

Angie sat in the center of the group, reciting from memory the tale of Perseus starting with his unusual birth from Zeus (as a shower of gold, something Ouma only didn’t fully comment on because Kaede stopped him) and Danaë’s union. It went into detail about his growing up on Seriphus after being banished there as an infant with only his mother’s company, then the beginning of the quest for Medusa’s head that granted him his fame after the island’s king who yearned for Danaë sent him away under a ruse. In order to complete the difficult mission, Perseus needed tools and a little aid from the divine to retrieve them.

“Wisely taking the advice of Athena, dear Perseus was instructed to get his weapons from nymphs known as the Hesperides, who took care of Hera’s sacred orchard of golden apples,” Angie spoke. “Since he didn’t have a clue where to track them down, he was also told to get that information from the Graeae.”

“The ‘gray’?” Tsumugi wondered.

“No, the _Graeae_ , also known as Deino, Enyo, and Pemphredo, three elderly sisters who share one eye and one tooth amongst each other. As ransom, Perseus stole their eye and refused to return it until they’d told him where to find the Hesperides.”

“‘Gimme, gimme’ never gets, Perseus!” Ouma cackled.

“Oh, like you wouldn’t have done the same thing,” Kaede asserted.

“No, I would have. I’d just be far more classy doing it than this tinkle shower bozo.”

“That’s not what happened when he was born and you know it. Keep up the comments, and it’s no LunePies after the story.”

Ouma pouted, folding his arms in Kaede’s embrace. “Now _I_ feel like I’m being held for ransom. This sucks.”

“The Graeae agreed, finally leading Perseus to where he needed to be,” Angie continued. “He’d received a knapsack from the Hesperides, his father Zeus bestowed him with a Harpe and the helm of invisibility from Hades, Hermes let him borrow his winged sandals, and Athena gave him a polished shield.”

“Nyeh, what good is a harp gonna do?” Himiko asked, raising her hand.

“I don’t mean ‘harp’ as in a lyre, I mean ‘harpe’ in reference to a curved sword. Using a musical instrument to behead a Gorgon would be absurd!”

“That would make more sense. Why can’t they just say ‘sword’, then?”

“Plenty of stories from this era referred to common items in since-outdated ways. For example, Aphrodite’s girdle looks nothing like the modern version and was more akin to a fancy sash. And Pandora’s box wasn’t actually a little chest. It was a jar or urn, but a mistranslation changed it.”

“Wow!” Tsumugi beamed. “So, wouldn’t that mean Hades’ invisibility helm is actually…?”

“No, that’s really a helmet. But, in some cases, it’s referred to as a cap.”

“Huh. I’d bet if Perseus ate the Suke Suke no Mi like Absalom, he wouldn’t need worry about taking a helmet off and on again every time he needed to disappear. But, things weren’t always so simple back then, were they?”

“Could I assume you aren’t referring to the third son of David? Because in my readings of the Tanakh, I don’t recall him being able to turn invisible.”

“Hey, Yonaga-chan? Weren’t you gonna bore us to death with your stupid head cutter story or something?” Ouma snarked. “If you won’t even stay on track, then I might as well go early like I’ve been itching to all morning.”

“Nyahaha! Thank you for reminding me, Kokichi. I’d forget my own name if Atua hadn’t blessed me with it.” To Ouma’s annoyance as he rolled his eyes, Angie resumed her tale. “Because the shield Athena had given him was very reflective, Perseus was able to sneak into Medusa’s lair and save himself from petrification using her image in the surface since her powers only work if looked upon directly. And while she slept… he beheaded her without Medusa even knowing he’d come in.”

“That’s actually pretty smart,” Kaede commented, eyes impatiently shifting over to the bookcase the Mastermind was using as a hidden lair entrance before quickly looking back at Angie. “Striking when your target can see you the least is your best shot at succeeding. In a risky situation, stealth is your best friend.”

“Yes! And that’s exactly what Perseus did, all for the love of his mother. With Medusa’s head in his possession, he forced Polydecetes to look into its eyes and turn to stone, saving Danaë from an unwanted suitor.”

“So, that’s it?” Ouma asked. “That was so lame! Okay, the part where he got to use so many cool weapons and set off on a huge quest was… okay, I guess, but killing Medusa was so anticlimactic! Any old loser can listen to a god and bend over backwards for them, but it doesn’t change a thing.”

“That was only the first of Perseus’ heroism. His other comes from his stop in Ethiopia, where he met a beautiful princess named Andromeda. But, prior to his arrival, Andromeda was to be used as a sacrifice to Cetus after her mother, Cassiopeia, made the common, yet equally foolish mistake of boasting that she was more beautiful than any of the Nereids, who were nymphs associated with the sea. And as you can imagine… Poseidon didn’t take kindly to that.”

“Yep. Just as expected. It’s totally a great idea to piss off someone not only stronger than you, but is fully capable of smiting you on the spot! Way to be, Queenie! That won’t get you into any trouble that you’ve got no one to blame but yourself for.”

“Eh, some just never learn in the times of Ancient Greece, but that’s besides the point. The oracle of Ammon foretold that if Andromeda’s father, Cepheus, were to sacrifice his only child to Cetus, the sea monster Poseidon sent to destroy Ethiopia, then no harm could come of anybody else. So… he did!”

“His only daughter?!” Kaede gasped, infuriated. “What vile, inconsiderate— ugh, I can’t even think of a strong enough word for scum like this, would do that to his child? Perseus should just show him Medusa’s head and give him what he deserves!”

“You said it, toots!” Ouma cheered. “And to really teach him a lesson, he oughta take a sledgehammer and smash King Statue to pieces in front of everybody!”

“Hey, can you guys like… shut up?” Himiko suggested. “You’re interrupting Angie’s story, and this is a library. I’d have thought this was the last place to raise your voices.”

“Please continue, Yonaga-san,” Tsumugi encouraged. “Some people seem too distracted to pay attention, so the rest of the story should fix that.” Peeking at Kaede for a moment, she turned attentively to Angie before anyone could notice.

“Gladly!” Angie chirped. “Kaede and Kokichi, you’ll be pleased to know that when Perseus first laid eyes on Andromeda, he’d immediately fallen for her. As such, he used Medusa’s head to turn Cetus to stone just as it was about to take the princess tied naked to a rock and slayed it. For his efforts, Cepheus allowed Perseus to take Andromeda as a wife, and the two were soon married.”

“That hardly sounds any better,” Kaede scoffed. “Not only did he try to have his daughter killed, but now he’s marrying her off to some stranger that just so happened to pass by. Did Andromeda even get a say in it?”

“Ancient Greece. May that answer your question in my place. Perseus then gave Medusa’s head to Athena to embellish on her shield, returning the rest of his borrowed weapons to their proper owner. Later in his life, he went to found Mycenae and became its king with Andromeda as his queen, in most accounts of the story dying of old age and having his image immortalized in the stars where all the greats continue to shine to this day. The end.”

“Wow… I hope to get a constellation after I die,” Tsumugi sighed dreamily.

“As if! I’m the astronaut and future galactic emperor, so if anyone deserves a constellation, it’s me!” Ouma boasted. “You’re nowhere near worthy of that honor.”

“So, Kokichi, what did you think?” Angie asked. “Was that not a tale of a hero so great that it proves humanity isn’t all bad? Many people are capable of doing great things.”

“...Meh. It was entertaining, at least. Well done.” Ouma’s face was blank saying that, but he stood up and stretch casually. “But next time, try proving a point to me without using _myths_. Real stories about good people would be more believable, but those just don’t exist.”

“I have plenty of those, too!”

“Nope! Our deal was one story, and you used it all up. So, I believe a certain someone else owes me payment?”

Kaede groaned, giving Ouma the LunePies and petting him on the head. “A promise is a promise,” she admitted. “You could have stood to be more well-behaved while Yonaga-san was speaking, but it could have been worse.”

“And you’re really no better either, Miss Chatterbox. Thanks for the snacks!” Ouma ripped open one of the treats, happily digging in as if a hamster to a sunflower seed on his way out of the library.

“Oh, it didn’t work,” Angie sighed, still smiling. “No matter, I’ll just try my many other measures of getting him to see the truth! Persuasion has always been my strongest suit.”

 _‘Persuasion, or manipulation?’_ Kaede spat internally. “Maybe just let him go for now. He doesn’t seem to be hurting anybody.”

“Yet,” Himiko snorted. “With all of his talk of wishing the end of mankind, I wouldn’t be surprised if he does lash out.”

“Please tell me you don’t actually think he’s going to blow up Earth. Half the kids at my daycare have had equally crazy dreams, and yet we’re all still here. No, I think it’s a combination of a huge imagination and… something way less fun.”

“Like what?”

“Something highly personal with Ouma-kun that’s really hurt him and he’s using big talk to cope better. But, again, I could be wrong, even though I don’t think I am. No matter what the case is, he’s got no plans to share it, so there’s only so much anyone could do for him.”

“Did you want to stay for another story, Kaede?” Angie wondered. “I was just about to get started on the story of Jason and the Argonauts, then delve a little more into Norse mythology. Have you heard of Baldr and his tragic demise that made things go from bad to worse?”

Kaede glanced again at the bookshelf hiding the Mastermind’s lair, only for everyone’s stares to put an end to that. “...No, I’m okay, thank you. There’s somewhere else I need to be.”

Hurrying out of the library before she could draw anymore attention to herself, Kaede got far enough for thinking in remote solitude. So much for looking to see if the Mastermind had used their door yet, and worse than that, she’d just lost even more time that could have been spent gathering supplies for her brilliant plan! Yes, at least it wasn’t a full day ripped away from her, but every last minute counted against the clock. Taking a long loop around the school, Kaede stopped at the gymnasium, where she could faintly hear Shuichi’s voice inside murmuring words to himself before she opened the doors.

“Hey, Saihara-kun, I—” Kaede began until she caught Shuichi sticking his butt out and twirling it in circles while looking down.

“One, two, three four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, stop,” he counted, then reversing his rear spins. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight nine, stop.”

Kaede giggled, stepping inside the gym. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Gah! Akamatsu-san, this… I was doing some warm-up exercises. It looks strange from the outside, but they’re normal for me.”

“Then you’ve just earned yourself a break because I need your help. I finally have a plan for ki— err, catching the Mastermind, but I don’t know if I can do it myself.”

“You finally thought of something? That’s wonderful! What’s the plan?”

Kaede put a finger to her lips, smiling. “My secret for now. We’ll get everything we need in place, and then be ready to do it for real by tomorrow evening. After, I promise you can get back to your… warm-ups.”

“Look. Aikido takes even your smallest muscles, so I have to make sure nothing gets pulled no matter how silly it looks.”

That did nothing to stop Kaede from tittering further, taking Shuichi from the gymnasium and back around to the main entrance. Walking carefully through the courtyard and past the Exisals doing work, they stopped when up the stairs came Rantaro holding a slender rectangular box with his goggles over his eyes. It was partially open, but in a way so that only he could peek at what was sitting inside. He noticed Shuichi and Kaede not long after, quickly hiding the secret box behind his back and waving to them unceremoniously.

“Morning, you two,” Rantaro greeted, pushing his goggles until they rested up on his head. “Out for a stroll together? That’s kinda sweet.”

“We were looking for you, actually,” Kaede corrected. “What’s behind your back?”

“Just a little project, nothing major. My Research Lab just opened today, so I’ve been breaking it in all morning.”

“It did? Oh, that’s wonderful! Can we go in?”

“Uhh… sorry, Akamatsu-san, it’s not a good time. Maybe later?”

“Come on, what do you have to hide? And if that box really has a tiny project, you’ve got nothing to keep from us!”

Rantaro folded his arms, giving Kaede a disapproving look. “Don’t I have a right to my own privacy? No offense, but you’re sounding pretty pushy right now.”

“I—! Oh, alright, fine. You don’t have to say anything, then. But, at least tell me what’s so bad about your Lab that we can’t go in.”

“Bad? No, I got a look at the place and it’s everything an inventor could ever ask for. It’s… well, it’s not something I’d be able to tell you guys without spooking you. And believe me, Monokuma’s done plenty of that recently. Just know I don’t have ulterior motives or anything like that, mmkay?”

“Since you’re so sure, I guess I’ll drop it.” Even though Rantaro couldn’t sound any more suspicious, Kaede had to give him a pass since there was no getting him to sing.

“Anyways, why were you guys looking for me? What’s the matter?”

“We need you for a very important job. See, Saihara-kun and I came across what we think is really crucial to saving everyone, let’s say. And in order to do that, we need some tools.”

“My tools? I kinda need those.”

“No, not the ones you use for building or fixing,” Shuichi corrected. “We’d need something already built. Like… some cameras.”

“Preferably the kind that can take pictures and sense movement,” Kaede said. “And they’d have to be hideable because we’re trying to catch someone in the act of doing evil.”

“Really now?” Rantaro pondered, glimpsing at them from the side heedfully. “Interesting…”

“Yeah, so if it’s okay, we could really use your help! What do you say?”

“...No.”

“No?!”

“Yes.”

“Oh. Phew, that’s a relief. For a second—”

“—No, I mean ‘yes’ as in ‘you heard right, I’m not going to help you’.”

“What do you mean you won’t help us?! The plan I’ve come up with needs photographic evidence, and you’re the best person to ask for that!”

“First of all, that’s no way to act when someone turns you down. Second, I have no idea what you’re trying to do outside of a vague, highly sketchy description, so I won’t be getting roped into trouble because of you. And C, even if I wanted to, I have my own agenda and am really busy at the moment since I can’t afford to put it off for another minute.”

“I know I sound a little off putting with the way I’m making it out to be, but I promise we’re on the same side. It’s just like you keeping some info to yourself; I have to do the same.”

“Except here you are trying to drag me into it. I refuse to be a part of something so potentially dangerous that you can’t tell anyone what it is. More than anything, I understand if there’s some info you have to keep hush-hush, but kindly leave me out of it.”

“You wouldn’t be directly involved. We’d just need you to make the cameras, and—”

“—Akamatsu-san. You can spin it every way possible, but it won’t change my mind. I don’t doubt you have good intentions, but now isn’t a good time to ask for my help. It’s very important to me that I finish my own task, and I just don’t have the time to put anything else onto my plate.”

Before Rantaro could walk away, Kaede grabbed him by the arm, turning him to face the pleading in her eyes. “Amami-kun. Right now, you could be our only shot at saving everyone’s lives before tomorrow night. I think you can gather what I’m trying to do. You even said there’s no defeating Monokuma without hunting down his controller, and that’s what we’re doing. You have my complete and honest word on that.”

“She’s telling the truth,” Shuichi vouched. “Neither one of us is working against you, but we need you to help. You don’t have to follow us through the whole thing if you don’t want to, but just this once, we’re counting on your expertise.”

“Everyone is. This is less for us, and more for them. Please, make the right decision and pitch in some. We need all hands on deck for this plan to work.”

Rantaro felt bad for them and showed it, but released a quiet breath and put two earnest hands on her shoulders like he was speaking to one of his sisters. “You need to understand that I’m not against you guys either,” he pleaded. “But, I just can’t be of any help right now. There’s something I need to do today, and tomorrow, but bigger. If your plan in stopping the Mastermind relies so heavily on whether or not someone else accepts, then maybe you oughta take another trip back to the drawing board. Because an idea like that is only doomed to fail.”

“It wouldn’t fail if we had your inventions,” Kaede croaked, finding the ground more interesting to look at now.

“My inventions aren’t just genies in a bottle. They won’t just make all your problems vanish in three wishes. If there’s a wrench in your plans, you should be able to take it out and fix them relatively fast. So, even though I can’t help you, you can still bounce back despite that.”

“I don’t exactly have any other option, do I?”

“Sadly, no. I don’t think so. But, you do have lots of methods at your disposal. Just improvise, if nothing else works, and make do. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve gotta go find Yumeno-san. Have you seen her?”

“Library, probably.”

“Thanks.” Rantaro hurried towards the main entrance. “Good luck, you two! You’ll do great!”

“Yeah… great.”

“What now? Your plan failed,” Shuichi griped, not blaming Kaede for the sour look on her face.

“No. No, it didn’t! We’re gonna take Amami-kun’s advice and return to the drawing board. This is a setback, but it’s only a huge one if we think of it as that.”

Shuichi began walking back inside with Kaede to that neighboring hall, no longer needing the courtyard. “What now, then? The Mastermind has to be stopped, and we’ve only got a day and a half to do it right.”

“Which we will. No matter what we come up with, it all boils down to one spot, and that’s the secret door behind the library shelf. We’ll just work around it and come up with something simpler.”

“Isn’t that gonna take long?”

“Nah. I only need to tweak, not discard. Meet me by the warehouse at… what’s a good time for you?”

“Uhh, 3:30? I want you to have lots of time to think our plan through.”

“3:30 it is! Meet me at the warehouse around then, and I’ll be there helping you get what we’ll need.”

After going back outside, Kaede heard a light pattering of footsteps hurriedly fleeing in another direction behind her. When she’d turned to see who’d just left, no one showed themselves, so she presumed it to be Shuichi and kept going. Her plan was more solid than before, but a little while in her bedroom was necessary for editing it without prying eyes. The full details of the scheme stayed strictly between two people, and two people only until the time came to strike and be everyone’s liberator.

Unbeknownst to her, another pair of ears had just caught wind of more information than they should have…

* * *

“Huy! Huy! Huy!” Shuichi grunted, semi-squatting as he drew his arms back and outward. “Huy! Huy!” When a tennis ball hit him in the back of the head, he caught himself from falling, rubbing his sore spot and glaring at the only other person in the gymnasium. “Hey! Be careful where you’re hitting those things.”

“My bad!” Kaito said, bouncing a new ball between his grip and the floor. “I still haven’t fully undented my racket, remember? And without a softer floor, these things are bound to go flying all over the place.”

“You could still try not to hit so hard. Gyms are a lot more different than tennis courts for that reason.”

“It won’t happen again. Do you like the training dummy I made you? I’d hate for you to get bored doing warm-up squats all day, so I thought you could use a friend to practice on.”

Shuichi turned to the rolled up mat with nose glasses taped on the “face”, two hockey sticks acting as the arms and a black ribbon pretending to be a black belt. “...It’s better than nothing, I’ll give you that.”

“Don’t knock it until you try it! Sure, it doesn’t look like much, but it’s quality on the inside! Go on, give it one of your famous Aikido flips.”

“That’s gonna be hard to do considering the… ‘arms’, would get ripped off a little too easily.”

“Who cares how easy or not it is? It’s more meaningless if you don’t give it your best shot anyway! Do it! I wanna see some flips and pinning over there!”

Groaning, Shuichi reluctantly tilted one of the stick arms up, pulling it down as he moved to grab his fake dummy by the top and perform an awkward irimi nage toss. “That still felt really clumsy.”

“Work with what you’ve got! I couldn’t find much to really use for your sparring partner, so this will do right now.”

“Why not volunteer yourself? I could stick to basic techniques so I don’t wind up pulling your arm out.”

“So you can hold back on me like that? Hell no! I’d want you to do your worst and show no hesitation! I can take anything you have for me!”

“Okay. Then come over here and I’ll do it. Just you and me in a one-on-one match.”

Kaito hesitated, going back to striking the tennis ball against the wall and catching it. “Well— I didn’t say _now_ , obviously. You see me busy with my own practice. Next time, okay?”

“I thought so…” Performing an easy turning and pinning move on the dummy, Shuichi picked up the hockey stick that’d fallen off and taped it back on. “So, Momota-kun. Your tennis career.”

“What about it? You already know the Shining Star of the Court and how hard I worked getting to so many leagues, plus my interviews and headlines for JSM to name an accomplishment. What’s on your mind?”

“Maybe what got you into tennis in the first place? I might as well see how the star was born.”

“Oh. Why didn’t you say so? Alright—!” Kaito dove to give the ricocheting ball a forehand, then deflecting with a backhand and catching it to speak. “It’s actually a really funny story. See, as a kid, I was pretty… over-the-top, as an understatement. And like most adults dealing with such a hyperactive kid, my grandfolks tried getting me an outlet for all that energy.”

“It doesn’t seem like it worked a ton.”

“Oi, it did just fine! What you’re seeing is my inner spirit keeping me alive and healthy! But, before I got to this point, I couldn’t really find anywhere worth staying.”

“Because you were indecisive?”

“No, just bored. Nanna even joked about me having the ‘never-the-same-sport-twice’ disease from how many I tried out for and left within a month.” Kaito counted off his fingers. “Hockey, left. Baseball, punched out a kid’s lights and ditched because it was the coach’s kid. Swimming, got caught on something and nearly drowned. Soccer, nope! And don’t even get me started on track and field. That’s a story no one likes remembering.”

“From all those sports, you could almost qualify for the Olympics if you’d stayed long enough.”

Kaito grinned. “That may have been my inspiration for some of those, yes. But, sadly, nothing stuck and my grandparents were out of ideas. One day, though, came a miracle. What was it, you ask? I stole a kid’s identity!”

“Yeah, that must have been— what?!” Shuichi shoved over his fake dummy by mistake, but was hardly paying it heed at this point from how cheerful Kaito just admitted that. “That’s gotta be illegal!”

“Alright, maybe I should have rephrased that. I didn’t really _steal_ it, more like they mistook me for someone running late to practice on day one. I swapped out for them when they did come, but since I hadn’t seen a sport through to the end yet, I made a deal with ‘em.”

“Being?”

“In exchange for a spot on the team, I take their place whenever they need to play hooky and can’t make practice. Which sounded like a good gig then, so I accepted. But, eventually, this kid wound up being a lazy bum, so you can guess how many times I wound up substituting.”

“Did that kid ever stay on the team themselves?”

“As with most tricks, you can only go so far before you get caught. But, since I was picking up the slack without sucking and actually showing up, the coach told the other kid to take a hike and I got their spot for good. And after that, the rest is history!”

“...Wow. I wasn’t expecting that of all stories to be the case. But, lots of people have weirder beginnings.”

“So, Saihara! What’s yours? How did the Ultimate Aikido Master get his wings?”

“What?! I’m not telling you that!”

“Come on! It’s not fair for me to pour my heartfelt story out to you and you to make it even! That’s cheap!”

“Your story was literally ‘The Tennis Trap’. Mine’s a lot less happy. If I don’t feel comfortable telling you, then no means no.”

Kaito frowned, flinging another ball against the wall and striking it with his dented racket. “Alright, be that way. Just don’t be afraid to open up to me. Keeping so much bottled inside ain’t healthy.”

“Trust me. I stopped bottling up my feelings years ago.” Grabbing the dummy’s hockey stick arm, Shuichi jabbed it in the chest with one hand and flipped it sideways, its nose glasses falling off. “Gee-yaugh! Martial arts is one of the best ways to let everything that bothers you go free.”

“Any healthy outlet can do wonders for you. Physical ones for the real challenges work the best!”

“It doesn’t always have to be as exerting as tennis or Aikido. Whatever works the best for you is just as fine so long as you find it.”

Getting the last of their exercises out of the way (with Shuichi narrowly avoiding Kaito crashing into him in pursuit of his ball), the boys packed up and departed the gymnasium, going in separate directions. Making sure no one else was around to see, Kaito pulled out his inhaler and took a few steady puffs. He stuffed it back in his pocket and played it off in case anyone was lurking, turning his head to every spot near and far as he walked. When he looked forward again, he shrieked when Maki suddenly appeared, the hood over her head amping how ominous she looked.

“Hi yourself,” the magician snarked, folding her arms. “If you’re worried about me hexing you, don’t. Those are for emergencies only.”

“Emergencies like what?” Kaito gulped.

“Pissing me off, for starters. Don’t do that, and we’ll get along fine today and tomorrow.”

“Why just then?!”

“Because we’re all gonna die tomorrow night unless someone kills, idiot. Weren’t you listening to Monokuma, or did you purposely block that out?”

“I’m no idiot! And no, I… heard him loud and clear. But, nobody’s dying tomorrow night on my watch!”

“What are you going to do? Politely walk up to Monokuma and say ‘Hey, if you wanna kill all of us, you’re gonna have to pry your way through me’? Is that it?”

“I just might have to! Except I’m not doing it peacefully, because that jackass teddy doesn’t deserve my mercy! No, when push comes to shove, we’ve all gotta step up and fight back! Those who want their lives to keep going wouldn’t just stand and do nothing!”

“Let me guess, you’re gonna rebel until you get what you want?” Maki pictured it more as Kaito coming off as a rambunctious school kid throwing a fit in front of the teacher, but knew he didn’t feel the same. “Right, because taking on six bears armed with giant robots and probably hundreds of firearms by yourself is gonna do _plenty_ for us. Have fun dying.”

“No one said anything about doing it alone. I’m proposing some recruitment before the end of the time limit. By tomorrow, I’ll have a full-force team of rebels ready to take down evil and get everyone home!”

“...I don’t know how, but you somehow managed to make my guess seem smarter in comparison. You realize that because we only have a day left to live, everyone’s gonna be turning against each other, don’t you?”

“They will if I don’t unite them in time. Our biggest problem here is a lack of faith, so by believing in one another more, that will no longer be an issue.” Kaito’s eyes flared up like fire, his right hand clenched in a tight fist. “People can give up on solving jigsaw puzzles and rainbow math cubes, but nobody’s gonna do it on life! It’s too precious to throw to the wind so carelessly, and goddamn it, I’ll make sure everyone sees that!”

“I’m pretty sure they already do, hence why someone’s gonna resort to murder to save their life. How are you not getting any of this?”

“Harukawa, there’s always another way of getting to the end of your goals. Once we get it, there’s gonna be no need for murder. In fact, why don’t you be my first recruit? We could use a sharp mind and mythical abilities like yours. What do you say?”

“I say you’re crazy and ignorant. My magic is nowhere near advanced enough to put an end to any of this, and frankly, why would I want to help you? Gimme one reason for that.”

“Because even though you act all cold and distant with everyone, I know for a fact that you’re not that different. On the inside, there’s a girl that wants to get out safely, but because there doesn’t seem like an easy way out, she’s sc—”

Maki grabbed Kaito by the shoulder and forced him to her level, louring at him like never before. “Do you want me to curse you? Because I’ll do it so hard, you’ll be croaking like a frog, clawing at your skin until there’s nothing but bone left and singing opera all at once for the rest of your life.”

“Yikes, I wasn’t gonna say something bad! Just that you’re secretly scared, that’s normal for a girl!”

“I’m not scared.”

“Then why do you hide yourself from the rest of us so much? If you weren’t scared, you’d be out and about more often.” Kaito pushed Maki’s hood down, to her further irritation. “And take this off for starters! That’s no way to make others approach you!”

“Maybe I don’t want them to. Have you ever thought of that? Dealing with annoying outsiders like you drains me.The less distractions or unnecessary surprises in my life, the better I can get on with it.”

“But, doesn’t that get old after a while? Just staying in your shell every single day? Even turtles have to come out of it sometimes. Not that I’m calling you a reptile or anything, but you’re missing out. You can have as much personal space as you want, but no one’s meant to stay so closed off this hard and this badly.”

“So, if I’m not a turtle, I’m some kinda hermit crab?”

“No, even hermit crabs don’t stay in the same place forever. That’s their whole point. And mine is to help you do it too! Come out of your shell and make a difference! It’ll take as many hands as possible for us to get out, and I’ll be with you every last step of the way. I believe you’re capable of a lot more than you might think you are!”

“It’s not that I’m incapable. I choose not to do anything because it’s pointless, and none of you people here mean anything to me.”

“That’s still not an excuse to go and pretend to everything bad that’s happening here! You can help yourself by helping others since we’ll all be freed all at once the sooner we can act.” Kaito pointed to Maki, adamant. “Even if it comes down to me dragging you along with us, then I don’t care! Anything it takes to make sure you don’t get left behind and stuck suffering in this Hell school!”

Maki was speechless, pulling her hood back over her head and peeking up at Kaito from underneath it. “...You should stop acting like you have total control over anyone’s life that’s not your own. You don’t.”

“You should stop turning your back on what could be a golden opportunity to help guarantee things go right. I know you can do better, Harukawa. Not ‘think’, _know_.”

“We’re done talking, Momota. Bye.”

Maki slipped away, her hood’s rims tugged tightly down to hide as much of herself as possible. Kaito watched her go, morose, but getting over it knowing it wouldn’t last forever on his watch. For then, he thought of a possible list of other recruits that could fill the ranks, taking into consideration Maki’s likely absence. Besides himself, there were plenty who qualified for a worthy revolt, so that part was relatively easy. Not everyone was physically trained like him and Shuichi, but some did look strong enough to do some good work.

One way or another, though, nobody qualified or otherwise was getting left behind to rot.

* * *

The middle of the afternoon felt as though it’d come sooner than it really had, Kaede finally finished with her plan’s revisions. She realized in putting the notes inside of her backpack that if she left now to rendezvous with Shuichi, that’d make her earlier than what was agreed upon by just under half an hour. Having some time on her hands, she entered the main visit and went upstairs to pay the second floor a visit. From the Ultimate Pianist Lab came distinct chatter, seeing Korekiyo step out backwards with Kirumi looking at him sadly in the doorway.

“Are you sure you can’t stay just for a little while?” Kirumi asked. “You always struck me as the type of enjoy soothing music, so I thought I’d be the best person to provide that for you.”

“I’m partial to stringed instruments, but piano music I’ve also found enjoyable,” Korekiyo answered. “Really, I’m flattered you want to play for me, but I just don’t have the time right now. Or ever. Every last minute spent progressing is precious, and I won’t waste that.”

“...Then I’m no one to keep you from it. You’re right, it was foolish of me to interrupt you. Please forgive me, Shinguuji-kun.”

“Don’t be sorry, you’ve been nothing but thoughtful. I’m only regretful that I cannot be the faithful audience you sorely deserve.” Right as Kiyo turned after the door shut behind him, he was faced with a very displeased Kaede. “Akamatsu-san. What brings you over here?”

“Changing your mind,” Kaede bit, marching over and knocking on the door with force until Kirumi answered. “Hi, Toujou-san, don’t listen to this guy. He’d _love_ to sit and listen to you play. Right now.”

“Really?” Kirumi wondered, hopeful.

“No! That isn’t what I said at all! I don’t have the time to—” Korekiyo tried objecting, brought down to Kaede’s level by a pull of his cravat and getting a close view of her burning glare.

“You’re gonna make time,” Kaede demanded. “A few short minutes of not being rude won’t kill you.”

“Maybe not me, but someone else if I don’t get back to business.”

Kaede didn’t listen, dragging Kiyo inside and forcing him into a seat. “Sit!”

“Really, Akamatsu-san, it’s alright,” Kirumi insisted. “He doesn’t have to stay if he doesn’t want to.”

“What happened to wanting him to take a break? This is your chance!”

“I already talked with him beforehand, and he still refused. Music isn’t soothing or enjoyable when it’s mandatory, and doing so would be wrong.”

“But, it means so much to you! Isn’t it also wrong to let yourself feel hurt because you just want to help and can’t?”

Kirumi hardened. “How I feel doesn’t matter. This should be Shinguuji-kun’s choice to stay or go, and that’s final. I won’t suddenly die because I’m disappointed that I don’t get to play piano.”

“That’s not all there is to it. It that, but you’re also getting more worried by the minute because Detective Workaholic isn’t laying off himself. Don’t try and hide that fact from anyone.” Kaede stuck her pointer finger out at Kiyo, equally strict. “As for you, a full day isn’t meant to be spent working. Without breaks, you’d be more worn out than a wrinkled toothpaste tube, and you couldn’t get anything done at any time. Let Toujou-san help you take a quick break, and then feel free to get right back to whatever you were doing before.”

“It’s… getting so late,” Korekiyo claimed, reading his pocket watch until Kaede stole it.

“Quarter-past three is late to you? It’s nowhere near dark. You’re out of excuses.”

Korekiyo stashed his pocket watch away, seeing the sad look in Kirumi’s visible eye and feeling the guilt eat him. “...Maybe I could stay for a little while. I have been working hard today, so a short break could be what the doctor ordered.”

“You mean it?” Kirumi beamed, her smile able to light up any dark room from how bright it was.

“I do.”

“Oh, wonderful! Thank you, Shinguuji-kun, thank you! I shan’t disappoint you. Now, did you have any requests?”

“Now, now, you’re the pianist. Whatever you’d like to play, I’ll listen to with open ears.”

“Me? Oh, no, no, if it were up to me, this room would be filled with far too much Chopin than anyone’s willing to hear.”

“Then so be it. I don’t mind at all, and in fact encourage it.”

“And that will make you happy?”

“Toujou-san, like I said. You’re the pianist. Play what makes _you_ happy, and I can always make a request sometime after.” For what felt like a rare instance to Kaede, Korekiyo gave Kirumi a solicitous smile. “I want to see the music able to make you feel safest.”

Kirumi’s cheeks pinkened, which she covered with one hand until she needed both to sit at the piano with. Using no sheet music, she played a few keys to begin the slow-paced piece as the chords helped solidify the melody. A trill here and there surprised her audience of two, but they otherwise stayed lulled to the lovely tune born from gloved fingertips and monochromatic piano keys. It was even more beautiful than what Kaede heard Kirumi play earlier that day, but she didn’t dare to pit the greats against each other. Next to her, Korekiyo’s eyes were wide, unable to take themselves away from the stage in his awestruck trance.

The music started getting slightly louder, another high-pitched trill sounding off and slowing down, welcoming the final few notes concluding on a lower one. Kirumi looked at the other two as she stood up, bowing gracefully with both hands at her lap, but concerned most by how her musical rendition turned out. To her delight, Kaede and Korekiyo gave her a standing ovation, which she smiled more out of relief at.

“Beautiful…!” Korekiyo praised rather openly. “I’ve never heard such a display of smooth, elegant piano playing!” He caught himself, clearing his throat and standing more serious. “What was that song?”

“Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9, No. 2,” Kirumi responded. “Chopin was only in his 20s when he composed that one.”

“And for you as a high schooler to replicate it so well, I’ve truly been missing out. Do you have any other songs you can play well by ear like that?”

“Yes. I also know Gymnopédie No. 1 by Satie. Akamatsu-san, will you be staying?”

“Normally, I would, but I have somewhere to be,” Kaede declined, heading for the door. “I see you later. You two play nice, you hear?”

“What’s that supposed to—?” Korekiyo demanded, too late to finish as Kaede left. “Oh, that girl. Is there ever a time where she isn’t up to something?”

“It’s very hard to stop someone like that who’s always on the move,” Kirumi giggled. “She’ll be just fine without us.”

“Somehow, I’m not so sure if that’s true. I’ll be keeping a special eye on that one.”

Running downstairs against the clock, Kaede made it to the warehouse, where she spotted Shuichi dashing her way and stopping upon making his official arrival. They entered together, going over the list of things necessary for enacting the plan soon. Even without Rantaro’s handy help, Kaede still formulated using some digital cameras meant for taking snapshots of whoever went through the Mastermind’s door. Confused, Shuichi asked her to elaborate, uncertain how they’d be guaranteed at helping without the precise modifications in place.

“We use auto mode,” Kaede explained. “For each camera, we set them up in the library and time them to go off at certain time intervals. That way, at some point, our turkey’s gonna get caught on camera.”

“Okay, but how do we know when they’ll show up?” Shuichi asked. “If they take too long, we’ll be out of space and have nothing left to take a picture with.”

“If we set them to start at different times, it gets a wider range for taking pictures throughout the day. Like, one camera takes its photos and when that runs out, the next starts up and restarts the process!”

“And so forth until we’ve gone through almost a full day’s worth of memory. I understand now. How many will we need? I’ll go get them.”

“Plenty. Not too much so we can’t hide them from plain sight, but just enough to fill our time gaps. Now, ándale, ándale! We’re pressed for time!”

Kaede shooed Shuichi away, looking through a pallet of sports equipment that’d been unused save for the box of tennis balls. Vaulting poles, useless. Hurdles, don’t care. Mats, moving on. RC helicopters, out of place and ignored. Sitting beside them was something that did catch Kaede’s attention. They were no bigger than an assortment of softballs, but too heavy for easy throwing, fitting as each was made of cumbersome iron. Weighing one in her grasp, Kaede smiled, realizing how perfect it felt for the job after all.

“What’d you find?” Shuichi asked, shocking Kaede into gasping and hiding the shot put ball box by sitting on them.

“Nothing yet,” she lied. “Do you have the cameras?”

Shuichi revealed three digital cameras and some black wires. “I’m surprised they had these, honestly. We’ll need to set aside some time to charge them, but after that, we should be good to go.”

“Awesome! Did you find anything else?”

“Just these.” Shuichi showed off a white security sensor and receiver paired with it. “When this sensor picks up on movement, this receiver is going to trigger a sound. There was plenty more, so if we need spares, we can take them with us.”

“I’ll keep everything on me. My trusty backpack is a little… cramped, but I can squeeze it in enough.”

“Alright. Then, we’re all set, aren’t we? We’ve got everything we needed?”

Kaede nodded, accepting the supplies and putting them into her backpack without Shuichi seeing the rest of its contents. “Ready and waiting! This brilliant scheme is underway!”

Shuichi began leaving the warehouse, Kaede stayed behind for a few seconds to look at the shot put balls one more time. Never before has she felt so certain about how to take down a bad guy, but couldn’t help but worry about whether or not it would end up working as planned. As she had far too much occupying the space of her backpack, she left the metal balls behind for the day to catch up with Shuichi and intended to come back the next for that phase of her plan.

* * *

“Okay, run me through this one more time,” Shuichi requested a bit later, down in the basement with Kaede. “I just wanna make sure everything’s crystal clear.”

“Ugh, it’s not that hard to figure out…” Kaede groaned. “But, okay. I’ll give you a quick synopsis. You know the video cameras are for filming the Mastermind, but we’ll rearrange some things so they’re on the shelves, but hidden.”

“Mmm-hmm? And the motion sensors we’ve agreed on setting up near the bookshelf door so we can tell when it gets opened?”

“Right on the money! And as soon as it does, we jump in and bust the Mastermind. Simple and clean.”

“But, is it really that easy? What if that’s not necessarily the end of it? They could just send out the Exisals to have the last laugh and all.”

“They won’t.”

“How do you—?”

“—They _won’t_. I can guarantee it.”

“Uhh, okay. If you’re really so sure. Let’s go check the library and see what spots are good. We forgot to check on the door, anyways.”

“My thoughts exactly!”

“Oh! Saihara-kun and Akamatsu-san! Just in time,” Gonta greeted, exiting from the A/V Room and standing before the duo, preventing them from going any further. “Paint Night is about to start, and Gonta’s so happy you came!”

“That was tonight?” Shuichi whispered to Kaede.

“I guess so! I forgot, too!” Kaede gulped just as quietly, then turning and speaking clearer to Gonta. “How are things going in there?”

“Not too many others came,” Gonta admitted reluctantly, moving onto the better news after, “but some people did show up! Come right in and have a seat.”

“Oh, no, we actually weren’t—” Shuichi began confessing until Kaede covered his mouth.

“—Sure if it was a good time to sit!” Kaede fibbed. “We’d hate to go in so early that nothing’s set up!”

“Don’t worry, we’re all done and everything is ready,” Gonta corrected. “Gonta promises you won’t be disappointed! See you inside.”

“Why did you tell him we were going?” Shuichi uttered to Kaede after the artist went back to the A/V Room. “You just admitted you forgot about Paint Night.”

“Because, this is our chance to keep close enough to the library in case we need to check it,” Kaede explained. “It’s a hop, skip, and a jump away from where Gokuhara-kun’s doing his thing, so what better way to make a quick check than by staying across the hall from it?”

“I guess. I just feel bad lying to him like this. He’s working really hard to bring us all together and ease the stress, and we’re using it for darker motives.”

“Don’t think of it like that! We’re just playing along, not using him. Besides, I like art. We had fingerpainting at my daycare, and seeing so many… creative drawings and how happy they made their artists is such a heart-melter! A little stress relief won’t hurt anyone since nobody else knows about the plan but us.”

“You’ve got a good point. Alright, let’s do it.”

They turned and went to the A/V Room, which looked vastly cleaner compared to the first time they’d seen it. Overgrown vines had been disposed of, some extra lights were put in all four corners to help illuminate the room and make it less gloomy (along with some of multiple colors strewn up across the ceiling like Christmas decor), and posters on the walls advertising the event and the act of self-expression through art. Four groups of tables comprised of four classroom desks and chairs were also arranged for walking space in the center, only one seat per quartet occupied by Angie, Hoshi, and Kaito.

At the room’s front, the poster from the other night was displayed on the screen using the projector, subtitles underneath promising art lessons if requested of anyone. Shuichi and Kaede sat next to Kaito, whose presence alone was surprising, but even more to see him painting on his large, white posterboard.

“Fancy seeing you here,” Kaede joked.

“Quiet, I’m here on important business,” Kaito insisted, dipping the brush into his bead of black paint and stroking more words.

“What are you making?” Shuichi asked.

“An informational meeting poster that’s not done yet. It’s top-secret, so I couldn’t tell you guys even if I wanted to.”

Kaede leaned over and read it regardless. “‘Momota’s Rebellion Meeting For Operation: Stuff The Teddy Bear’.”

“What part of ‘top-secret’ do you not understand?!” Kaito quickly covered the poster with his arms, unknowingly exposing them to the wet paint while looking and seeing no one else caught wind. “That was close, but keep your voice down a little better next time.”

“You’re seriously gonna try and beat up Monokuma?” Shuichi whispered. “Are you insane?!”

“Nope, just ballsy and heroic. Something’s gotta get done, and I’ll be playing my part to help you two win the battle.”

“Appreciated, but not necessary,” Kaede said. “Our plan involves something that’s gonna be curtain call for the Mastermind once and for all.”

“But, if you really wanna do something, go right ahead,” Shuichi clarified. “We’ll need lots of help, but don’t do anything too reckless, okay?”

“When have I ever gotten to that point?” Kaito asked, holding a hand up to stop either from answering. “Doesn’t matter. My mind’s made up.”

“Is everything okay over here?” Kiibo wondered, stopping by their table and looking hard at Kaito. “Nobody’s giving off any lip that’s gonna get them kicked out of Paint Night?”

“No, Iidabashi. I’m behaving. We’re just talking is all.”

“Good! Everyone’s here to relax with some time to think if they need it. Carry on.”

Kaito waited for Kiibo’s departure, then continued. “As I was saying, this revolt’s gonna make history! I’ll be taking recruits starting tomorrow, but if you guys are interested or have any recommendations, you can tell me now.”

“We’re good, and no,” Shuichi declined. “Do what you need to and be careful.”

The A/V Room’s main door got a few knocks from the outside, so Gonta went over and opened it. “Yes?” he asked. “Oh, hello, Shinguuji-kun! Are you here for Paint Night, too?”

“I’m not, but this one is,” Korekiyo said, turning to reveal he had Ouma trapped by grabbing his ear too tightly for comfort.

“Ow, ow, ow, owie! Ouch, ouch!” Ouma whined, beating on Kiyo’s hip to escape with no avail. “I don’t wanna go painting! Let go of me!”

“You’ve only proven incapable of leaving Toujou-san and myself be, so this is your punishment.”

“It’s a crummy one that almost cost me an ear like that sunflower guy!”

“Ouma-kun likes van Gogh?” Gonta gleamed. “Gonta always thought you would like ‘Starry Night’ better, but he won’t assume.”

“Yep, you’re looking at his number one fan! One of my ancestors even gave him inspiration for that piece you just mentioned, and the rest is history.”

 _‘More like a fabrication,’_ Korekiyo doubted without saying it aloud, releasing Ouma and surrendering him to Gonta. “If he acts up, let me know right away. I’ll be in Toujou-san’s lab for the next few minutes.”

“Aww, you mean you don’t wanna stay and paint me naked? This is your last chance!”

“I think I’ll sleep well knowing I missed the opportunity. Gokuhara-kun… good luck.”

Ouma waved to Korekiyo, who was already by the stairs. “Bye-bye, Shinguuji-chan! Don’t take too long picking me up!”

“Gonta’s surprised to have you,” Gonta said. “He thought you were still mad about not knowing about you not choking the other morning.”

“What, that? That’s way past me, so don’t sweat it! Now, what here is actually worth me not walking out of this door and never looking back?”

“Anything you want. Have a seat anywhere, and you can draw, paint, sculpt, or craft!” Gonta’s brows sunk bitterly. “We tried getting a kiln, but there is none, so we sadly won’t do pottery.”

Ouma patted Gonta’s back with false sympathy. “Bummer. I guess if I’m stuck here, I could do a painting or two. It’ll also give me time to do my evaluations!”

“Evalu-ations?”

“Secret, my fair Gonta. Secret.” Ouma took a small white canvas from the pile and some painting supples before plopping down beside Shuichi, Kaede, and Kaito. “What’s up?”

“Beat it,” Kaito hissed.

“Momota-kun, reacting encourages bad behavior,” Kaede informed him. “If he tries to start something, we need to ignore him because that’s his way of getting attention. Positive or negative, it beats none at all to him.”

“Easier said than done. He’ll find a way to get what he wants.”

“Which is why we can’t make it easy for him. Just follow my lead when he acts up.”

“Ha! Your little kindergarten taming methods won’t work on me!” Ouma gloated, getting no response as the three got to their individual tasks. “Saihara-chan, this is art class, not ‘fancy writing’. Didn’t you hear?”

 _‘He’s not worth it, just ignore him for now,’_ Shuichi mentally reminded himself, using acrylic paint to practice his calligraphy in slow, deliberate strokes. Even when Ouma kept poking his temple, he didn’t stop and finished up the katakana character. _‘Wow, this doesn’t look half bad.’_

“Hello? Smelly Earth to Saihara-chan? I know you can hear me!” No response, so Ouma tried with Kaede, who was working on some origami using red paper. “Akamatsu-chan! Saihara-chan’s ignoring me thanks to you!”

 _‘That’s the idea,’_ Kaede thought, folding in some flaps and pulling at others until it started to vaguely resemble a paper hummingbird.

Ouma kept using a dry paintbrush to whack the craft, though Kaede didn’t so much as pause and only improvised to keep her bird looking steady. “Nishishi! How do you feel about me ruining your ugly bird? Huh? Huh? Hmm? Huh, huh, huh?” Nothing, even when Ouma poked a dent in it. “...Fine, be that way. You two are boring me.”

 _‘Don’t say anything or look that guy’s way,’_ Kaito chanted in his head, fixing the smudges on his poster he didn’t know what were doing there. When he broke his oath for a second and peeked at Ouma, he noticed him not doing anything. _‘Ha! It worked! Akamatsu, you genius!’_

Ouma squeezed a few colors of paint onto a piece of cardboard cut to look like a real palette and moved his chair behind Kaito, taking what he needed with him and sitting down. Not bothering to get the bottom part of his sports jacket-turned-cape out of the way, he worked with it and dipped his brush into the first color, Getting to work, he used slow, steady strokes to get his image onto his new canvas, purposely mixing some colors and getting a good enough blending effect on Kaito’s back. The three at the table refused to look and see what Ouma was doing, even when he merged bright red with blue and lime on a living person’s shirt.

“Maybe it’s best if you sit with someone else,” Kiibo growled, dragging Ouma’s chair with him in it away from Kaito. “Just because this is paint night doesn’t mean you can ruin other people’s clothing.”

“I knew it!” Kaito roared, standing and turning his back to Kaede and Shuichi. “What’d he paint on my good clothes?!”

“Kinda looks like aurora borealis,” Kaede guessed.

“It’s actually not half bad-looking. Your shirt really amplifies it,” Shuichi remarked.

“So?! He painted on me!”

“You should be thankful,” Ouma teased, getting out of the chair Kiibo dragged him with and taking the rest of his supplies back. “Now you can have something on you that’s actually worth looking at.”

“Ouma-kun, you’re supposed to be behaving,” Gonta chastised, arms folded. “Gonta won’t kick you out because that won’t do good, but don’t spoil this for everyone because you’re acting up.”

“Hoshi-kun could use some company!” Kiibo suggested, moving Ouma towards that table.

“No, not really,” Hoshi objected, using a clay knife to carve details onto his cat sculpture. “I’ve been doing great with the peace and quiet, and Ouma’s the antithesis of both those things.”

“Don’t be such a sourpuss like that lump you’re molding, Hoshi-chan,” Ouma snickered. “I don’t bite!”

“Why do I seriously doubt that?”

“Because I’m a liar, of course. Try not to ask so many silly questions all the time!”

“Yoo-hoo! Kokichi!” Angie trilled, waving his way and pausing her own careful etchings into a slab of stone. “Come sit near me and I’ll show you the wonders of ancient history.”

“What’s that you’ve got there, Yonaga?" Hoshi asked. "I didn’t know they were handing out rocks.”

“Oh, I brought this in from outside.” Angie showed Hoshi and Ouma her progress, pointing to each etching. “This is what’s called a petroglyph, which are said to date all the way back to the Neolithic and late Upper Paleolithic periods. Often, they tell a story or mark a certain time in early beginnings, not to mention serve as markers for the past.”

“Like hieroglyphics?”

“Somewhat, but there’s a difference. Both do appear to be mere wall carvings to the modern eye, but hieroglyphics are a form of language within Ancient Egypt. Petroglyphs are found all over the globe and carry many functions to them.”

“Kinda like cave drawings,” Ouma commented.

“Yes! Although none can say exactly who carved these pictures, or what they mean, they are substantial proof of the progression of man. Sort of like a prehistoric calendar made of solid rock.”

“So, what are you carving into that thing?” Hoshi wondered.

“I was going to draw the entire class, but I didn’t grab a big enough slab. So, I’m just settling for the Paint Night attendees. Including you, Kokichi!”

“Make sure you get my good side,” Ouma quipped. “I’ve made every fashion model jealous of my naturally good looks.”

Ouma sat by himself at the only set of four desks not occupied by anyone, getting to work for real on his miniature white canvas while everyone else tended to their own pieces. Coating it in a priming solution that didn’t change the color, he then covered a quarter of his canvas in black paint before rinsing the brush in a water cup and switching to midnight blue. Dip in water, squeeze dry and get the green, which he spread directly underneath the other hues for grass. A bit more black and blue were added as dashed lines for better detail, now coming time to rinse the brush and finish with white’s finishing touches in the sky.

“What are you making?” Kiibo asked, sitting next to Ouma.

“A little piece I’ve personally dubbed ‘Nunya’,” Ouma snarked, turning away from Kiibo and concentrating on the stars and crescent moon even when Gonta joined.

“It was just a harmless question. I’m not hurting anybody by being curious.”

“That looks like a comet,” Gonta conjectured, eyeing the in-progress streak of white and baby blue. “Gonta thinks it’s very beautiful. He never knew Ouma-kun was such a good artist!”

“I know my painting looks amazing, that’s just obvious,” Ouma boasted. “But, if you had 20/20 vision, you’d figure out it’s not a comet.”

“It’s not? It looks like one to Gonta.”

“Comets are made primarily of ice and dust, with just a little rock at its nucleus occasionally, hence why some call them ‘dirty snowballs’. They also orbit more towards the sun, while this is clearly traveling along the Earth’s atmosphere and starting to get really, really crispy.”

“Oh! Then it’s a meteor,” Kiibo realized. “They’re often a lot more rocky or metallic, but can come from comets when not from asteroids. Some can wind up being really tiny, no bigger than a sand grain.”

“Or as big as an entire meter. And as soon as it hits a surface, assuming it didn’t break apart first, it just turns into a normal old meteorite.”

“Your meteor looks more like a shooting star than… an actual meteor,” Gonta said.

“Meteors and shooting stars are the same thing, genius.”

“Well, now Gonta knows that! He is kind of an idiot, but Ouma-kun and Kiibo-kun are really smart to be sharing all of this with him. It might not have much to do with painting besides this, but it proves how much people can learn from art.”

“That’s because I’m painting a shooting star. You’re just making too big of a stretch so you can sound like you have a point.”

“Gonta does!” Holding an origami lotus flower, Gonta peeled some of its petals back to reveal a yellow center shaped like an inverted cone with black spots on it. “Lots just see flowers as colorful plants that are pretty to look at, but there’s a lot more under it. A whole new side that very few look to see. It’s a real creature with its own lifestyle and place in the world, and makes room for plenty that you couldn’t think of.”

“Oh, really? Like what?”

“Like how flowers are a huge part of the ecosystem,” Kiibo added. “Many insects like bees and butterflies contribute to pollination by transferring pollen from one plant to the other, which betters the production of seeds and can give way to more flowers.”

“The lotus best of all is a symbol of rebirth among others,” Gonta concluded, closing the petals somewhat to reveal its usual beauty. “Its roots are usually in dirty pond waters, but that doesn’t stop it from blooming the prettiest.”

“Wow… where’d you read that from? A fortune cookie?” Ouma snickered after pretending to be impressed. “I didn’t ask either of you to give me a dumb old lecture on flowers and pollen.”

“The point wasn’t the flower itself. It’s what the flower could mean for the world we live in,” Kiibo corrected.

“Cool. Who cares? All you’re doing is making my paint dry before I’m done with it, so sit or scram.”

“...Maybe you were the wrong person to say this to right now. I’d bet Yonaga-san would’ve heeded it better.”

“Then go sit near her and yammer her ear off. She’s a weirdo eats all of this philosophical b-s up like candy!”

“Gonta— was just about to go and look for more newspaper for tarp and paper maché,” Gonta said, feeling a tad awkward from the hardening air between him, Kiibo, and Ouma. “Can Kiibo-kun manage Paint Night while Gonta’s gone?”

“I’ll do my best,” Kiibo sighed, still disheartened. “Hurry back, okay, Gonta?”

“You won’t notice Gonta was gone! He leaves this to you.”

Gonta left the room and closed it behind him, Kiibo leaving Ouma’s table for a more pleasant one just as the astronaut finished his painting. Some short minutes later, everyone could hear a faint, vibratory ringing from nearby. Kaede got up and opened the door connected to the Game Room, but found nothing was different or even slightly moved. A hallway check let Kiibo see nothing was out of place there either, so he gave up and returned to the room. Was it only everyone’s imaginations…?

More time passed, and no one else came back to the A/V Room. Angie and Hoshi had finished up their respective art projects, Shuichi no longer had anymore calligraphy to practice, Kaito mourned his ruined clothes that could only be saved by doing laundry, and Kaede had a basket of origami birds of different species. Kiibo looked out the door worried for Gonta, but no sign of him was anywhere no matter how many times he kept jumping to the exit. Ouma was far less concerned, paying more attention to the reflection on his Monopad while he finished up his next work without a canvas or sheet of paper.

“All done!” Ouma announced, revealing a face painted entirely white except for the dark red on his lips and from his eyelids up to his forehead corners. Lined over that, a sleek line of black extending his eyebrows. “What do you think of my new look, Iidabashi-chan?”

“Ouma-kun, I’m not having any part of your nonsense—” Kiibo prepared to object until he turned around. “Did you paint your face?!”

“Duh. We’re at a ‘paint night’ after all. Anything can be a canvas if you step outside the box for a minute!”

“Yes, but you’re supposed to— huh, your cat’s eye actually isn’t that bad… no, I’m getting away from the point! It’s safer to use makeup, not paint unless you’re just doing a few parts of your face!”

“I’ll take him to wash it off,” Kaede volunteered, getting up and taking Ouma by the hand.

“Unhand me!” Ouma demanded, trying to pull away from Kaede. “You’re just jealous because I’m the pretty one!”

“If you want to do your makeup, I’ll help you with some real cosmetics. Luckily for you, the paint’s non-toxic, but it still could have gotten in your eyes or mouth.”

“Oh, that changes everything, then! I needed to take a leak, anyways.”

“Same here,” Hoshi spoke up, climbing down from his chair and walking out of the room.

“Right behind you,” Kaito groaned, taking his shirt and jacket off and carrying both out in his arms marked with black paint from his poster. “I need to wash this stuff out before it gets too deep into the fabric or my skin.”

“Tell me if any of you see Gonta!” Kiibo requested. “I’m getting a little worried here…”

“Gonta will be just fine,” Angie comforted, hugging Kiibo with his head in her chest while she pet his head. “Atua has a very watchful eye over all of His loving children, so there is no reason for our friend to be in harm’s way.”

“Ah… maybe you’re right. I’d hate to make everyone worried, too.”

“He has been gone for… 25 minutes,” Shuichi gulped. “Are you sure, Yonaga-san?”

“Atua is never wrong!” Angie chirped, approaching him while he backed away uneasily. “Would you like to feel His loving embrace through me, too, Shuichi?”

“N-No, no. I’m okay. I promise. Just in case, why don’t we wait for the others to come back and then check on Gokuhara-kun?”

“That sounds like a good plan,” Kiibo approved.

Sitting patiently, the absent Paint Night attendees returned to the A/V Room in separate bunches. Kaede with a newly-cleaned Ouma, followed by Hoshi, then Kaito last. Now with everyone reunited, Shuichi informed them of what they were going to do and gave everyone an okay to start looking in the hallways for their missing classmate. Nothing there, upstairs, or in the Game Room, where could he be? There was one room left to inspect on that level, but Kaede was apprehensive about going in with anyone besides Shuichi. What if Gonta wasn’t there and they found things they shouldn’t have? That’d throw her whole plan out of whack and ruin it all.

No. No, nothing was more important than a person’s safety. After all, nothing had been altered yet, so everything would be fine for now! She was half-willing, but life was about taking the necessary risks sometimes. Interrupting the search and gathering the others’ attention, Kaede rallied them up in one spot before the A/V Room’s door.

“He had to have gone in the library,” Kaede speculated. “Gokuhara-kun said he needed to get newspaper, so there might be some in there.”

“That’d be the only legible thing it’s got,” Hoshi said. “But, it’s not too far of a cry.”

“And for all we know, he’s probably in the one place we haven’t checked yet!” Kaito added. “Team, to the library!”

It was only a short walk across, Kaede carefully putting a hand on the door and opened it. Almost right away, the group was hit with a smell too strong for their liking and covered their noses. Other than that, nothing else stood out too differently, and the bookshelf concealing its true colors didn’t appear to have been tampered with in the meantime either. Everyone started calling for Gonta’s name waiting for a response, the sound broken by a frightened gasp from Kiibo over by the same bookshelf he didn’t know was mobile.

“Iidabashi-kun, what’s wrong?” Shuichi asked.

“Y-You… you’re all gonna wanna come see this right now,” Kiibo croaked, blanching more than his hair as he pointed a shaking finger downwards while sweat was busy budding on his face.

“Why? What did you— ...oh no. No!”

“It can’t be!” Kaede rasped, gathering with everyone at the same moment at the source of commotion.

Right at the group’s feet laying flat on his abdomen with an egg timer rolled halfway out of his open palm was the lifeless body of Gonta Gokuhara, glasses hanging from his watery, slightly reddened eyes and parts of his skin starting to blister and rash with a thin line of blood leaking out of his mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daily Life END
> 
> Students remaining: 15/16
> 
> Well, I wasn't kidding when I said the first murder would be happening pretty soon. I'm someone of my word more or less. That said, feel free to get miffed at me after this chapter lmfao. You've got more than every right to be so, trust me. Also, I forget how you're supposed to prepare a canvas beforehand, even though I've attended two paint nights up at my old school. I guess it doesn't really matter all that much by the end of it, but details are still nice even if they're small.
> 
> (BTW, in case you're quite confuzzled regarding Ouma's facepainting, I was aiming for the traditional facepaint of the Kyoshi Warriors/Avatar Kyoshi herself ^w^)
> 
> Alright, I've said what I needed to, I believe, so it's off to bed for me. I'll see you guys in the next update, aka the first investigation of this gd hot mess of a Talentswap™. Feel free to make some guesses of your own up until that point, but I sadly can't affirm/refute any of them bc that would be a huge spoiler and I'd really hate to give anything away before the proper time. The fun and point of murder mysteries is to deduce and try to connect the dots yourself!  
> Otherwise, folks: stay clean, stay safe, and just as importantly, stay freeeesh~! ♥


	8. Episode VII: Deadly Life 01 - The Deadly Art of Survival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, nevermind. This chapter went really smoothly in terms of me writing it. Still dreading the trial chapters coming up (bc I still don't know how tf perjury works or effects a trial/the trial's storyline), but this isn't my first rodeo, so I think I can at least pull through that.
> 
> Also, *Farnsworth voice* good news, everyone! I'm happy to announce that I plan on writing FTEs for the characters! Not within the same story bc that'd clog up everything and make a whole mess, but as a separate fic consisting exclusively of FTEs. I don't know when I'd start them exactly, but probably between later and the end of the story, whenever that might be. I might wait 'til after it's done, and I might start sooner. You'll see.
> 
> Until then, have fun with the now and Happy Reading! ♥

This was a nightmare. No, more than that; nightmares could at least be woken from and forgotten. What Gonta’s body before them brought was proof that Hell wasn’t just exclusive to the departed. Confusion and terror possessed everyone, shown in different ways by some of them. Kiibo hadn’t hesitated to start bawling his eyes out kneeling before his fallen companion, Kaito acted as though someone who knew the answers was hiding and demanded they showed themselves soon, Angie in her own way seemed concerned, but equally astounded if anything, and Hoshi solemnly tugged down his hoodie using a personal moment of silence.

“You said… I wouldn’t notice you were gone,” Kiibo choked, bubbles of tears dripping down his cheeks and running the eyeliner off his lower eyelid in a black stream. “That’s wrong. I’ve— now I’ve done nothing but notice…!”

“Hey, it’s not like he planned on getting murdered,” Ouma shrugged, turning seemingly distraught and into a fountain of tears. “Someone here decided his life was less than theirs and did him in when he didn’t do anything to deserve it! Oooh, big surprise that one of us committed murder! Poor, poor Gonta! Gone so young!”

"Like you really give a crap. You treat everyone like we’re all dirt!” Kaito accused, quick to point out the lie.

“Th-That’s because you are…” Ouma sniffled, playing with his thumb in his teeth. “You’re all dirt. Murderous, selfish dirt, and now—! Gonta’s gone forever, and it’s your fault!”

“My fault?! What did I do?”

“Don’t pretend you’ve forgotten! You insulted Gonta’s love of art, and now the universe has cursed you with karma! Now, you have to live with the guilt that he died having to put up with your crap!”

Kaito backed away uneasily, a droplet of sweat hanging off his brow. “I— hey, stop that. You say that as if I killed him! Just ‘cause I said art’s dumb doesn’t mean I’d go this far!”

“Or so you say. Go on, apologize! Apologize and kiss the ground for Gonta and Iidabashi-chan because you ruined everything!”

“Enough with that, Ouma-kun,” Shuichi scolded. “Momota-kun didn’t do this as far as we know, so don’t go pointing fingers where they don’t belong.”

“Yeah, exactly. ‘As far as we know’, so you don’t know nothin’! Anywhere I point my finger well may be where it should be.”

“Ah, a precious life taken too soon,” Angie sighed, getting in a prayer pose. “Atua, please watch over us with Gonta, who I wish a blissful afterlife for the glorious experience he’d gone through in this world. Peace be with you, and you shan’t be dismissed.”

“Nothing’s so glorious about being murdered, Yonaga,” Hoshi reminded her. “If anything, it’s made things even worse than before.”

“Only if you choose to see it that way, Ryouma. Why, I can practically hear His heavenly bells carrying Gonta’s soul up to His kingdom!” _Ding-dong, dong-ding_! “Yes, like that!”

“I don’t think those were bells,” Kaede corrected. “More like… a chime.”

On the library’s monitor, Monokuma popped up holding a flute of mimosa before his fancy dinner and a backdrop of a city’s nightly lights. “A body has been discovered! Everyone, please gather in the library if you’re not there already!” When the monitor clicked off, Monokuma bounced into the scene proudly. “Phew! How good it feels to say that again! For a second there, I thought you’d all lost your minds and gone cold turkey.”

“Something tells me Gokuhara-kun wasn’t the Mastermind, was he?” Shuichi whispered to Kaede.

“Obviously not!” Kaede said back at equal volume. “For many reasons! One, our trap’s nowhere near ready, and two! Monokuma’s still large and in charge right in front of us!”

“Well, I believe this calls for a celebration!” Monokuma cheered. “Since you’ll all live to see past tomorrow night, let’s all get together starting… now!” He pointed to the library door in sync with Tenko running in with the others following.

“Something’s happened! What—?” Tenko started asking until she saw Gonta’s body, backtracking with a bloodcurdling shriek as her synthetic double helix braids flew up. “Gokuhara— GZZZT! Gokuhara-san?! So, it’s true?! BTZCH! GRRMSCH!”

“Hey, quit screaming so much,” Himiko complained. “It’s only making you malfunction more.”

“I’m sorry, my— FSSZTH! Body doesn’t work well under so much stress. But, could you blame me? One of us just— GHEE-ZZZT! D-Died!”

“The fuck’s Tin Cunt screeching about now?” Miu bit, now getting a good look at what happened to Gonta. “Ah, so that’s it! Gokkunhara’s finally dropped dead! Lookit him, he’s nothing more than a rotting sack of cow patties clumped into one pile!” She plunged her nose and wafted away the strong smell in the room. “He even reeks like it and everything!”

“Hey, you mind dialing that back a bit?” Rantaro questioned, raising an eyebrow at Miu. “Or maybe a lot. Just because people don’t have respect for you doesn’t mean you can’t respect the dead.”

“F-Fuck you! What’s that supposed to mean, huh?! It wasn’t a request, so consider a 2 like you denied!”

“So, he’s really gone?” Tsumugi whimpered. “Are you all sure? Maybe he’s just passed out.”

“Yep! Dead from the neck up and down!” Monokuma cackled. “If no one was really dead, then I wouldn’t put so much time into announcing the obvious body! Also, now that someone’s finally grown a pair and murdered a classmate, the First Blood Perk is now up for grabs to whoever did it. So, go on! Raise your hand if you’re the killer of Gonta Gokuhara. ...Anytime now!”

“That means one of you degenerate males have five— SCHZZZTCH! Seconds to fess up!” Tenko barked, pointing to every boy alive in the room. “Crimes as heinous as this could only be committed by creatures as sick as you! No doubt— BZZZT! In my mind!”

“On the contrary,” Korekiyo retorted. “If anyone is to blame for this, it’s Akamatsu-san, is it not?”

“Me?!” Kaede yelped. “How dare you accuse me of this! I never killed anyone!”

“I never said that. But, you aren’t guiltless.” Kiyo’s eyes sharpened, glare darker than shadow. “If it weren’t for you meddling with my business, I’d have been able to keep checking up on where everyone was today and act quick. Perhaps I wouldn’t have succeeded, but it’s better than doing nothing. But, no, instead, you forced me to dawdle and now look. Gokuhara-kun is dead, and it’s all because of you that someone was able to kill right under our noses. I hope you’re proud of yourself, Akamatsu-san, because I can’t feel anything save for shame.”

“What could you have done to guarantee a thing? You’re right, you don’t know if going around snooping would have stopped the murder. Maybe it would have, and maybe it wouldn’t, but don’t blame me for something I had nothing to do with. If I were you, I’d save all that cheap talk for the real culprit here, whoever they are.”

“He’s probably taking it out on you because the culprit’s him,” Tenko sneered, complacent. “A creepy, predatory— STHSHT! Degenerate male such as himself would be able to do anything he wanted, and no one would know because he’s the Ultimate Detective.”

“And that’s your only basis?” Maki scoffed. “In case you haven’t noticed, Akamatsu’s not exactly hero material herself. I’m not saying she’s the killer, but her big old plan to get us all out alive just died with Gokuhara. So, good job on that.”

“Girls, please,” Kirumi politely intervened, masking the sheer guilt she’d felt from having been a distraction herself. “We won’t be doing Gokuhara-san any justice by playing the blaming game or arguing. There are far more important things to be done such as catching his killer.”

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the Monokubs rang, popping up on a smaller shelf.

“Hope we’re not too late for the Senior Sendoff!” Monosuke cheered. “Well, for one of them, anyways.”

“Aww, Gokuhara-kun died first?” Monophanie whined. “On the bright side, I’m still here, and his— urgh… dead body isn’t too gruesome to look at.”

“I couldn’t agree with you anymore on that one!” Monotaro concured.

“Now, which one of these lucky fifteen bastards is gonna be flying the coop?” Monokid questioned. “The First Blood Perk’s always the most popular motive!”

“Raise your hand if you’re the culprit. This is your only chance,” Monosuke encouraged, only for no one to do such a thing. “...No? Seriously?”

“Great! Again?! Come ooon! Free freedom doesn’t come cheap!”

“We’ll say it again,” Monotaro repeated. “Whoever is the blackened, raise your hand! You won’t get punished for murder this time!”

“...Still nothing,” Monophanie sighed. “Darn it all.”

“Expected,” Monokuma shrugged. “I guess we’re going around one more time for real! Since the blackened would rather it happened, the class trial rule is hereby permanently back in effect! ...Until I say otherwise, but don’t count on that either since you’re all just gonna waste my generosity yet again. Harumph!”

“And in case you block-headed yokels forgot how it works, this is the short and honest version!” Monokid shouted. “During the class trial, if you all put your heads together and vote for the right culprit, they get the literal axe and everyone else lives another day!”

“But, vote wrong, and it’s the reverse,” Monotaro added. “The _blackened_ will be the free one, and everyone else they fooled gets punished for messing up something so easy! It’s only fair that way.”

“All of this could have been avoided if the culprit had spoken up sooner,” Maki bit. “Good going.”

“Don’t be so mad at them,” Ouma giggled. “Not our fault they’re a coward and a numbskull! But, what else can you expect?”

“Hold your horses now!” Monokuma interrupted. “You can’t do a trial without evidence or facts! So, before we get to the good stuff, all of you will be subject to a little investigation of the murder. Otherwise, how else will you uncover the truth?”

“The first and only sensible thing I’ve heard from you,” Korekiyo partially agreed. “Without gathering proof, we’ll all be arguing like headless farm fowl in that trial.”

“Right on the money. Welp, good luck everybody else!”

When Monokuma and his children left, all discord erupted immediately. “This is so dumb,” Himiko groaned. “If I were the culprit, I’d just fess up now and call things a day. It’d save a lot of trouble for the rest of us and we wouldn’t be here.”

“But, someone as sweet and thoughtful as you would never— SCHZZZT! Kill, would you?” Tenko asked.

“I’m clearly talking hypothetically. Don’t get your bolts in a bunch over there.”

“We’d better start figuring out this mystery, or everyone’s toast,” Hoshi suggested. “It beats doing nothing at all.”

“You! Detective,” Tenko exclaimed to Korekiyo. “Who’s the degenerate male that did this?”

“Oh? Have you stopped blaming me already?” Korekiyo quipped, dull. “If so, I’m sorry to say that I don’t know yet either. Once again, no clues, no clue.”

“What a rip! We got stuck with the shitty detective who can’t even do his job!” Miu affronted.

“Hey, that’s just like the donkey-faced, waste-of-an-existence maid who’s also bad at doing her job!” Ouma laughed. “You guys are like twins!”

“D-Donkey-faced…?”

“Pay no mind to him, Iruma-san,” Kirumi sighed. “You’re very good at what you do, even if it’s done differently than others in your field. There is no one way to do something.”

“Uhh, yeah! What she said! So, why don’t you take Gokkunhara’s rotting dead dick and shove it up your ass, ya snotty little ball tumor?!”

“Oh, I’d love to! Except I’m not into necrophilia. That’s just gross,” Ouma said blandly. “Your secret’s safe with me though, Sluticus.”

“Guys, guys, concentrate!” Kaede pleaded. “I know working together hasn’t exactly turned out well before—”

“—Or ever.” Ouma got slapped up the back of his head, yelping pained as he glared at Kaito behind him.

“—But this is definitely the time to do that. Hoshi-kun’s right; not doing anything is a guaranteed death sentence! And we can’t all investigate something this big alone, so we’ll need to split up and look at wherever might be suspicious.”

“Which none of us can do by fighting,” Shuichi said. “Whether or not you like, tolerate, or trust each other, you need to cooperate now more than ever before. You _don’t_ have a choice.”

“Either we butt heads and all go down, or we don’t and can live longer. What do you think the smarter choice is?”

“The lady has spoken,” Rantaro concluded. “Let’s get started, tough to swallow as this is gonna be.”

“Kiibo?” Angie wondered, looking at the deathly quiet entomologist still kneeling before Gonta’s corpse. “What do you have to say on all of this?”

“...I…” Kiibo got out, rubbing his damp eyes and standing up shaking. “I don’t want anyone to be gone like Gonta just now. Be it one person, or all of us. But, if it’s between that, we should all get the chance to survive…”

“Nyaha! There you go! Wise words coming from the one suffering most.”

“So, guys, please. Don’t make this any worse than it’s already gotten. It does no one any good, especially not Gonta.” Kiibo balled his fingers into his hands, more tears dripping from his eyes. “I just want this all to be over and done with.”

“Yeah, so quit keeping us from getting to the juicy part and get on it!” Ouma demanded at everyone else. “I love watching a good squabble as much as the next person, but even that gets stale after a while.”

“Have we all agreed, then?” Shuichi asked, getting nods from the ones caring enough to answer. “Good. Let’s start finding Gokuhara-kun’s culprit.”

“Oh, wait, wait!” Monokuma squeaked, popping up again. “I’m such a silly old bear that I forgot one important thing to give you all!” He presented a tablet similar to that of the Monopads, but had white and hot pink lines blurred under its main screen.

“What’s that?” Rantaro asked.

“The very tool that’s going to help you all get the road moving! I give you all your first Monokuma File of our semester! It’s a detailed report of the dead body and all its basics.”

“So, it tells us who killed Gokuhara?” Himiko wondered, a finger under her mouth. “Boy, that was easy.”

“Nonsense! That’s the one thing it _doesn’t_ say. Don’t you know what ‘basics’ means?”

“Can it! I’m not accepting anything you’re trying to offer!” Kaito barked. “Take your stupid file and scram!”

“Really? We all just agreed to do an important investigation, and you’re refusing the one thing that could progress it?” Korekiyo quizzed, weary.

“Ignore him, he’s no help for anyone,” Maki said, snatching the Monokuma File. “Gimme that.”

“Oooh, eager, aren’t we?” Monokuma tittered. “Alright, you don’t need me anymore, so get crackin’!”

“What does it say?” Korekiyo asked after Monokuma left at last.

* * *

_Investigation: Start!_

Maki read off the file when she’d opened it and revealed a grayed out version of Gonta’s full body beside his enlarged face. In the “Situation” section, the screen switched to a photograph of the crime scene over the same grayed headshot, which now had his nose and mouth covered by a hot pink circle.

_The victim is Gonta Gokuhara, the Ultimate Artist._

_The victim’s body was discovered in the library._

_The estimated time of death is 5:00 pm._

_The victim was exposed to a fatal inhalation of toxic fumes, resulting in a slow, painful death._

_No other injuries were detected._

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Monokuma File #1**



“5:00?! That’s right after he left the A/V Room!” Kiibo cried. “I knew I shouldn’t have let him go alone!”

“Which is what’s going to happen now,” Kirumi spoke. “During the investigation, I propose we work in teams of two with one having an extra person due to our attendance no longer being even. If the culprit is left alone, it could permit them with too much opportunity to tamper with the evidence.”

“Guess that means I’m stuck digging around the place with you,” Miu assumed. “Let’s go—”

“—Nooo!” Ouma objected, getting in-between and claiming Kirumi’s hand. “Toujou-chan deserves much better than a sweaty whore like you! If I have no choice but to get stuck with some crummy Earthling, then I’d rather be with one that doesn’t blubber and screech until my ears are bleeding.”

“I’m not flattered,” Kirumi said bluntly. “Also, I don’t mind working together with Iruma-san at all. It’s you I’d prefer to be away from.”

“Pleeeease? You’d really rather leave me by myself?”

“...If you promise to be on your best behavior, I’ll accept.”

“Yay! I’ll be a much more interesting partner than Miu-Miu could ever think she’d be!”

“H-Hey…!” Miu whimpered.

“The nerve of Ouma-san,” Tenko hissed, glitching out again. “Forcing a poor young maiden such as Toujou-san into working with him! It disgusts me to my core!”

“Get over it, at least he’s out of our hair,” Himiko bit. “If I pair up with you, will you lower the volume as much as possible? I think I’ve got tinnitus.”

Tenko’s collar filled with pink hearts running along it, crackling in and out on occasion. “Us?! I get to work with— SHZBTZ! Himiko-chan again?! Oh, I’m so honored! You’ve done nothing but look out for me all day! Such a little body supporting a big heart…!”

“Nyeh… someone has to make sure you don’t go haywire or throw a tantrum. Though, I’m definitely starting to regret it now.”

“Sorry! I’ll be quiet starting right…” Tenko raised her arm, pulling down a volume slider and lowering her overall sound to talk more hushed. “Now.”

“Ahh… much better.”

“Working in groups means you too, Shinguuji-kun,” Shuichi spoke before Korekiyo could go off on his own. “Complaining isn’t gonna get you out of this, so you’ll be with me and Akamatsu-san.”

“Toujou-san only said not to go off alone,” Korekiyo said as everyone split off into pairs. “So long as I’m within sight, I’m technically not breaking the deal. You two may stay at my side, but this shall be left in the hands of a— by comparison— professional.”

“I thought you didn’t wanna do any cases by yourself?” Kaede pressed.

“Like I’ve really been given an option. I had to grow up sometime, and that’s today. Besides, you two have made it very clear you wanted nothing to do with my aid before, so why change that now?” Pulling down a white glove at a time, Kiyo fit his long fingers into them and proceeded to Gonta’s body. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve a lost life to investigate. This is no situation to deal with either of you fooling around, be it with the case or each other.”

“Maybe rephrase that last part…?” Shuichi gulped.

“You don’t need to try and do an autopsy,” Kaede chided. “The Monokuma File already told us the cause of death.”

“Indeed, but is that sufficient information? ‘Fatal inhalation of toxic fumes’ tells me nothing. It’s brash, close-minded assumptions such as this is why you wouldn’t make it out in the world as even a novice sleuth.”

Kaede rolled her eyes so hard they hurt for a second, glaring down at Korekiyo. “Fine, ‘Inspector’. What did you find?”

“One moment, I’m still looking it over.” Kiyo pulled a small, black rectangular case from his pants pocket, unclasping it and picking the small brush and magnifying glass to use first. He rolled Gonta onto his back and dusted him carefully from head to tie, looking through the lens at each spot. “I’m not seeing any fingerprints, so that rules out any possible foul play from someone else.”

“Which means it might not have been a direct murder. At least, not one involving the culprit walking up and taking out Gokuhara-kun.”

“That’d be difficult to accomplish in itself. Gokuhara-kun was a large fellow with just as much strength to name.” Korekiyo switched his brush for a flashlight keychain, turning on the bright light and examining both of Gonta’s sclera and reddened skin before moving onto his throat. “Interesting… he died suffering from an acute eye irritation, a slight rash, and he coughed up a good amount of sputum, too. _Bloody_ sputum, I may add.”

“He was coughing up blood?! How awful!”

“You’re telling me, but it at least supports the Monokuma File well enough. Now, if only we knew how the culprit got their hands on that much poisonous gas that it would unjustly kill such a gentle giant…”

“It’d depend on what kind of gas it was. Different poisons cause different reactions and aftereffects, all while taking into account your intended target’s height, weight, and other personal factors. No one gas is exactly the same as the other. Similar, but not the same.”

Korekiyo turned to Kaede perplexed, his hand to his chin while he blinked a few times. “...I would certainly hate to ask what sort of situation you’ve been in that you’ve seen someone succumb to poisonous gas.”

“Crime show. Sometimes, it’s on late at night and nothing good’s on TV, so I just use it as white noise while doing my homework.”

“Alright…”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Gonta’s Condition**



“Hey, what’s this?” Shuichi asked, about to pick up the egg timer halfway in Gonta’s hand until Korekiyo got him away from it.

“Don’t touch evidence without the proper hand protection. You could spoil it.” He took the timer instead, examining it thoroughly. “Nothing too odd here, except that Gokuhara-kun was holding it before he perished. What would the culprit want with an egg timer?”

“Maybe they needed to time something. To pull off the perfect crime, wouldn’t any little tool be useful?”

“Very likely. This school doesn’t exactly have the exact resources for murder, but I’ve seen some rather creative uses in my time. Such as a break-in involving the use of duct tape and a mallet, to name one.”

“And any evidence is good evidence,” Kaede decided. “Our turkey definitely used this.”

“But, what for?”

“I think I might know. Saihara-kun, don’t you remember earlier when we all heard that weird ringing noise from the A/V Room?”

“Yeah,” Shuichi said. “That must have been the egg timer! It sounded just like one.”

“Question asked, question answered,” Korekiyo stated.

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Egg Timer**



Korekiyo put a hand over Gonta’s eyelids, shutting them forever and placing his glasses back over them before bowing in respect for the fallen. Waiting a few moments longer, he moved on with Kaede and Shuichi to the library’s other parts to see if it was hiding anything else. Tenko and Himiko were still around, looking high and low for the same thing and coming up dry so far. Only Kaede approached them, the other two not wanting anything to do with the robot’s intense hatred of men.

“Akamatsu-san— BZZZTSZ!” Tenko spasmed, getting ahold of herself. “How goes the investigation?”

“What?” Kaede asked, putting a hand to her ear to catch the low volume.

“Hang on,” Himiko said, lifting Tenko’s arm and turning her back up to her normal level of talking.

“Thanks,” Tenko replied. “I asked you how the investigation is going— FSHEHT! For you.”

“Oh, uhh, well enough. We found a lot of evidence. You guys?”

“None visible,” Himiko sighed. “But, apparently, Tenko here has smell-o-vision, which is really handy.”

“It’s nothing too big, really,” Tenko giggled, flustered. “All I did was detect the change in molecules since the room kinda stinks— SHHCHZ! —And I thought it might mean something. Other than that, it’s not a function of mine worth making a big old fuss over…”

“What are you saying?! That’s definitely worth the fuss!” Kaede rooted. “What did you find? Do it!”

Tenko’s eyes glowed chartreuse, turning her head slowly back and forth to get another good reading of the library. “All done! Currently, I’ve found 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and roughly 1% of argon.”

“Meaning?”

“Normal air. But, that’s not all. See?” Tenko pointed to her collar scanner, which depicted the air components in text moving across from it before something else popped up.

“‘Fading, but noticeable traces of Cl2 molecules’?! Of course! It all makes total sense now!”

“Cl2?” Himiko asked.

“Dichlorine, which is a really fancy way of saying chlorine gas,” Tenko said. “The smell’s starting to ease up, but it’s not entirely clear yet.”

“Man, you weren’t kidding about being able to read the air literally.”

“I did say I have many— BZZZTCH! Different functions handy.”

“Did your readings pick up on where the gas came from? Like a stronger starting point that could be its source?” Kaede asked.

“Over— GHTCH! There.” Tenko’s finger led Kaede’s eyes to the vent above, which looked to be plugged up unnaturally. “A stream of it is starting from that vent and towards that bookcase before it disperses out to the rest of the library.”

_‘So, it’s leaning more towards the Mastermind’s secret door, huh? I’m starting to get the feeling Saihara-kun and I aren’t the only ones who know about it after all…’_

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Chlorine Gas**



“Anything?” Korekiyo asked when Kaede returned to them.

“Yes. The toxic gas the Monokuma File was hinting at was chlorine.”

“Chlorine?!” Shuichi respired. “But, that’s one of the most deadly gases out there!”

“Exactly why our culprit wanted to use it to their advantage. And I think I know where it came from. Shinguuji-kun, I’m gonna need a serious boost up.”

“Use this,” Korekiyo said, rolling the mobile ladder over to Kaede. “Be careful.”

Kaede moved it under the vent, climbing up and examining the vent and seeing its grate plugged up with ripped wads of paper. “I wonder where these came from?” Below it, she saw the stacks of books and spotted one appearing strangely thinner than its brethren, opening it to see it missing lots of pages. “Huh?! Now the culprit’s a vandal?!”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Stacked Books**



“What do you see up there?!”

“The vent shaft is clogged with… paper.” Kiyo didn’t need to know where the paper came from, likely to throw a fit over ruined literature. Removing a few wads closer to the bottom, she not only saw fragments of damp stains on them, but the frightening smell of bleach punched her right in the nostrils. “Gah! Yep, this is definitely where the chlorine’s coming from…”

“Get down here. I don’t want you dropping dead too and cracking your skull open on impact.”

“A little TMI, Detective. A little TMI.” Kaede stepped down the ladder, handing Kiyo the stained piece of paper.

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Stained Paper Wads**



“How are we gonna see what’s inside the vents if we can’t go near it?” Shuichi asked.

“I know. Tenko-san, do you mind coming here for a second?”

Tenko hurried over after promising Himiko she’d return, immediately by Kaede’s side. “What is it?”

“Do you think you could climb up that ladder and peek inside the vent really quick? We… can’t go near noxious fumes.”

“It’s no trouble! Just leave it— ZTSZZT! To me.” Tenko hastily climbed the ladder, adjusting the vent grate until it pushed inwards halfway, stopped against a pile of soaking wet white towels. “Hello, what have we here?”

“You found something?” Shuichi asked.

“Uh-huh! These.” Tenko removed the odorous towels, which lost a drop of liquid at a time.

“Oh, those things are dripping with chemicals…!” Korekiyo gagged, blocking his nose with the others.

“Is anything else up there we should know about?” Kaede questioned.

“Yes. I see… a little fan!” Tenko examined the miniature pink desk fan positioned facing the left diagonally while standing on the right side of the vent, blowing air on its highest setting.

“For an electric fan to be placed inside the vent… ah, alright, that makes sense,” Korekiyo deduced. “The culprit wanted as good of a ventilation as possible, so they had it dispersed from the source of it all.”

“Thanks, Tenko-san!” Kaede cheered, watching her step down the ladder carrying the towels. “Eugh. Are you sure it’s safe to move those?”

“We already know chlorine is what caused all of this, so I’ll be getting rid of these to prevent anyone else from breathing it in,” Tenko informed her.

“Before you do go, where were you prior to the body announcement?” Korekiyo asked, only getting a smug, unfriendly look from Tenko.

“I don’t answer to degenerate males. Mind your own business.” Tenko left the room with Himiko following behind, Korekiyo rolling his eyes annoyed.

“How helpful…”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Library Vent Items**



“Are we all set here?” Kaede asked.

“We should be, I believe. Unless Saihara-kun saw something he’d like to share with us?”

“Thanks for asking, I almost forgot,” Shuichi confirmed, taking them back over to Gonta’s body and pointing to half of a thin string coiled around the pole. “I found this, but I wasn’t sure if it connected to the murder or not until I looked a little harder.”

“Here’s the other half,” Korekiyo said, tracking it going up and inside the vent. “This one’s much longer, but you’ve definitely found something crucial.”

“The culprit must have initially used a string, but then it got cut for some reason. Why?”

“Hiding evidence. Once their deed is done, they wouldn’t just leave things as they were before.” Kiyo used his magnifying glass for examining the spot where the string was severed, noticing a dash of gray along the edge. “But, in doing so, they’ve only left more of it behind.”

“What did they leave?” Kaede quizzed.

Taking his pinky finger and sliding it along the string, Kiyo sniffed it a few times and put it to his tongue for a split second, smacking his lips and registering the flavor. “It tastes like… clay. Normal artist’s clay.”

“Fitting because the Ultimate Artist was murdered, but did you have to lick it?”

“Don’t judge my methods. Bizarre to you is effective to me.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Clay-Covered String**



The group of three finally moved on from the library, unnerved at it having turned into the resting place of someone struck down far too early. In shifting over to the A/V Room for some other bigger clues, they were astonished at coming up rather dry despite Gonta having been there all day. Aside from them, no one else went inside to investigate save for Angie and Kiibo, who was stuck staring at the projector still displaying the poster he and Gonta made to promote a genuine cause. Cyan eyes once vibrant and peppy were now grayed with sorrow, his mouth unable to move past its short, flat line.

“Iidabashi-kun,” Korekiyo spoke delicately, showing nothing but condolence for him. “Are you certain you’re okay to do this? You’ve taken the brunt of it more than anyone.”

“Hmm? Oh,” Kiibo got out quietly. “Don’t worry about me, Shinguuji-kun. I need to do this, but I’ll also need some time to… you know. Think.”

“I understand. I won’t convince you that this part is easy, but if you have valuable information, I will have to ask for it. Erm, why don’t we start with where you were before five o’clock and anything you possibly saw, too.”

“Like a testimony? Okay. Umm… because Gonta and I planned for Paint Night to be from 4 until 6 tonight, we took an hour before that to do set-up. At 3, we were in that classroom upstairs right before the stairs… borrowing some of the desks. We were going to put them back later!”

Korekiyo wrote down what Kiibo recalled. “Calm down and get back on track. So, you two were in Classroom 1A, I assume?”

“Yeah, that one! It took us only a few trips because Gonta could carry a lot on his own without breaking a sweat, but I pulled my weight. Then, around 3:15, we went to the warehouse because we finished putting the desks in place, and set-up was done by 3:40.”

“I see. Did you leave the A/V Room at any point between your return from the warehouse and 3:40?”

“No.”

“Okay, then that’s out of the way. Who attended aside from yourself, Gokuhara-kun, and Ouma-kun?”

“Them.” Kiibo pointed to Shuichi, Kaede, and Angie while they all exchanged information. “Also Hoshi-kun and surprisingly Momota-kun.”

“Finally, an alibi. Thank you for sharing that with me, Iidabashi-kun. You’ve been a great help today.”

“I wish I could agree… I couldn’t even keep my own friend alive.”

“Gokuhara-kun’s death was in the control of the killer, not you.” Korekiyo finished writing down his note, somber gold eyes staring the paper down. “...It’s more than normal to feel remorse at the things you must do to bring the truth to light, but your job comes first for the safety of yourself and everyone involved. In spite of that, we can still get through this.”

“Hearing it come from you somehow makes it sound believable, but what’s gonna happen to us after? The culprit has to die after we expose them.”

“...I wish nothing more than to be able to say, but I can’t.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Kiibo’s Testimony**



“But, Kaede! You know where I was at the time of Gonta’s murder!” Angie giggled. “Why, you and Shuichi were there, too!”

“I know, but I’m asking about before Paint Night started,” Kaede corrected. “There’s no way you’ve been there the entire time since the A/V Room needed to be decorated for the event.”

“Ooooh! Why didn’t you say so?”

“I did… forget it. Could you please just tell me what you were doing before you came to Paint Night?”

“Well, initially, I was going to wait outside until the boys had finished set-up. But then, Atua informed me of a much better idea, and beckoned me to seek the courtyard for Paint Night. And so, at about five past 3:00, I did. Wouldn’t you know it, there was an entire pile of rocks at my disposal right outside the doors!”

“Now we’re getting somewhere,” Shuichi said. “Do you remember what time you came back inside?”

“Hmm… it felt to be about 3:20, so around then, I presume. I remember on my way to the basement, I saw Miu and Tsumugi having lunch together in the dining hall together since I heard one of them screaming about a missing ingredient. I checked to see what the problem was, but Miu told me to—”

“—Get lost?”

“Yes, but far less appropriately. So, I did!”

“Definitely sounds like Iruma-san…” Kaede exhaled.

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Angie’s Testimony**



Kaede, Shuichi, and Korekiyo all set out for the Game Room, where they heard the raucous sound of laughter mixed with disgruntled demands. Quickly opening the door, it turned out to be Kirumi chasing Ouma around the room. Her motive was gripped within his little fingers, which pilfered her black treble clef headband and left the center of her head messier from how suddenly he’d yanked it. Although Kirumi was fast on her feet when pushed enough, Ouma was sadly smaller and faster, continuing to evade her with little trouble.

“Don’t take things that don’t belong to you!” Kirumi barked, jumping to snatch her headband and only landing on her feet when Ouma jumped away.

“Gotta do better if you wanna catch me, Toujou-chan!” Ouma cackled. “Heeey! Here’s a good spot to throw it!”

“If you throw my headband, you’re going to wish you were never born!”

“Oh, not today, actually. I’m too busy with the investigation and whatnot.”

Kirumi stopped, now highly concerned. “What?”

“Ha! ‘Twas but a lie, you gullible Earthling! No wonder you’re so slow that you don’t even notice where I’m about to throw this thing.” Ouma instead ran over to one spot and merely released the headband. “Oopsie!”

“Ugh… so, you only dropped it.” Kirumi went to pick up her headband, noticing something else after she’d put it on. “Oh. What’s this?”

“May we see?” Korekiyo asked, spooking the pianist who now looked ashamed of herself.

“Shinguuji-kun! I— please excuse me, I was just getting out of your way. Don’t mind me.”

“I beg your pardon? You’re not—” Kirumi ignored him, stepping aside fast and keeping a distance to his confusion. “...Odd. I do wonder what’s gotten into her.”

“Yeah, it couldn’t have had to do with the verbal smackdown you gave Akamatsu-chan earlier,” Ouma hummed. “After all, people who want you to ‘goof off’ are why Gonta kicked the bucket and should be proud of themselves.”

“What are you getting at? I said that about one person who—” It hit him, turning to see the distant expression on Kirumi and feeling awful. “...Oh. Now, I see. Toujou-san, I wasn’t—”

“—It’s okay,” Kirumi lied, forcing a smile. “I won’t make the same mistake in holding you back twice.”

“Great idea!” Ouma cheered, ripping Korekiyo away from Kirumi and turning him back to the gas mask and a black earpiece he’d found. “Who needs distractions coming from people that can’t even look down to see what’s in front of them even though it’s as clear as day?”

“You could have simply told me what you’d found instead of making me chase you around the room. Or are you just that insistent on making people’s lives harder?”

“How much fun would it have been if I’d just pointed it out to you? I’m not the one at fault for being slow in the head and clueless.”

“You will stop that at once,” Korekiyo snarled. “Toujou-san is being very helpful, and all you’re doing is causing more of a ruckus for everyone and hindering this crucial investigation with nothing but nonsense.”

“Right, because I’m not progressing things by finding important evidence. You got me, Shinguuji-chan! Caught me red handed!”

“He does have a point for once,” Kirumi agreed. “While I’d have appreciated him being more straight-forward instead of toying with my head, he did find these. So, actually, thank you for helping out and doing your part, Ouma-kun.”

“At least I know how to do it. You should be the one thanking me for deciding to pair up with you in the first place, or you’d be stuck on the same problem.”

“There isn’t any need to act like that. I was simply being grateful that you lent your insight and used it for good. You could have said nothing, but you did.”

“If I said nothing, I’d be dead because some lily-livered scumbag committed murder. Quit making this about you and do something useful.”

Deciding to pay no more heed to Ouma, Kirumi surrendered the evidence to Korekiyo. “Shinguuji-kun, this was all we could find in here. I leave this to you.” With that, she left the Game Room without another word, Ouma departing around the same time.

“Just once do I wish he’d leave the rest of us alone,” Shuichi groaned, hand to his bangs. “It’s like his only setting is ‘troublemaking’ and it’s seriously getting on my nerves.”

“Were life only that simple,” Korekiyo said. “Ouma-kun is without a doubt impish, but as with a good portion of people in the world, there’s bound to be more than meets the eye. If only I could figure out what that is for him.”

“What else could even come close to being there? He’s hateful, obnoxious, and harasses people that don’t deserve it. Kids like those are bad people who aren’t worth your tears.”

“Alright, now that’s being a tad extreme. For all of his many, many faults, I don’t think Ouma-kun’s inherently an evil person. It’s very likely there’s indeed plenty of good inside of him, but he refuses to let it show.”

Shuichi folded his arms, scoffing. “Yeah, right.”

“Maybe it is,” Kaede concurred. “Not everybody’s willing to show people their more vulnerable side. I think it’s the same case with Ouma-kun, too.”

“Let’s move back onto the important stuff, okay? Remember the murder we’re trying to solve?”

“Ah, right. Please excuse me for getting sidetracked,” Korekiyo apologized, turning his attention more to the evidence. “The gas mask is obvious, but what’s this thing?”

“It looks like some kind of device. Maybe it goes in your ear?”

Peeking through his magnifying glass, Korekiyo saw small bits of brown wax on the little rubber tips, nodding. “And you’d be right. It has built-in earbuds, and I’m not seeing any musical devices around here, so I deduce we’re looking at some sort of portable microphone.”

“Was the culprit trying to listen in for something?” Kaede asked. “If so, there should be two; one for picking up sound, the other for receiving it.”

“How are we gonna find the other one?” Shuichi wondered.

“There is an idea…” Korekiyo pondered, turning on the earpiece. “We’ll need to go back to the library first. Follow me.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Gas Mask**



Doing as told, Shuichi and Kaede returned to the library with Kiyo, who stayed at the doorway with the piece close to his ear. “Now what?”

“I’ll stay here and listen, but you two keep going around the room making some noise. Not too loudly— remember, this is first and foremost a library— but just enough that the earpiece will pick up on the other one.”

“Sounds easy enough. Come on, let’s start,” Kaede advised.

Making random noises, words, and sounds, the two roamed around the room yammering into as many spots as they could find. Korekiyo blocked his open ear to hear the gadget best, waiting for a response. Eventually, he heard Shuichi’s noises the loudest through the earpiece, giving him the signal to stop and hurrying over to where the Aikido master stood currently. Fumbling around the bookcase, he failed to notice Shuichi and Kaede’s nervous faces fearing he’d discover what they did in secret. As luck would have it, the bookcase didn’t open and instead, Kiyo pulled out an identical earpiece attached to its lowest plank.

“And here we have it. Lady and gentleman, I give you the second half of the evidence,” Korekiyo affirmed, presenting it. “You were right, Akamatsu-san. One was used to pick up on whatever happened in this library, and the other for the culprit to listen to.”

“But, where did either of these come from?” Kaede queried. “Maybe the warehouse?”

“Not likely. Take a look here at why.”

Korekiyo put the earpieces underneath his magnifying glass, Kaede and Shuichi carefully looking closer at where he wanted them to. The enlarged, bright green writing on its surface gave away the devices’ true manufacturer. In doing that, however, it also made one person seem even more suspicious than usual, notably with recent, cryptic behavior. And now, there had been hard proof jammed right inside the pudding for it.

The next person the three sought to track down was the only one able to claim “Amami” as a trademark signature on any sort of new creation, even if it pained them to start coming up with accusations no matter how logical they seemed.

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * ****“Amami” Brand Earpieces**** ** ****** ** ******



* * *

A short trip up the stairs brought them right next to Classroom 1A, outside of which they spotted Rantaro doing his share of investigating alongside Maki, who didn’t look to be interested in doing much of anything except for leaning against the wall with her arms folded. She hardly acknowledged Shuichi, Kaede, or Korekiyo, simply throwing a blank look their way once and turning back indifferently. It didn’t matter; they weren’t here for her, anyways, and went straight to Rantaro’s side.

“Amami-kun, you’ve got some explaining to do,” Kaede demanded.

“Whoa, okay. Look, if this is about our little talk earlier, it wasn’t anything personal,” Rantaro clarified. “You just caught me at a bad time is all.”

“Oh, we caught you alright! Care to explain why we found earpieces with your last name etched on them?”

Rantaro looked stunned. “You what? That’s impossible. Prove it.”

“They were small, black, and had the name ‘Amami’ written in green on both of them,” Korekiyo said.

“...Huh. Alright, I guess you got me. Those are definitely my doing, but I dunno how they got downstairs.”

“Don’t you? Are you certain you weren’t involved in any way?”

“If you’re asking if I killed Gokuhara-san, the answer’s no. But, then again, anyone could say they didn’t do it whether or not it’s true, so I’d hope you don’t just go based off that.”

 _‘He’s really not helping his case…’_ Shuichi thought. “Amami-kun, can you at least tell us more about the earpieces? Or where you were before the murder?”

“I can show you the rest of ‘em, but I’m afraid what I was doing is between me and one other person.” Rantaro pulled out the same rectangular box Shuichi and Kaede were familiar with, showing off a full set of earpieces with two empty slots. “I thought I kept a tight loop on these, but I guess not.”

“Okay… now tell us your alibi and anyone else you might have seen then, too,” Korekiyo advised.

“Easy. I was in my Research Lab at roughly 3:30 today. As for anyone else, I can guarantee Yumeno-san was with Tenko-san in her bedroom.” Rantaro looked at Maki, who still wasn’t paying them heed. “Oh, and I think I saw her crawling around the grasses on my way there, too.”

“Doing what?” Shuichi wondered.

“Who cares? I was outside at the same time as him,” Maki bit. “I’ve got my alibi, so drop it.”

“Everyone here’s so secretive at what has to be the worst time,” Kaede huffed.

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Rantaro’s Testimony**



Inside the classroom, the remaining four students were split into pairs: Hoshi and Kaito looking near a closed vent with Tsumugi and Miu examining the front of the room around the podium. Kaede’s group didn’t miss a beat in going over to the two boys despite not minding Tsumugi much, seeing them looking through the slits and prodding at getting it open. When Kaito pushed it inward, the vent grate went up and opened up to reveal its secrets. A stroke of his finger on the other side picked up on something, easily poking a small hole to his bewilderment.

“What is this?” Kaito asked, peeling off part of it and staring at reflective, crinkled metal in sheet form. “Hang on, it’s… is this foil?”

“Can’t imagine what else it’d be,” Hoshi guessed. “How come there’s foil on the vent grate? That’s a great way to stop the AC from getting in here.”

“You say so as if it were a bad thing,” Korekiyo hummed. “But, it’s all but certain that’s exactly what the killer wanted.”

“For what?”

“Listen very closely.” Kiyo leaned into the vent with the others, picking up on the sound of faint whirring from the other end. “Do you hear it?”

“Is that… the desk fan?” Kaede wondered.

“Correct. And where did Tenko-san happen to find it?”

“The library,” Shuichi answered. “That means, this vent connects the classroom and the library!”

“Very good. Which also reveals how they were able to get the chlorinated gas in the vents without making a mess or getting too close to Gokuhara-kun.”

“Gas?” Kaito quizzed, taking a few small sniffs inside the vent and plugging his nose instantly. “Eugh! Yeah, something smells a little rancid in this thing.”

“It must be still lingering,” Hoshi concluded. “So, the killer put foil on the grate so the gas wouldn’t stink up the school from here? Is that what you’re saying, Shinguuji?”

“Yes,” Korekiyo confirmed.

“Wow. How thoughtful they only wanted to kill _one_ person instead of all of us.” Hoshi was being entirely sarcastic, eating the rest of his candy cigarette. “I wonder why they didn’t smoke out everyone when they had the chance.”

“Knock it off already! We talked about this!” Kaito snapped. “You should be thankful we’re all still alive!”

“Not for long if we don’t find the killer, we won’t be.”

“Which is why the killer’s identity is as good as ours! I believe in our finest crew and everyone else to find the answers, so get back to work with me so that can happen!”

“Since you’re saying so…”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Aluminum Foil Screen**



“What the fuck?! I’ve been looking all over for this!” Miu barked, holding up a bottle of white vinegar and shaking it. “Just my luck, some shithead used it all up!”

“You mean the culprit?” Tsumugi inquired. “They’re the only person I can think that used it before you got the chance.”

“For what? Some lumpy little baking soda-spitting dildo they tried calling a science project? That’s a waste of something that could’ve been used by my perfect hands!”

“No, Iruma-san, the murder.”

“Ah, whatever. This is useless to me now, anyway.” Miu threw the bottle, which hit Kaede on the head.

“Oww!” Kaede yelped, marching over with the vinegar bottle angrily. “Watch where you’re throwing this thing!”

“Or what, Saggy Ti—”

“—Choose your next words wisely, or _else_.” Kaede gripped the plastic vinegar bottle, crushing its middle in her hands whilst death glaring at Miu.

“Heeee! D-Don’t hurt me, Mistress Akamatsu! I’ll be good, I p-promise you! See? No bad words here…!”

Kaede had to stop Miu from dusting off her head from where the bottle hit and fixing her uniform. “Stop. That’s enough. What else did you guys come across back here?”

“Well, we found the empty bleach bottle for one,” Tsumugi stated. “And then… oh, right! I saw another bottle over here.” She went directly behind the podium, picking up a large bottle of bleach and showing it off. “Strangest part is, it’s not even entirely full. Some of it’s been dumped out.”

“An empty vinegar bottle and a jug of bleach only halfway used,” Korekiyo pondered, weighing the liquid in the bleach before writing down the information. “Kukukuku… would you not say this is a _unique_ choice of chemicals present here in this classroom?”

“No, I think the culprit knew exactly what they were doing,” Kaede figured out. “There’s nothing ‘unique’ about it.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Bleach & Vinegar**



_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“Alright, everyone! The moment you’ve all been waiting for has arrived!” Monokuma announced over the monitor, using the same city lights backdrop and props as before. “Will all students report to the Shrine of Judgement located in the courtyard? It’s the big old dome cage with the red door, ya can’t miss it! From there, you’ll all be escorted to the trial room! See you there!”

“Oh no, the time’s up already?!” Tsumugi gulped. “But, we’ve just barely begun investigating!”

“No need to worry, Shirogane-san,” Korekiyo comforted. “I believe there’s just enough evidence on us to catch our killer.”

“Got any clue who the bloodthirsty bastard is?” Miu asked.

“Based on testimony, evidence, and alibis… there is a very good chance someone sticks out. So, I’ve got a very good idea that will be tested during the trial.”

“You know who the culprit is?!” Kaede cheered. “That’s wonderful! Who is it?”

“I’m not telling you.”

“Wh-What?! You’re joking right now, aren’t you?”

“Give me one reason why I would pick a murder investigation to joke.”

“Hey, piss-for-brains! In case you haven’t noticed, if we don’t know who the killer is, we’re all fucked!” Miu yelled. “Spill the beans already so I don’t go under like the rest of these unpopped cherries!”

“If you want the answer for yourselves, you’ll have to use your own minds to solve it. There’s no one here under the age of two years, so I see no reason to spell out anything for people capable of thinking for themselves.”

“Some detective you are,” Kaede hissed. “You’ve got an idea on the one piece of info that could save our lives, and you won’t even tell us what you think.”

“That is the gist of it, yes.” The annoyed look on Kaede’s face wasn’t letting up, equally displeased as Shuichi, Miu, and Tsumugi. “...If you’d like, I’d be willing to throw in some hints that will help you reach the same conclusion as me. Nothing too obvious, but a little thinking will give you what you’re looking for. Goodness knows you could use plenty more of my help.”

“Wow, that’s such a generous offer.” It wasn’t. It really, really wasn’t.

“You can take it, or you can leave it, because I’m not offering anything else.” Putting away his notebook, Korekiyo headed out the door first. “Shall we be going?”

“Right behind you…”

“The fuck bit Shitguuji in his asshole today?!” Miu spat. “Pompous cocksucker can’t even be useful in his own profession! I’ve gotten better answers from my dustpan!”

“He not only chooses the worst time to be cryptic, but he’s also got the balls to talk down to me like he’s better. I didn’t ask for his help, and yet he acts like I should be worshiping where he walks!”

“Look, I get Shinguuji-kun’s being a little… difficult right now,” Shuichi stated, choosing the least inappropriate of words to use, “but he does have the same goal as we do. If you had to work with people who weren’t say good with kids or cleaning, wouldn’t you be a little testy about them not doing it right?”

“That doesn’t mean I’d go and treat them like they’re second-rate!”

“No, but you’re used to the profession, not them. And in really critical situations where it’s do or die, you wouldn’t be able to afford any slip-ups. One wrong move and it’s game over for you and everyone you’re trying to keep safe.”

“Saihara-kun does have a very good point,” Tsumugi agreed. “Like, if someone arguably less plain than me was in training for being my successor, I’d want them to get everything right or it’d ruin all my hard work. That’d be plenty to make me mad! As such, Shinguuji-kun feels the same way.”

“It doesn’t mean he has the okay to look down on us,” Kaede muttered.

“Well, he is the tallest student now that Gokuhara-kun’s gone—”

“—You know what I mean! ...I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have snapped like that. This is just a really stressful situation and I don’t want it getting to me.”

“It’ll all be over soon,” Shuichi reassured her, offering his hand. “Partners?”

Kaede paused, but smiled his way when taking the hand. “In stopping crime.”

Everyone headed from their current point of investigating to the front doors of the Academy, perusing through the courtyard and down its steps. Were it not for the recent tragedy, it would almost be a nice stroll or sit outside under the artificial sun. Some took a bit more time than others, being split up in different areas and taking other routes to get outside. As Monokuma instructed previously, the students went in past the birdcage’s red door except for Kaede, Shuichi waiting to go inside when he saw the torn look on her face.

“Something on your mind?” Shuichi wondered. “Is it the trial?”

“No. Well, yes, but,” Kaede hesitated, “it’s about our plan. I didn’t act fast enough, and now look what’s happened. One of us gave into the Mastermind’s wishes and consciously put a stop to someone’s life.”

“There wasn’t any way of knowing this would happen. Yeah, it definitely feels like a kick in the gut because you feel like you failed in some way, but nothing’s totally over.”

“Except for my promise to get all of us out alive.”

“Well, okay, yeah, that went down the drain, but now’s not the time to give up altogether. Even if you can’t get everyone out, you still have a chance at ending the killing game so the rest can still make it. Isn’t that better than nothing at all?”

“I guess. I was just shooting for the best cast scenario and it didn’t happen.”

“There are gonna be setbacks big and small bound to stomp on what you might want in life, but you still need to find a way past them. Like an obstacle course: would you just turn around and go home, or figure out how you’ll go around?”

“One sounds the easiest to do, but I’m no quitter! Not all obstacles are impossible to get through; just really, really tough. Thanks for stopping to give me the picker upper, Saihara-kun.”

“What can I say? Some of the best might have rubbed off on me. You can always run and hide when life gets its scariest.”

“Right on the money! Life’s not all about giving up or backing out.”

“Hey, there’s a reason they call it a _quickie_!” Miu barked, peering her head through the doors. “Get your asses in here so we can get this stupid trial over with!”

“How about you mind your own business and keep out of our conversation?” Shuichi sneered. “If we had anything to say to you, we’d have said so.”

“Gh— bah, whatever! I d-don’t give a flying pig’s shit what you two do out here. Monokuma can deal with you for all I care! The less headaches I gotta pick up after, the better!” Miu slammed the doors, but neither of them were concerned.

“As I was saying, we can do this. Every one of us, including you.”

Kaede looked on at Shuichi heading for the inside of the birdcage, quickly reaching for him. “Wait!” she pleaded.

“What’s wrong?”

“I… there’s something you should know. About our plan. I haven’t been entirely honest with you.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Well, to start, it was definitely a plan involving defeating the Mastermind. But, more specifically—”

“—Can you guys swap spit later?” Ouma interrupted, pulling Shuichi and Kaede in to join the rest of them. “The trial’s gonna start, and I’d hate for you guys to miss it! It’s gonna be fuuun~!”

 _‘It won’t…’_ they both appeared to think at the same time, Kaede having given up on her important confession for then.

“And so it begins…” Rantaro uttered. “The Mastermind’s bound to be throwing themselves a party seeing us here.”

“Wherever they are,” Tsumugi whined. “To think anyone could celebrate someone getting murdered, especially if they didn’t do anything in the first place!”

“Lots of people in the world are that sick and twisted,” Hoshi stated. “They get a kick where otherwise would instead cry.”

“Oh-ho, ‘lots’ would be putting it very lightly!” Ouma chuckled. “Try ‘all’.”

“No, Ouma-kun, just ‘lots’,” Kiibo sighed, still full of gloom. “There are some people out there that wouldn’t dream of taking this lightly or enjoying it.”

“Of course you’d say that. You’re a pathetic Earthling just like everyone else here! Props for sticking to your guns, at least.”

“Hey, knock it off. Iidabashi-kun’s gotta be taking this the hardest,” Rantaro chided. “No one wants to do this except Monokuma, so don’t pretend it’s so easy for anyone else.”

Ouma raised his hands, still not appearing to take any of it seriously. “You got me! Lock me up and throw away the keys, Amami-chan!”

“Please do,” Himiko requested. “It’d actually be semi-peaceful around here with him gone. Right, Iidabashi?”

“I don’t want anyone else gone,” Kiibo sniffled. “Not even Ouma-kun deserves to go through what Gonta did…!” Using his whole hand to pinch his mouth, he clamped his eyelids together as defense against his burning tears. “...If I had to pick, I’d only want him to behave. Nothing more, and nothing less.”

“Sheesh, I— I only meant like keeping the guy away from us, not dead.”

“He gets it,” Tenko said delicately, going haywire for another moment. “Let’s let him be so he can have some space.”

“Nyeh, fine by me. ...Sorry for your loss.” Kiibo didn’t respond to Himiko that much, only putting a despondent hand halfway up and shaking his head without making eye contact.

“Didn’t you hear the walking paper shredder? Scram!” Ouma butted in, shooing her away from Kiibo. “You’re only making him feel worse by breathing down his neck! Geez!”

“Robophobic scum!” Tenko snarled, coming to Himiko’s defense without question. “Instead of Gokuhara-san, it should have been you that—!” Ouma pointed to Kiibo cockily, making Tenko remember what he’d said. Balling her fists and overcoming another glitch, she growled at Ouma and walked away. “You know what I want to say.”

“Tenko-san, it doesn’t matter,” Kirumi said. “You’re still seriously injured from the Exisal attack, and the last thing to do is getting stressed out. I’m no robotics expert, but it’s bound to worsen your system.”

“A very good point— GHTZZZ! Come to think of it, my malfunctions have been… pretty bad since today.”

“Really? Did something happen?”

“Uhhh…” Tenko glanced at Himiko, who was busy talking with Tsumugi. “...No. I probably tripped! Common acci— DTSHSHZ! Accident.”

“You aren’t lying to me, are you? Unless you landed on something besides soft ground, I doubt one little fall would be this serious.”

“Nope! I’m not. Just a little trip, promise!” Tenko spasmed again, trying to cover it up with a forced smile.

“Mmm-hmm… if you insist this is the truth, then I’ll take your word for it. I only want you to remember that I don’t mind easing your worries if you need to tell me something. I’m best at that.”

“Oh, no need to tell me twice. That calming, gracious aura you’ve been giving off since Day 1 is all the proof necessary! But, I insist I’m fine. Don’t waste too much time on me if you don’t need or want to.”

“If I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t suggest it. You’d be in very good hands with me.”

“Hey, if this is where we’re hosting the trial, where has Monokuma gone off to?” Angie wondered.

“It’s not,” Rantaro corrected. “This is probably just the entrance to the real deal. Question is, how do we get inside?”

Suddenly, the fountain’s unsettlingly muscular Monokuma statue holding a stone goblet to pour the water out started to rumble with the entire area. The deep tolling of bells rang out, the statue gaining sentience in response and crushing its cup into pieces using its bare (well, _bear_ ) hands. It began to sink, only accepting such while the waterfall parted by the center and revealed a metal elevator gate, the passageway growing from it and becoming accessible to everyone. All eyes were glued to the process, but no one said a word after regarding it and focused more on what they’d just been given.

“Wow…” Ouma breathed. “...Let’s do that again!”

“No,” Korekiyo interjected, grabbing Ouma by the shirt collar and pulling him back from the stone bridge. “Don’t walk into things you aren’t sure are safe.”

“Whaddya mean? This is so obviously the way to the trial room! If anything, I’m doing what I should be for once!”

“I’m not getting on that thing,” Tsumugi gulped. “It looks dangerous.”

“Yeah. We don’t know exactly what it does,” Himiko shuddered.

“Then you two can get left behind and face the consequences,” Maki scoffed. “I, on the other hand, am getting this over and done with so I can get back to business.”

“We’ll be fine,” Kaede insisted. “This is most likely the way to the trial room, so we’ll get past this all in one shot! This is no time to get scared.”

“Everyone stay together and don’t go in separately,” Kirumi further advised. “This is by no means going to be pleasant, but it’s doable, whether we like it or not.”

“You heard the ladies, let’s roll,” Rantaro concurred.

“If they’re not giving up, then we’ve got no excuses!” Kaito roared, revved up. “Team! Move out!”

“Yeah… let’s get going,” Kiibo suspired without any enthusiasm.

The 15 students crossed the stone bridge, biting back dread in their own ways and boarding the metal elevator. When it shut after all of them were on, it started what felt already like a long descent down to a place which would be only one’s deathbed. It fell at a normal pace for any elevator, but no one was sure if it wasn’t going fast enough or going too much knowing how it’d end. During the miscellaneous comments and chatter, Shuichi got closer to Kaede, who gave him her attention when quietly asked for it.

“You wanted to tell me something earlier, what was it?” he asked.

“Regarding the you-know-what, you mean?” Kaede whispered, Shuichi’s nod answering. “Oh. Uhh… now isn’t a good time to tell you. Not in front of everyone else.”

“Oh. Yeah, I guess it’s better safe than having your conversation eavesdropped on. Take your time telling me. You know you can trust me, don’t you?”

“And I do.” Kaede grew distant, unable to meet Shuichi’s tepid eyes. _‘If only you could still do the same back with what I wish I didn’t have to tell you.’_

After some time, the elevator finally came to a halt. Its only door opened, freeing the students only into more danger and allowing them to walk out. There was no way out of it now, not without sending another person to their demise (assuming they could figure out who they were) and the rest living with the consequences forever. Here went nothing, at the cost of everything…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: Fucked up an important piece of evidence and got rid of what would contradict logic heavily. It was small, but still, bro,,,,,,, .w."
> 
> Okay, nothing's happened yet, but forget what I said last chapter. Now that you guys know the Truth Bullets, it should be easier to guess who the killer is. Of course, I can't affirm or deny any of them, but I can at least kick back and read all your wonderful guesses. I'm also always happy reading your wondrous comments (usually at your expenses since I'm killing off everyone you and I so dearly love 'XDc), so thanks a bunch, y'all!
> 
> (Also, may I just say how much of a breath of fresh air it is to see Rantaro doing the first investigation/trial? It mega sucks Gonta's gone, but there's a slight silver lining [?], at least)
> 
> Wish me luck in writing the trial(s) from here on out, and I'll figure out the mechanics soon enough to make it feel as authentic as possible! See you lovely folks next time and stay safe out there during such trying times! ♥


	9. Episode VIII: Class Trial 1.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just one day before Kaede and Shuichi could enact their plan to stop the Mastermind, Gonta is found dead. Left with no other choice, they must conquer the first Class Trial and find the person responsible for such a crime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trials I predict won't take too-too long to get up since they're mostly dialogue-heavy as I recently rediscovered (that and I'm shit with writing them; it's not as easy as it looks, kids ;m;"), so I'll be getting these up in no time whatsoever. After the trial's officially done, it'll be back to my normal pace, but at least you guys won't be on the edge of your seat for a long, long while! That's something to look forward to.
> 
> (Podium arrangements are the same as canon bc if it ain't broke, don't fix it)
> 
> So, because this is the first of a few big chapters, I won't keep you guys with my rambling. Enjoy the very first Class Trial™ for the Talentswap! Have fun!

“Hip-hip, hooray! You all made it!” Monotaro cheered, standing in the middle of his siblings just in front of the judge’s seat. “This is the best part of the game, paws down!”

“Just as the mighty prophecy foretold!” Monokid panted. “‘When darkness veils the world’—!”

“—No, Monokid, that’s someone else’s prophecy,” Monosuke corrected. “All these kids have to do is do the trial and die. ...Or not. Depends who it is.”

“Still no walk in the park for anyone who ain’t got the stomach for it! Whether you do or you don’t, you’re stuck here!”

“By any chance, does that apply to just the students?” Monophanie gulped.

“Nope! We’re here to see it from start to finish, too!”

“Oh… joy. Can’t wait.”

“Me neither!” Monotaro whooped. “Once Daddy gets here, we can officially get things underway. No take-backs!”

“No bitching out!” Monokid cackled.

“Everyone in this room will be past the point of no return,” Monosuke concluded, equally delighted.

“Buckle in, folks! This is gonna be a bumpy ride!” Monophanie giggled, Monodam mute as usual.

“What kind of courtroom has a circle of podiums?” Hoshi wondered. “I thought this was a trial, not a debate team meeting.”

“Porque no los dos?” Monokuma asked, springing up and plopping down on his mighty throne. “After all, you still need to do lots of debating to get your answer.”

“Don’t say that like this is just a normal discussion!” Tenko barked, shivering from another spasm. “One of us isn’t going to leave here at all!”

“Except in a body bag, of course. Assuming there’s enough of them left to fill one.”

“Nishishi! So, this is reality, huh, folks?” Ouma laughed, the casual grin contrasting to the half-hearted tone of voice he’d taken. “Where do we start?”

“Over there. To my knowledge, you all can read past a grade school level, so stand behind where you see your name.”

Going from one spot right of Monokuma’s seat counter-clockwise, the students’ official order ended up being Rantaro, Tsumugi, Korekiyo, Angie, Maki, Hoshi, Kirumi, Kaito, Shuichi, Miu, Kiibo, Tenko, Ouma, Himiko, and lastly Kaede. Right next to her would have been Gonta’s seat, but was instead replaced by a tall sign with his grayed-out headshot stained by a red “X” reminisce of a paintbrush’s hasty doing. His lack of presence was depressing, but all the more reason to go on with the trial. Whoever was responsible, was willing to kill such a kindhearted individual was not getting off easily on Kaede’s watch.

* * *

_Class Trial: In Session!_

“Since I’ve had to have said it hundreds of times before, you all must know how the class trial works,” Monokuma assumed. “Discuss every last piece of the case down to the moving of dirt grains, figure out who the killer is from that info, vote for them, and see where it goes! Remember, vote correctly, and the blackened gets punished. Vote incorrectly, and they’ll be going free while the rest of you get the belt for incompetence!”

“We know,” Kiibo sighed. “What if we don’t want to vote and send someone to their death?”

“Then you’ll just die with them! Participation is as important as it is mandatory, so don’t be a dummy! Now, with that off my back, let’s get this trial underway!”

“Kukuku… here we go again,” Korekiyo quietly chuckled, unconsciously gripping his forearm and barely resisting doing the same with the other hand. “And it’s either I testify, or we all but one go under and suffer…”

“Not surprising for a detective to be at a trial,” Himiko said. “But, why are you shaking like a leaf? This should be second nature for you.” Kiyo didn’t respond, only mumbling something to himself. “...Hello?”

“Don’t lose composure and do not waver, the truth will set you and everyone free… not saying what you know is no better than withholding it. Get not distracted by fear or anything holding you back—”

“—Shinguuji!” Himiko raising her voice was enough to snap Kiyo out of his stupor blinking dazed a few times.

“Huh? Oh, dear me, I must have zoned out. I’m very sorry about that, Yumeno-san.” Releasing his hands, Kiyo straightened himself out. “But, yes, this is not my first trial, even with the arrangements Monokuma put together. We’re the jury, but also the defense attorney, prosecutor, witnesses, plaintiff, and defendant with a mad judge.”

“I’ll _be_ mad if you don’t get going!” Monokuma snapped.

“Okay, then where do we start?” Rantaro pressed. “There’s lots of good points in the case, but we don’t know which to pick.”

“How about the motive?” Miu suggested. “It was the First Blood Perk and whatnot, but the culprit bitched out of taking it! What gives?”

“Right, like anyone could just raise their hand and say ‘Hey, look at me! I’m a dirty murderer, but it sucks for you guys ‘cause I’m getting off easy despite what I just did!’,” Ouma lampooned. “I’m almost in stitches how you don’t think before you speak! Props for lightening the mood, Iruma-chan!”

“It was a simple question! Quit suckin’ yourself off like you’ve got me or something!”

“You both have very good points,” Kirumi stated. “On the one hand, the First Blood Perk would have allowed for an easy escape, but on the other, not many would be so willing to expose themselves and endure the shame.”

“Even if they are getting out— GHSSHT! Without the rest of us,” Tenko added.

“Well, to want something, you wouldn’t pass it up,” Kaito suggested. “So, the culprit must have purposely wanted a trial to happen, right?”

“The only person I can think of that’d be that sick is Monokuma,” Rantaro said. “Full offense.”

“None taken!” Monokuma laughed. “Unfortunately, Amami-kun, I’m not who you’re looking for. Did you forget rule number 9? ‘I, Monokuma, will never directly commit a murder’. If I did, then everyone would be pointing to me and that sucks all the fun out of it.”

“Maybe not you, but what about whoever’s controlling you? Are they included in that rule, too? Or would that give them away if they kill someone?”

“What now?”

“Answer!” Kaede barked, slamming her hands on the podium. “If the Mastermind is one of us, are they allowed to kill without the risk of getting punished?!”

“Wait, _is_ the Mastermind one of us?!” Kaito gasped. “No way!”

“That’d definitely keep them under the radar well enough,” Maki pointed out. “Not to mention, it’d be stupid trusting everyone because you’re making yourself an open target for the Mastermind’s schtick.”

“What a shame, if that’s true…” Tsumugi lamented. “Everybody here seems so nice and everything.”

“Don’t judge anyone by their cover. Sweet on the outside could be anything but on the inside.”

“Guys, wait a minute. I never said one of us was the Mastermind,” Kaede insisted despite knowing that was the case. “Just only if or not. Well, Monokuma? Is it one of us?”

“Hmm… nah!” Monokuma chortled. “You guys may be Ultimates, but you’d have to get up pretty early to boss me around! Could you imagine? A student being in charge of the Headmaster?”

“Yep, pretty silly!” Ouma pretended to agree, smirking at Monokuma knowingly. “Guess that rules out one of us being a traitor! Everyone can sleep with both eyes closed now!”

“Either way, that rules out Monokuma being the culprit after all,” Hoshi realized. “Trial’s back on, everyone.”

“Try started!” Monokuma rectified. “I’ve done nothing but listen to you all ramble about all but the kitchen sink! Did you forget about poor Gokuhara-kun that easily?”

“Never!” Kiibo objected. “Guys, I really hate saying it, but he’s right. We need to focus on the case and nothing else.”

“How about we figure out the poor guy’s last moments?” Rantaro suggested. “Starting from there will help us figure out just what we didn’t see.”

“An excellent idea,” Korekiyo agreed. “Once we get that out of the way, everything will unravel itself to our benefit.”

 _‘That clinches it,’_ Kaede thought. _‘We’ll need to start a little slow, but sometimes you need to crawl before you can walk. Here we go!’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Monokuma File #1 >**

**|| Chlorine Gas >**

**|| Gonta’s Condition >**

**|| Stained Paper Wads >**

“Let’s review,” Tsumugi started. “Gokuhara-kun was killed **at around 5:00 today** without any of us even knowing about it.”

“None of us except the killer, of course,” Korekiyo said. “That much deliberation put into such a crime was no accident.”

“That monster!” Tenko cried. “They’d better count their blessings that they made it to the trial, or— BZZSTH! They’d be dealing with my wrath! Which is a fate worse than death for human males everywhere!”

“It’s also worth noting that the body was discovered **in the library just a little past 5:30** ,” Angie brought up. “Poor thing. Having your own remains ignored for over half an hour!”

“And since Gokuhara-kun was a rather large fellow, suffice to say **the library was where he met his end** ,” Kirumi stated. “Even in 30 minutes, it’d be hard moving him undetected from Point A to B.”

“You’d be surprised what people are capable of! He could have kicked it upstairs and then had someone move him,” Ouma pointed out. “Not that that happened, of course. I’m just throwing out funny ideas.”

“That means whoever killed him knew he was in the library,” Himiko guessed. “And once alone, they could waltz in, **get their grubby hands on him** and finish the job.”

**|| Gonta’s Condition >**

“No, that’s wrong!” Kaede objected.

_Break!_

* * *

“There actually wasn’t any way for the culprit to go near Gokuhara-kun and kill him,” she resumed. “When Shinguuji-kun did a quick check on him when the investigation started, there wasn’t **a single fingerprint** present.”

“Eh? Is that right?” Himiko yawned. “Maybe they had gloves on or something. It’s not too hard to keep the oil on your fingers off surfaces.”

“On the contrary,” Korekiyo retorted. “The Monokuma File made it clear that Gokuhara-kun sustained no physical injuries that would be brought on by another, nor did I notice a hair out of place when I looked at his body.”

“Huh. Well, I’ll be darned. Usually, the culprit and victim get physical before the big murder, just like in Detective Conan. Shinguuji, someone wouldn’t happen to be using you as a sleeping puppet right now, would they?”

“Umm… no. I’m afraid I don’t understand what you’re implying, and I dare not ask.”

“We’re dealing with a pretty crafty killer here to be able to pull this off and leave so little evidence behind,” Rantaro deduced.

“So, if nobody touched Gonta before he died, how’d someone get him?” Ouma quizzed. “Unless one of us is a phantom, there’s no way for it to be an up-close-and-personal murder. They’d have to be _real_ stealthy to do it. Kinda like an Ultimate Ninja!”

“Ninjas aren’t around anymore, moron,” Maki bit. “If the body was spotless, no one was in the room when it happened.”

“Aww, really? That’s so lame and disappointing! Just like you!” Ouma whimpered for a moment, then switching back to a more devious mode. “Well, if it wasn’t a ninja, then that means one thing.”

“This oughta be good,” Kaito uttered.

“Because Gonta was alone and unscathed when he was killed, this was no impromptu killing. As was previously brought up, the murder was planned in advance.”

“So… someone’s wanted to kill Gonta before today?” Kiibo exhaled.

“Good question! Can’t say I know or care. But, it’d take nothing short of a miracle to do it on the spot without thinking ahead first. No, this was all fully intentional without any ‘heat of the moment’ bullcrap.”

“And why should we believe you?” Kaito tested. “You can hardly go two minutes without pulling a lie out of your ass! This could just be another one like it!”

“While some people do lie _that_ much, I’m not one of them, meathead."

“I’d bet! You’re probably trying to cover up your guilt by leading us all on!”

“Maybe. But, as far as I see it, this trial’s motto is ‘everyone’s guilty until proven innocent’. So, if you don’t wanna listen to me, that’d be fine were it not for me potentially dying like the rest of you.”

“Can you just cooperate?” Shuichi demanded. “Are you the culprit or not?”

“Nishishi! You’re really asking that in the middle of this? Nobody ever fesses up just because they’re asked! Good try, though.” Ouma’s eyes sparkled, pretending to be intrigued. “Oooh, what if I really _am_ the culprit after all? It’d be just like throwing tomatoes at yourself in the mirror, but it’s you! You’re whodunnit! Man, that’d be such a twist!”

“Forget him, Saihara, he’s got nothing important to say,” Maki assumed.

“Actually, Harukawa-san, he does and just did,” Korekiyo defended. “Since there was no sign of physical injuries on Gokuhara-kun, it can only mean the culprit did not use a visible weapon to commit the crime.”

“My hero! Coming to defend my honor!” Ouma swooned.

“I’m doing this for everyone, not just yourself. Don’t act as though I’m giving you special treatment. Anyways, if the culprit wanted to do it on the spot, they would have just taken any old sharp weapon or blunt object and attacked then and there, but that didn’t happen. Rather, it was planned long enough ahead and conducted in a manner resulting in relatively clean hands.”

“Okay. Then what did they use?” Maki interrogated. “Some kind of disappearing act?”

“No, but now it’s pretty convenient you of all people bring that up, Shamdalf the Shite,” Miu bit. “Your junky street talent would make you best at using smoke and mirrors to make a murder this tricky.”

“Whoa, hey! She’s not the culprit!” Kaito argued.

“Really? How do you know that? Were you guys 69-ing when Gokkunhara shit his pants and croaked? If so, better tell us the deets of how bad you were in bed!”

“As the Ultimate Magician, I do know some tricks,” Maki admitted plainly, then glaring at Miu darkly. “Not to mention, I’ve made potions with ‘severed tongue’ as the main ingredient. Wanna volunteer? It’s been a while.”

“Heeee! N-No, I don’t! I was trying to be funny, b-but I fucked that ball so hard it was screaming ‘Mommy’ in more ways than one! Still, it doesn’t mean you’re suddenly not the k-killer, and that definitely ain’t helping!”

“You can’t prove Harukawa didn’t do it either!” Kaito barked. “I’m believing in her, so if she’s clean, then she’s clean!”

“That’s a horrible way of justifying it,” Hoshi said bluntly. “It’s pretty much the same as being in denial, so if Harukawa’s the killer, are you still gonna ignore the facts?”

“It’s not the same as being in denial! A lot of faith can go a long, long way!”

“Someone’s not rolling very high in ‘Diplomacy’, or ‘Persuasion’ as it’s in some editions,” Himiko hummed. “That was at least a 2.”

“Make it -1, give he’s got a Charisma of minus 3, probably,” Maki noted.

“Whose side are you on?!” Kaito complained. “And what language is that? This ain’t some tabletop!”

“It doesn’t change the fact that you’re not making any strong arguments, even if they’re supposed to be in my favor.”

“And without a solid backing, Harukawa-chan could be the killer,” Ouma said.

“I still think it’s you, you putrid little menace,” Tenko snarled.

“What? Since when do broken down machines think? This is news to me.”

 _‘I don’t wanna jump the gun and assume it’s Harukawa-san yet, but this was no disappearing act!’_ Kaede thought. _‘They’ve gotta see so or it’ll be too late for all of us but the real culprit!’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Clay-Covered String >**

**|| Rantaro’s Testimony >**

**|| Bleach & Chlorine >**

**|| Monokuma File #1 >**

“ **Harukawa is definitely the culprit**!” Miu claimed. “She does nothing but spend all of her time cooped up in her room blabbing about supernatural bullshit!”

“Sounds pretty suss to me,” Ouma teased. “It’s always the quiet weirdo that winds up doing the killing!”

“And this case involves killing someone **without touching them** ,” Tsumugi brought up. “Magicians are really good at doing things hands-free.”

“I’m telling you, she’s not it!” Kaito fought. “There’s no way she’d **commit murder like this or at all**!”

“How do you know? You hardly even know her!” Ouma laughed. “She probably works with decapitated voodoo heads and curses them!”

“N-No, ‘cause curses ain’t real…”

“Oooh, Maki! You have shrunken heads in your possession?” Angie wondered. “May I see them?”

“I’m not dignifying that with a response,” Maki rejected.

“Hmm, you didn’t answer either of my questions exactly…”

“Well, without proof, we really can’t prove **Harukawa-san didn’t do it** ,” Kirumi guessed.

“And she definitely **wasn’t at Paint Night** earlier, either, so she could have easily set it up and gone about her business,” Hoshi suggested.

“Not to mention the lousy job she’s doing as defending herself!” Ouma laughed.

“If she is guilty, it’d explain how Gokuhara-kun died without encountering the culprit,” Tsumugi pointed out. “An easy disappearing act to make herself **hide in the library and strike from afar** could have had to do with it.”

**|| Monokuma File #1 >**

“No, that’s wrong!” Kaede interjected.

_Break!_

* * *

“Don’t you remember what the Monokuma File said?” she asked. “The cause of death was listed as a ' **fatal inhalation of toxic fumes** ’. So, there really was no one else in the room as Harukawa-san and Ouma-kun mentioned before.”

“You can’t just assume that, Akamatsu-san,” Tsumugi argued. “Just because the murder method was gas-related and no one touched Gokuhara-kun doesn’t mean the room was really empty. There’s plenty of ways to smoke someone while still being present.”

“Yeah! She could have put together some weird poison potion, stood outside the door, and let ‘er rip with her victim inside,” Miu added.

“My potions aren’t gas-based, they’re liquid-based,” Maki fought. “Besides, even if I wanted to kill someone, why would I waste a perfectly good vial to do that? Those things don’t grow on trees, you know.”

“Still, it doesn’t necessarily have to be all gas,” Kiibo pointed out. “The liquid would still be potent enough to release an odor.”

“Boom! Busted!” Ouma cackled, pointing and jeering at Maki. “I knew you’d be a killer at some point!”

“I can and will curse you with my worst,” Maki threatened. “You’ll be experiencing a string of bad luck for a full week until on the seventh day, you’ll get crushed to death helpless to stop any of it from happening. Even by then, it’ll be the best thing that winds up happening to you.”

“Hey, hey, easy does it with that,” Kaito said, fearful. “Let’s not take things too far, okay? We’re just trying to find the culprit, and it’s not you.”

“...Whatever. If I hypothetically _did_ use one of my potions to stink up the library, where are the shards? My vials are glass and wouldn’t stay intact if I threw them at the floor.”

“Exactly,” Kaede confirmed. “And there wasn’t any glass or remains of anything else breakable on the floor near the spot where Gokuhara-kun died.”

“She wouldn’t have to go right up behind him and smash the bottle, Cutting Board Boobs!” Miu snapped. “It could’ve been a really big one, or enough smaller ones broken to make more gas.”

“Still not possible,” Maki said. “Both would make more shards on the ground— which there weren’t— and I don’t own any vials bigger than a baseball. Also, do you know how many of those it’d take to kill Gokuhara? He wasn’t exactly tiny or frail, you know.”

Miu laughed so hard she fired spikes of saliva from her mouth. “Maybe not in terms of height! It’s always the tall ones that compensate for something!”

“I guess we can eliminate that idea,” Tsumugi mused, ignoring Miu like the others chose to. “Sorry, Harukawa-san.”

“I don’t care. Just find the culprit and stop talking,” Maki demanded.

“Toxic fumes, huh?” Kirumi pondered. “Well, that obviously means Gokuhara-kun was gassed to death, but it wasn’t done around the time he died. Everything was set up well before the murder, we just aren’t sure how that’s so yet.”

“Did anyone notice any secret traps planted to fire poison gas?” Angie asked. “Sort of like little, built-in sprinklers, but for something besides liquid.”

“I don’t think those exist,” Rantaro refuted. “Besides, if they’re automatic, chances are they could get reactivated if someone got too close to the same spot as Gokuhara-kun. Designing them to work only once would be pointless because you can’t guarantee your target is gonna walk in when you want them to.”

“It wasn’t sprinklers or anything so fantastical,” Korekiyo affirmed. “Akamatsu-san might have an idea on the source of the gas. Don’t you?”

“Uh— yeah, I do, actually!” Kaede declared. “But, what was it?”

“Here’s a hint: for enough gas to flow, it needs to be open. To prevent that, you would do what to its open space?”

_‘Okay, that… sort of helps. I think. There was something I saw in the library related to that. Something that prevents gas from leaking out…’_

**|| Stained Paper Wads >**

“I get it!” Kaede raised her index finger, now confident. “When we were investigating the library, Tenko-san showed me something very important. You remember, don’t you?”

“Sure, but— VZZSHT! I didn’t just show you one thing,” Tenko said. “Which are you talking about?”

“The library has a vent, but when I checked it out, a lot of **paper wads with stains on them** were jammed in the grate. And since the slits in the vent are really thin, it doesn’t take too much to clog them and block out any air coming in.”

“Oh, that’s right! I saw some of them when I helped you check it out.”

“Which means, the poisonous gas came from the vents, not from the library floor or anyone coming inside to see Gokuhara-kun.”

“Very good, Akamatsu-san,” Korekiyo commended. “It seems you were paying some attention during the investigation after all.”

“I’ll pretend that compliment wasn’t backhanded…”

“So, what? One of us just put poisonous gas inside the vents?” Kaito asked. “Now, call me crazy on this, but you can’t— you know. Move gas. At all.”

“In other news, the moon is very far away from this dump,” Ouma ridiculed. “Even considering the primitive species I’m being forced to debate this with, I really don’t think anyone here seriously believed that’s what happened. You must be a special kinda brainless to bring that up. Bravo!”

“You think I don’t know that?! That’s why I’m saying it’s not possible! If you think you know so much, then go ahead. Tell me how the gas got into the vent system in the first place!”

Ouma whimpered like a kicked puppy. “Gosh, why would I know? I’m just a poor, helpless little boy who just wants to live to see his next birthday!” Putting his hands behind his head and smiling without a care, he shifted moods in a flash. “So, if I had to guess, I’d say it was a liquid. ...Or a solid. Maybe a soliquid for all I know. Anything capable of turning into another form of matter given the right push.”

“If it was a liquid, the floor would be soaked,” Hoshi pointed out. “There could have been something solid that was lit on fire so the gas could leak out and kill Gokuhara, but that’s not likely either.”

“How do you figure?” Himiko asked.

“Well, to light anything on fire, harmless or not, it’d leave plenty of smoke around the place and set off the fire alarm. Or failing that, you’d still notice the really sharp scent between the murder and when we walked in.”

“Eh, maybe it wouldn’t have to be a fire. The vents get really hot if you tamper with the heat enough, and some things melt at lower temperatures than others.”

“Not likely!” Monokuma butted in. “I have full control of this place’s overall thermal system. If I let you kids have a say in it, everyone would be fighting over it. One minute, this place is boiling hotter than the desert, and the next, it’s a winter wonderland! Yuck! Make up your minds!”

“Why do I feel like Pops isn’t totally over our little incident with messing up the thermostat?” Monosuke wondered.

“Gee, I dunno. What could’ve possibly give you that idea?!” Monokid snarked.

“Please forgive us for that, Daddy. We know better now because we’re growing up smart and handsome like you!” Monophanie begged.

“D’oh, I know! All my sweet little cubs take after their Papa!” Monokuma cooed. “The point is, the vents can’t be tampered with using a switch, so heating it up isn’t possible for anyone but me.”

“I guess you were right after all, Hoshi,” Himiko said. “But, if it wasn’t a liquid or solid—”

“—Or soliquid,” Ouma joked.

“—Then what was in the vents? I don’t think it’s very easy getting plasma.”

“No, I think it’s definitely something in either liquid form or solid. Good luck finding plasma on demand. But, hey! I could be making things up again, for all you know. I’m not what most call a ‘reliable source’.”

“The biggest understatement of the goddamn century,” Kaito exhaled.

“I’m surprised he outright admits it,” Hoshi said. “Why bother doing anything if you’re just gonna be a nuisance?”

“I only admitted to being unreliable,” Ouma corrected. “I didn’t outright confirm a thing. You just came to that conclusion all on your own.”

“How much would it take to permanently zip a human male’s mouth closed?” Tenko wondered, the shifty look on her face confirming she was highly considering it.

“You could try, but I’d never make it easy on you!”

 _‘Ouma-kun’s actually right on this one, though,’_ Kaede said internally. _‘No one’s gonna believe him on their own, so I’ll have to be the one persuading them since… well, I’m not a known liar.’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Chlorine Gas >**

**|| Library Vent Items >**

**|| Bleach & Vinegar >**

**|| Aluminum Foil Screen >**

“There are lots of things in this school **containing some not-so friendly elements** ,” Rantaro pointed out. “But, nothing was melted down because of Monokuma’s temperature restrictions.”

“Or chilled,” Kiibo added. “And unless the culprit **laboriously funneled the gas** , I’m not seeing how they got it in there.”

“Even doing that wouldn’t get the gas far enough down the vent from wherever they started,” Kaito stated.

“No, something was used to **make the poison gas** from scratch,” Shuichi insisted. “And I know what it is, too.”

“You do? Why didn’t ya say so?!” Ouma asked lightheartedly.

“It was too soon to bring it up. Be a little more patient, and I’ll get to it.”

“Hurry up and spit it out, Shyhara!” Miu barked. “Don’t swallow!”

“Mind your tongue, Iruma-san, there’s a time and place for everything,” Kirumi politely told her.

“Such as telling us what **the culprit put inside the vents**!” Angie chirped. “Go on, Shuichi. Atua beckons for the most important evidence to be heard. Say it loudly and proudly!”

“He certainly remembers from **our share of the investigation** ,” Korekiyo noted. “Unless his memory’s picked the worst time to lapse…”

 _‘Wait. Saihara-kun did say something right,’_ Kaede realized. _‘Lemme go back a bit to the beginning of the discussion…’_

In her recap, Kaede picked up on Shuichi claiming how “something was used to **make the poison gas** from scratch”.

**|| Bleach & Vinegar >**

“I agree with that!”

_Break!_

* * *

“Back when we saw Shirogane-san and Iruma-san in the classroom, they found some **chemical bottles** hidden near the podium,” Kaede recalled. “To be exact, **half a bottle of bleach** and an empty **thing of vinegar**.”

“Those are both liquid chemicals, though,” Maki bickered. “Were you not listening when we already said how that’d make an obvious mess on the floor?”

“And I’ll clean anything short of a stable, but I’m drawing the line at murder scenes!” Miu snapped.

“No, I know,” Kaede said, unaffected by either comment. “If you pour either of those down a vent, it’s going to leak out and leave a nasty puddle after. Which, the culprit clearly anticipated, so they went and nipped that in the bud.”

“So, it really was a liquid?” Ouma asked, smiling. “Well, I’ll be a son of a gun! I’m reliable after all!”

“Uhh, no. You’re still a liar,” Himiko refuted.

“Sure am! But, one who’s more right than you’ll ever be.”

“Now, see here, degenerate male!” Tenko shouted, getting into a defensive stance and glitching again from her severe injuries. “You will treat Himiko-chan with all the respect she deserves, and no less! It’s typical for you to have no class or honor, but at least fake it until you make— GHAZT! It!”

“Sounds awesome! Except, no, I don’t feel like it.”

“You two are both being equally pesky,” Himiko groaned, pulling her hat over her ears. “At least one I can stomach better, but she keeps biting the hook.”

“Like a fish?” Tenko asked.

“It’s an expression. I’m basically telling you to say nothing when that purple space freak opens his yap.”

“The best advice anyone could ever give to someone here,” Hoshi agreed.

“Akamatsu, I get how cleaning agents could be unsafe to drink, but sniffing them can’t kill a guy,” Kaito said. “Well, bleach maybe, but vinegar? Nanna used that in her cooking and she’s still out there goin’ stronger than ever!”

“Maybe not by themselves, but mixing chemicals definitely makes some interesting results," Kaede hinted.

“They might have been mixed because only one was totally empty with the other partly used,” Tsumugi brought up. “You’re definitely onto something there! How’d you get so smart?”

“I just filled in the gaps and came to the right spot. But, now here’s the kicker. There’s only one kind of gas that would make sense from what we all found.”

“Bleach AND vinegar mixed together? But, that’s—!” Miu gasped. “No fuckin’ way! Really?! You don’t mean…?”

_‘I do. And Tenko-san picked up on it with her air reading, so the molecules don’t lie.’_

**|| Chlorine Gas >**

“I get it!” she continued testifying. “When you mix bleach and vinegar together, the results are dangerous. So much, in fact, that it creates **chlorine in gas form**.”

“And in case you bottoms haven’t taken the hint at this point, chlorine is poisonous,” Miu spat. “It’s why you use bleach and vinegar separately for great results when you clean, but not together unless you’ve got a death wish. Once you breathe enough of that stuff in, you’re gonna forget what clean air feels like in your last moments from how bad your lungs burn.”

“I knew there was a reason for those items being where we found them,” Korekiyo pondered. “To artificially create one of the most elements on the periodic table, someone must have wanted to ensure Gokuhara-kun did not die peacefully. They wanted him to suffer, to writhe and choke, gasping for mercy that would never come. And his last breath was forced out after his body gave into hypoxia and couldn’t take another moment—”

“Dude, could you lighten up a little?!” Kaito barked. “You’re creeping everyone out more than usual!”

“No, no, keep it coming! He’s such a breath of fresh air from the other detectives I’ve seen!” Monokuma chortled. “Sorry to say Gokuhara-kun no longer _gets_ fresh air.”

“But, you’re not sorry at all, are you, Father?” Monotaro laughed.

“Darn skippy, I’m not! I’m loving every second from there and onwards!”

“My, Daddy’s having such a good time,” Monophanie commented. “It’s so nice having a father able to see the beauty in everything.”

“No matter how vile, like Monodam,” Monokid insulted, still no response from his green brother. “Will this bastard say something already?!”

“He can’t. You broke him,” Monosuke said. “On the inside.”

“Meh. Fine by me! Guy’s a little bitch to deal with, anyways!”

“So, there you guys have it,” Shuichi said. “Gokuhara-kun died from inhaling chlorine gas put in the vents. Just as the Monokuma File implied.”

“Which has officially put us a lot further in the case as of right now—!” Kaede started to cheer.

“—Your flawed logic is seriously bugging me!” Kiibo objected.

“Huh?! What do you mean?”

“I mean, there are far too many holes in that claim for me to ignore! If you want this trial to end in everyone’s favor, you’ll need a stronger answer than that! And I’m gonna tell you why yours doesn’t work right here, right now.”

* * *

_Rebuttal Showdown_

_-Truth Blade-_

_Start!_

**|| Clay-Covered String || X | ######]**

**|| Gonta’s Condition || X | ######]**

**|| Library Vent Items || X | ######]**

**|| Angie’s Testimony|| X | ######]**

**|| Gas Mask || X | ######]**

“While it’s true that chlorine gas is highly lethal when inhaled, it’s not likely to have been put inside the vents.”

“You can mix all of the bleach and chlorine you want, but it doesn’t change the fact that they’re liquids!”

“If you try and pour those down a vent shaft, they won’t stay long enough for the gas to disperse.”

“And Gonta was a huge fellow! You’d need a _lot_ of chlorine to— erm… yeah.”

“Not to mention, you forgot where the vent was and where Gonta was found. That’s a really long distance!”

“Dichlorine is approximately 2.5 times heavier than normal air, and will thus seep towards the ground in lower areas.”

“Not that I’m saying it outright wouldn’t spread to other parts of the room, it’d just be a lot tougher than any other poisonous gas.”

_Advance!_

“ **B** **ut even if it doesn’t stay up as easily, the culprit still did something to make sure it went the way they wanted**!” Kaede claimed.

“Monokuma outright said he has full control of the ventilation system,” Kiibo argued back. “And he admitted to not meddling with them, so the inside would be completely still.”

“Personally, I’d rather not listen to a word he’s saying, but he at least seems to be taking the class trial somewhat seriously!”

“So on that, if chlorine gas did leave that vent shaft, it’d start sinking. Since Gonta was quite tall, he’d be less susceptible, thus reducing his exposure even slightly.”

“It’s also very dangerous to be near yourself, so how could the culprit get themselves that much exposed without facing the consequences as well?”

“You pour in the bleach and vinegar, but it doesn’t suddenly just not go near your nose and mouth."

"Gas molecules do not discriminate and will disperse anywhere you can breathe!”

“Gosh, I hope I’m not rambling. Where was I going with this…? Oh, yes!”

“Which means there was **nothing inside that vent** stopping the liquids and turning them into a lethal brew!”

**|| Library Vent Items || X | ######]**

“I’ll cut your words!” Kaede declared.

_Break!_

* * *

“There were plenty of things inside the vent to make sure none of the bleach-vinegar mixture leaks out of it,” she proceeded. “In fact, Tenko-san found **a small desk fan** **and** **some soaked towels**.”

“Towels? Oh,” Kiibo realized. “Okay, that certainly explains a lot. Were they closer to the outside, or the inside?”

“Outside, right before the grate.”

“And I tell you— PZZSHTZ! Those towels were soaked!” Tenko exclaimed. “I properly disposed of them, but all the way, they were dripping.”

“Don’t forget, you’re also the one who picked up on the **presence of chlorine** lingering in the air. What would we do without you, Tenko-san?”

Tenko became flustered, shielding away the world with one hand up. “Oh, Akamatsu-san, I… well, it wasn’t any trouble. You know I’m always happy to help you, but— gah, it was nothing. Really! Hee-hee…”

“Okay, so the towels were for catching the bleach and vinegar from wherever the vent starts,” Kiibo put together, imagining it in his head. “And from there, they poured as much of it together as they could, to the point where enough chlorine gas built up and stewed inside the towels, which were acting both as an absorbent and a murder weapon.”

“And, the paper wads I found in the shaft were kind of damp, so it had to have been from being stuffed up against the wet towels,” Kaede included.

“There is one thing I don’t understand,” Kirumi said. “Besides the towels, there was also the desk fan you mentioned. What purpose did that serve if the chlorine could already infect the library air?”

“You do have to remember chlorine in gas form isn’t as light compared to normal air,” Rantaro reminded. “Which means, the desk fan was what overcame that enough to kill someone.”

 _‘Right. And the fan was meant to…’_ Kaede pondered.

  1. Keep the towels cool
  2. **Manipulate which way the chlorine went**
  3. Act as a false breeze



“I get it! Since the vent where all the poisoned towels were is too far from where Gokuhara-kun died, the culprit was worried that the chlorine wouldn’t make it over there enough. To make sure it did, they put in their own source of air and positioned it so it was blowing to the left.”

“Would that still work?” Kirumi inquired. “The chlorine could still start to sink in its new gust.”

“Actually, it doesn’t just sink on the dot,” Kiibo said. “Only gradually, but it’d still have a little time up high because it’s no less a gas.”

“Kinda like when you have a paper boat,” Rantaro theorized. “It’s not gonna sink on the first second, but eventually, the water’s gonna soak it and bring it down bit by bit.”

“Unless someone just throws a rock and puts it under faster,” Ouma laughed. “But, really, rocks could sink anything solid. Good thing the killer used a gas instead!”

“It’s not exactly good because someone dear to me died…” Kiibo mumbled sadly.

“Oh yeah. Nearly forgot that part!”

“You just conveniently forgot we’re discussing a murder?” Shuichi questioned.

“Nope. That was a lie. I knew the entire time because I’ve got a functional brain unlike the rest of you. One doesn’t even have _a_ brain!”

“I know you aren’t talking about me, you good-for-nothing little male!” Tenko barked. “I may not— GZZSHT! Have a physical brain, but my AI is fully-functional!”

“It’s a shame you think that since there’s no one else I could be referring to. And for something fully-functional, I’ve noticed how much you lean on the side of… oh, what’s a good comparison? ‘Wet match in a dark cave’? Is that right?”

“Ouma-kun, that’s no way of talking to Tenko-san,” Kiibo scolded. “She’s done nothing but contribute a lot to the case and found the murder weapon!”

“I didn’t ask you to come to my defense, so zip your filthy little mouth and know your place,” Tenko sneered, giving Kiibo her typical look when faced with a boy. “And your half-baked praises mean nothing to me, so drop the act.”

“Act…?”

“Wow, stupid AND biting the hand that feeds you!” Ouma snorted. “You just never fail to surprise me in the worst way possible! As a matter of fact, it only spells out one thing for me.”

“Oh?” Tenko wondered.

“Yep!” Ouma’s face turned into a dark smile, a finger to his temple. “You’re the killer, Tin Can. It couldn’t be anyone else.”

“Me?! Not a chance— GSTSCHZH! The first rule of robotics states to never harm a human— SHHSTZ! Being! Well, I can make an exception for degenerate males because they deserve the worst, but I wouldn’t resort to murder for anybody! UTZSCHH!”

“Why not? The less of the opposite sex in the world, the better? And Gonta was a boy…”

“That doesn’t mean I’d stoop so low as to kill him! Murder is an unthinkable crime to commit, no matter who it is. Male or not, it goes against what I stand for in every possible way.”

“Silly robot! Moral codes are for kids! You know, kids that aren’t made of metal and circuits.”

“Don’t say anything, just don’t,” Himiko advised before Tenko could lash out, silencing her bitterly.

“While murder is considered taboo across many, many cultures, that has yet to stop everyone from committing it,” Angie pointed out. “It can be done for several reasons: punishment, self-defense, malice, and unintentionally to name some. And usually in the second one, it’s considered a tad more acceptable.”

“Just barely,” Hoshi retorted. “Murder is murder no matter how you spin it.”

“You may understand what the motive was and leave it at that, but there is no excusing taking the life of another for any reason,” Korekiyo supported. “Justified or otherwise.”

“I didn’t kill Gokuhara-san!” Tenko claimed loudly. “Do I have to spell it out for you deaf degenerates personally?!”

“That much insisting only makes you guiltier,” Ouma teased. “You’d best fess up now so no one has to force it out of you.”

 _‘Not again… guess we’d better discuss this further,’_ Kaede sighed in her thoughts.

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Gas Mask >**

**|| Rantaro’s Testimony >**

**|| Monokuma File #1 >**

**|| Kiibo’s Testimony >**

“ **The first rule of robotics and my personal morals** both prevent me from harming a soul if it’s not in self— GHTCH! Defense!” Tenko insisted. “I was nowhere near Gokuhara-san, so protecting myself from nothing is impo— SSSHITSH— ssible!”

“You hate men as much as I hate man,” Ouma fought. “You have **all the more reason** to get rid of one.”

“No! My alibi is rock solid, just like my burning spirit!”

“If it weren’t for that, it actually wouldn’t be too surprising for you to attack Gokuhara,” Himiko admitted.

“H-Himiko-chan…? Not you, too!”

“She has a very good point,” Angie agreed. “Since you’re the Ultimate Robot, you **wouldn’t need anything to protect yourself from noxious fumes** , correct?”

“Err… no, I wasn’t built in with human lungs or anything, so I can’t suffocate. But, that doesn’t mean anything!”

“It actually does,” Maki said. “Because **poison doesn’t affect you** , that’d give you an immunity over the rest of us.”

“Harukawa-san, I would appreciate it if you didn’t single me out because I’m a robot! I am your equal.”

“No. You’re not.”

“Tenko-san… did you really kill Gonta?” Kiibo whimpered.

“I-I… no, I really didn’t— PTSHZZZ! Honest!” Tenko pleaded.

 _‘Hey, there was something back there that didn’t add up with the evidence,’_ Kaede thought. _‘What was it?’_

Going back to what Angie said, Kaede focused the most on her claiming the culprit “ **wouldn’t need anything to protect yourself from noxious fumes** ”.

**|| Gas Mask >**

“No, that’s wrong!”

_Break!_

* * *

“While Tenko-san wouldn’t need anything to protect herself, the real culprit would,” Kaede stated. “In the Game Room, there was a **gas mask** flung to the side. Given how the murder went down, why would one be near the scene of the crime if they didn’t need to breathe?”

“She could have framed someone else,” Angie pointed out. “A simple use of fake evidence to turn suspicion away from herself because it would trick you into thinking a human did it.”

“Ah, the classic red herring,” Korekiyo mused. “Your speculation is very astute, Yonaga-san.”

“Oh, do not thank me. Only Atua is responsible for such wisdom. I am merely his messenger pigeon carrying out His sagely will.”

“Don’t forget all those crazy pills you pop 24/7!” Ouma chuckled.

“So, on the one hand, Tenko didn’t do it,” Maki said. “But, on the other, she did and is trying to set one of us up.”

“Yeah! It’s so easy to just gas him and go, but leave something behind that points away from you!” Miu snapped. “Are you trying to make me look bad, Iron Box? Just tell us you did it so we can all watch you get turned to scrap metal like you should have ages ago!”

“I didn’t do it! Himiko-chan can back me up! She knows I wasn’t anywhere near the library!” Tenko wept, experiencing yet another spasm. “Go on, say it! Tell them what happened.”

“Okay, see—” Himiko was about to start, getting one good look at Rantaro’s expression and hesitating. “Uhh… well, I can tell you Tenko was in her room from start to finish.”

“The whole time?” Maki asked.

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Fuckin’ prove it, then!” Miu bellowed. “What were you two doing that makes you so sure you didn’t gank Gokuhara?!”

“None of your business. Just know we were in Tenko’s room. And not for the reason _you_ would think.”

“D-Definitely not!” Tenko squeaked, her faceplate turning pink while she played with her fingers. “We’re getting closer every day, but not _that_ close.”

“You’re not helping. I’m trying to back you up, but you’re making it way too hard to maintain.”

“Come on, Yumeno-san, you can tell us,” Shuichi pleaded. “If Tenko-san didn’t commit the murder, then there’s nothing to worry about.”

“I… I can’t! I promised not to say a word.”

“To who?” Kaito wondered.

“Can’t say that either. You just need to trust me on this.”

“We don’t,” Ouma said bluntly. “Nobody here is trustworthy, and you’re no exception. You can either say it and save our skins, or don’t say it and let us all die. Choosing the second one doesn’t surprise me, but man, does it make you lose your lunch.”

“And since no one else here can prove Tenko-san’s alibi, you’re dooming us all,” Kirumi reminded Himiko. “I know you don’t want that, Yumeno-san, so please. Be honest.”

 _‘Is Yumeno-san really the only one available? There had to have been someone else besides her and Tenko-san,’_ Kaede pondered. _‘Let’s see who it was again…?’_

**_Who else can back up Tenko’s alibi?_ **

**_Select someone!_ **

"It's you! It's definitely you!"

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have our main—!” Ouma started to announce.

“—Stop! I know who else can confirm where Tenko-san was today!”

“Too late, you should have spoken up earlier, and you didn’t!”

“Let her talk, Ouma,” Kaito bit. “Okay, out with it. Who do we need to interrogate now?”

“Him,” Kaede answered, pointing to Rantaro.

“Amami-kun?” Kirumi wondered, all eyes now on the green-haired boy. “What would he have to do with it?”

“When we were done investigating the library, he said he could ‘guarantee’ Yumeno-san was with Tenko-san in her bedroom.”

“I did say that, didn’t I?” Rantaro recalled. “Well, it’s true. That’s where they were. Neither of them were making that up.”

“Do you guys believe me now?” Himiko questioned.

“Hold the phone! How do you know that?!” Tenko pressed to Himiko and Rantaro’s nervousness, going through another malfunction after shouting. “Were you spying on us girls without us noticing like the peeping little pervert you are?!”

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call me that,” Rantaro stated. “That’s a common mistake to assume about me, but I swear I’m not like that at all.”

“Liar. All males have amoral thoughts— SHHHZTH— and you can’t convince me you’re not an exception!”

“Okay, maybe I can’t, that’s fine. But, I’m making it very clear that’s not the case, and even clearer that I wasn’t near the Dormitory.”

“And I can back him up with all my little heart,” Himiko dully confirmed.

“Himiko-chan, you don’t have to defend this charlatan,” Tenko insisted, glaring at Rantaro. “People like him are never up to any good, and he’s probably forced you to lie for him! It’s okay, you can trust me. I will fully accept the truth and thoroughly— BZZTSHPZ— punish him.”

“Settle down, princess! If there’s going to be any punishments, they’re gonna be from me!” Monokuma objected. “Steal my thunder, and you’ll get such another wallop from the Exisals, no one’ll be able to recognize you nevermind fix you!”

“WA-OWW! If you thought the other can of whoopass was tasty, this one’ll taste like five jam packed together!” Monokid rang out.

“With a side of rice,” Monosuke added.

“Rice is nice!” Monophanie chimed.

“And chopped like dice,” Monotaro replied.

“But not like mice,” Monokid continued.

“So, don’t pay the price!” Monokuma laughed.

“We get it, shut up!” Kaito barked.

“Boo, you ruined the rhyme,” Ouma whined.

“Tenko, I am telling the truth,” Himiko pleaded. “Amami wasn’t anywhere near us.”

“How does he know about your alibis, then?” Hoshi questioned. “Something tells me he didn’t just happen to pass by you two going in since he’s so sure where you were the whole time.”

“Out with it, Slime Pubes!” Miu demanded. “Don’t keep me waiting!”

“Hey, Akamatsu-san, could you lend me a hand?” Rantaro said uneasily. “I’m in a bit of a tight spot right now. You can back me up on my own alibi, can’t you?”

 _‘There was something else Amami-kun mentioned, but what was it?’_ Kaede asked herself.

**|| Rantaro’s Testimony >**

“I get it! Two Research Labs opened this morning: the Ultimate Pianist’s, and the Ultimate Inventor’s. Amami-kun said that **while Yumeno-san and Tenko-san were in the Dormitory, he was in his Lab**.”

“See? Not suspicious,” Rantaro concurred. “I’m not a peeping tom, and I wasn’t even close to Tenko-san’s room. Case closed.”

“Excuse me, that would be my line, and this case is still wide open,” Korekiyo stated. “Besides, I mean this in the nicest way possible, Amami-kun, but you’re not in the clear yet.”

“I’m not?”

“No. If you were really in your Lab as you say, then how do you know where the girls were?” He imagined a map of the Academy, pointing out the most crucial spots. “The Ultimate Inventor’s Research Lab is below the steps, none too far from the Shrine of Judgement, but we all sleep a good ways away from either of those places. There’s no way for you be able to confirm anything past the confines of one area.”

“He’s telling the truth,” Himiko defended again. “I know where he was, and he knows where I was with Tenko. Leave it at that.”

“We can’t,” Kirumi rejected. “If we don’t get the truth out of either of you, then we’ll have every reason to deem one or both of you two, or Tenko-san, suspicious.”

“And actually, we’ve got more than enough of a reason to think you guys are guilty,” Maki pointed out. “No alibi, no potential reason not to be the murderer.”

“What if Amami-chan and Yumeno-chan were conspiring?” Ouma suggested, index finger going across his smirk and leering at both of them. “It’s obvious they were working together, and with one’s handy-dandy inventor skills, nothing’s stopping either from pulling off quite a crime!”

“Himiko-chan is not a— BZZSHC! Murderer!” Tenko fought. “She really was with me the entire time, so if you’re going to blame someone, at least make it the actual suspicious one. Amami-san isn’t covering his bases very well.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that those two did something together. You can deny things all you want, but it’s as clear as day those two are sketchier than a math class notebook.”

“One maybe-harmless piece of info can clear your names, but you’re screwing everyone over by staying quiet,” Hoshi bit.

“Please. See reason, you two,” Korekiyo pleaded sincerely. “Just tell us what you were doing today, and it could be enough to help us clear your names and Tenko-san’s altogether. The last thing you want is to pretend you know nothing in a life-or-death situation such as a trial.”

“What’s it gonna be?” Maki asked venomously. “You’re either with us, or against us.”

Rantaro looked at Himiko, who was covering her mouth to resist saying something, and then at the rest of the students, who were all eyeing him suspiciously. Sweat was falling down the side of his head, contemplating on if he should confess what he knew or not. It only took some extra silence, but his lips went from a small line to a defeated smile, followed up by a chuckle of that very nature.

“...Guess the jig’s up, Yumeno-san,” Rantaro sighed. “It’s game over for us.”

“Oooh, listen, everyone!” Ouma screeched with delight. “Amami-chan’s gonna lay out all his dirty laundry for us to sniff!”

“Just hear me out until I’m done talking, and you’ll get what you want. So… here’s my confession.”

* * *

_Class Trial: Intermission_

“Zoo-wee papa!” Monokuma exhaled, standing in front of the quintuple stump the Monokubs were on. “That trial escalated quickly! And we’re hardly halfway through it and everything!”

“I wonder if anyone’s guessed who the culprit is,” Monophanie giggled. “Then again, probably not because they’re not as smart and all-seeing as Daddy.”

“He’s got a burning gaze like a fiery eyeball all over this school!” Monosuke laughed.

“INCLUDING-BUT-NOT-LIMITED-TO-ARMOR-AND-BANNERS,” Monodam tried quipping.

“Oh, sorry, son, those were the two things I wasn’t able to get my paws on!” Monokuma refuted. “Everything else, though, I’ve got locked in my sights like a fresh pot of honey!”

“Which means, if you think you’re alone on the John, you punks’d better guess again!” Monokid crowed.

“Not that either. Okay, since we’ve got that out of our way, it’s only a matter of time until the perp’s exposed. Stick around long enough, because it could be the one second you wind up missing otherwise! Kick back, relax, and enjoy the show!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo, boy. Seems Rantaro's in a bit of hot water. Or is he? I won't be saying anything that'll spoil things for you guys. I will say it's pretty difficult mapping out what piece of evidence goes where, what kind of "minigame" it's revealed in, and everything in-between to fill the gaps and extend the chapter. Doable, no less, but still pretty tough. By the way, I'm no chemist, so any and all information on chlorine may not be 100% accurate; just mostly. What I know for a fact is that it really is the result of bleach and vinegar mixed together, so uhhh, don't try that at home for any reason. You will die if you breathe it in.
> 
> Okay, enough of that. I'll be getting back to work on the rest of the trial (and correcting whatever I might have fucked up in this part of it =w="), so look forward to it! Thanks for checking out this update, and I'll see you all in the future! ♥


	10. Episode IX: Class Trial 1.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, all! I wanted to get this up before I went to bed because I have some things do to tomorrow and can't get up too late, so here you guys are for your troubles. It took a little longer than I was expecting because a few parts got really complicated and I was trying to draw the trial out with a bit of banter. Nonetheless, it's done, it's sparkling, and ready to go, folks! I'll let you guys get to it, so Happy Reading! ♥

_Class Trial: Resume_

“It’s true. I was in my Research Lab earlier this afternoon,” Rantaro continued. “And it’s true Yumeno-san and Tenko-san were together in the Dormitory at that same time. Do you wanna know how I know that despite not being in that spot, too?”

“What? Secret spy cam? Flying camera?” Ouma suggested.

“Close. I set up a discreet walkie-talkie system between Yumeno-san and myself, with her wearing a hidden camera.”

“Ha! I got the first one right.”

“And after she got everything from me, I sent her to Tenko-san’s room with a few of my tools. Through the camera, I could see what she was seeing, and guide her through the process so long as things were kept hush-hush.”

“What process?” Shuichi asked.

“Do you remember when I told you and Akamatsu-san that I had something to do today? Yeah, that was it, and I was trying to keep it a secret until we got what we wanted. As you can see, a certain robot girl is still reeling from her Exisal and underground tunnel injuries combined, neither of which have been kind to her.”

“I’m— FFSSSHTZT! Fine!” Tenko insisted. “Maybe I’m still a little fidgety, but Himiko-chan took the time to sit me down in my room and try to fix me. That’s just how much of an angel she is, and I’ve never been more thankful!”

“It doesn’t look like she did too good of a job,” Kaito muttered.

“And I didn’t,” Himiko pouted. “I’m not a mechanic or engineer or someone that might be good with machines, so over the walkie-talkie, Amami walked me through the process so he could fix Tenko through me.”

“You— forced her into being your puppet?!” Tenko snapped. “How dare you!”

“No. He didn’t. We both knowingly planned it out and did it together. And your reaction right now is exactly why we specifically made sure not to tell you. Because you’d jump right to conclusions, and you just proved us right.”

“Wh— you mean…? This is true? GZZZSHT! Himiko-chan, you were in on this?”

“Yes! Saying it so many times over and over is draining me more than the actual trial right now… this is exactly what I wasn’t looking forward to.”

“It didn’t even matter in the end, anyways,” Rantaro sighed. “Our plan failed.”

* * *

_“You know what to do, right?” Rantaro asked Himiko just outside the Dormitory. “This can’t afford to go wrong, or it could really screw up Tenko-san for the rest of her life.”_

_“I got it, I got it,” Himiko reassured him. “I visit Tenko in her room, play it cool, and fix her with you as my inner guide.”_

_“Well, not so much ‘inner’ and more ‘taking cover in his Lab and just talking in your ear’, but sure. And, it’s very important you listen very carefully when I’m talking you through this. One wrong move, and things will go from bad to worse in the blink of an eye.”_

_“Calm down. You’re pretty much doing all the work; I’m just your substitute pair of hands.”_

_“Just as important: she can’t know about_ **_any_ ** _of this. If she finds out I’m involved in any way, I’m cooked. As far as Tenko-san’s aware, you’re repairing her injuries, and I had nothing to do with it.”_

_“How do you expect her to believe I’m skilled in fixing machinery? Cosplay doesn’t have much to do with anything that’s not fabric, gluing, sewing, or cutting.”_

_“Yeah, I don’t think that’s gonna be a problem with you. She’s really fond of you, so she’ll trust anything you have to say to her. Why do you think I asked you in the first place?”_

_“Nyeh, I’m aware…”_

_“Got everything?”_

_Himiko tapped the little black device in her ear, smiling small. “All set.”_

_“And your new ‘button’?”_

_“Where it should be.” She pointed to the dark purple button pin with a white eye symbol in the middle, actually a fully functional hidden camera in disguise. “By the way, nice use of the emblem for Psychic-types.”_

_“I thought it was fitting to use for my ‘third eye’. Now, get going and keep this our little secret until Tenko-san’s back to normal. We don’t have too much time to lose.”_

_“Roger and copied, Captain Amami.” Himiko ran inside the Dormitory, Rantaro hurrying down the steps to his Lab holding a rectangular black rod microphone pulled out from inside of his apron._

* * *

“But, as it turns out, careful instructions are no match against not knowing the headache-inducing specifics of robotics,” Himiko concluded. “So, yeah, the plan was a bust and Tenko’s definitely not doing any better than before.”

“It was a good try, but not good enough to fix someone,” Rantaro admitted. “And there you have it. That’s everything I was up to today.”

“And me, which also crosses off Tenko since she didn’t leave her room for long while after that since her system needed a good enough reboot.”

“That’s also true,” Tenko confessed, sheepish. “I hope that clears my name from the murder, everyone.”

“Well, you’re looking fairly clean so far, but you’re not totally off the hook yet,” Shuichi said. “Because no one knows all the details of the murder except when the culprit’s death trap went underway and killed Gokuhara-kun.”

“Did anybody notice anything different about the library before 5:00?” Korekiyo asked. “No toxic fumes nearby or alterations that might have looked suspicious?”

“No,” Tsumugi answered. “Today after breakfast, Yonaga-san was telling me, Yumeno-san, Akamatsu-san, and Ouma-kun the story of Perseus, and I didn’t notice anything off. It just looked almost as plain as me.”

“And when we finished at about 10,” Himiko stated. “After that, I left, and Amami talked to me about his plan and told me to meet back up outside of the Dormitory by 3:30.”

 _‘3:30?’_ Shuichi thought. _‘That’s what time Akamatsu-san and I rendezvoused for our plan. Except, ours was fixing something a lot bigger than someone’s injuries.’_

“So, that leaves a full gap between 10 and 5,” Angie hummed. “My, my, that isn’t very helpful, now is it?”

“Nope,” Hoshi said. “We’ll have to whittle it down as much as possible by filling the gaps. Everyone was innocent before 10, and no one was after 5.”

“Wait,” Kaito realized. “I remember Gokuhara and Iidabashi were gonna hold Paint Night from 4-6, so they’ve been there since at least 4!”

“To be exact, we were mostly downstairs starting from 3 pm,” Kiibo stated. “We went back and forth a bit between floors, but we didn’t go anywhere in the basement except the A/V Room.”’

“And you didn’t notice anything weird nearby?”

“Not really. It all seemed clear and normal to me.”

“As far as you know,” Ouma said. “From right under your noses, a murder was being put together!”

Kiibo frowned, sullen. “Don’t remind me…”

“Gah, wasn’t _anyone_ in the library before Gokuhara got there?!” Kaito griped.

“Yeah, the culprit, Dummy Dums-A-Lot,” Ouma snarked, playful. “At some point, they had to have been in there to set up their killing trap, so who else?”

“I know that. But, was there any proof of someone being near other than the two artists?”

“I’m certain there was, yes,” Korekiyo hinted, glancing at Kaede. “Perhaps a certain someone would care to say what that might be? I do hope she’s _listening_ _in secret_.”

 _‘Gotta be another “hint”, I’m sure,’_ Kaede scoffed within thoughts. _‘Listening… secretly? What could he mean by that?’_

**|| “Amami” Brand Earpieces >**

“I get it! While I’m not sure yet if he was really there, there’s no denying that **two of Amami-kun’s inventions** were used in the library.”

“What?!” Tsumugi gasped. “Amami-kun is the killer?”

“I didn’t say that. ...Yet. But, earlier today, we found two earpieces with his last name signed onto them like a trademark. One in the Game Room, and the other put on a bookshelf close to where Gokuhara-kun’s body was.”

“Care to explain, Amami?” Maki questioned. “What were your inventions doing there?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Tenko sneered, smug. “He’s no doubt the killer! SHBZHTH! It all makes sense since he didn’t abuse my poor Himiko-chan until 3:30, so he has lots of time to himself to kill Gokuhara-san. Typical, typical male, he is.”

“And Yumeno-san did say she first talked to him around 10,” Kirumi remembered. “Anything could have happened between then and 3.”

“Like a murder!” Ouma proclaimed. “And right when he was done, he could go right back to playing it cool with Yumeno-chan with a fake alibi.”

“That’s not what happened,” Himiko defended. “Amami was using his earpieces for good, not evil. I know because he loaned me one for our mission.”

“And only for that?” Maki pressed. “Don’t act so blind.”

“He certainly could have spared one to plant in the library to keep track of the murder once he was done setting it all up,” Tsumugi speculated. “And before Iidabashi-kun or Gokuhara-kun could see him, he fled the scene of the crime with them being too late to stop his nefarious deeds!”

“But, wouldn’t keeping a close ear out require him to be alert and listen to the library almost non-stop for updates?” Shuichi wondered.

“He could switch between two areas at will! ...Probably.”

“Not,” Rantaro refuted. “My earpieces can link up to as many of other ones as they’re able, but can’t listen to more than a single piece at a time. Anymore, and it’d be a splitting headache.”

“He says they’re both like a walkie talkie and a tiny radio mixed together,” Himiko said. “You just can’t talk without the extra microphone that comes separately.”

“Big whoop!” Miu shouted. “It doesn’t matter if he can’t listen to two sources at once! He doesn’t need to! Gokuhara pushed up daisies much later than your stupid scheme to fix Tin Cunt, so he could have planted the earpiece way after the fact!”

“You can’t assume that happened! Amami’s no murderer!” Kaito bellowed, fist clenched by his face.

“That’s what you said about Harucaca, and she’s barely innocent herself!”

“But, it’s just as likely that Atua has yet to tell us the full story!” Angie inputted. “He must be on break.”

“Stuff it with your fake-ass God already! No one wants to hear that shit!”

“Guys, come on,” Shuichi tried saying. “We can’t get through this if we’re this badly split on a decision.”

“HOHOHOHOLD ON! Split? Split, you say?!” Monokuma gasped, everything coming to a screeching halt.

“Yeah? What about it?”

“Well, since all of you have reached an impasse with your possible choice in the culprit, nothing will get done at this rate! So, until you’ve reached an agreement, I’m splittin’ y’alls up! Hold onto your podiums, stay where you are, and don’t fall off!”

Before anyone could ask, Monokuma pulled out a key shaped like his head and put it inside a keyhole inside of a large gear appearing. When he turned it, a blue path in the floor lit up and flowed underneath the podiums, all of which rose up taking the students with them as Monokuma followed on his seat. They split evenly with their Headmaster between them; the left consisting of Maki, Miu, Tenko, Ouma, Korekiyo, Kirumi, Tsumugi, and Kiibo. For the opposing team: Kaede, Shuichi, Kaito, Hoshi, Rantaro, Himiko, Angie, and Gonta’s death portrait.

* * *

_Is Rantaro Amami the culprit?_

**> | Yes, Rantaro’s the culprit! > **

**< No, Rantaro’s not the culprit! |<**

_Debate Scrum Start!_

“I can’t believe this has to be spelled out for anyone, but his **name** was literally on the earpieces,” Maki started.

“While it definitely looks bad for him, Amami-kun’s **name** at best proves he made them,” Kaede argued.

“And that he’s the killer!” Miu urged. “There was lots of **time** after his meetup with Yumenhoe to get his other plan up and running!”

“Lots could have happened after 3:30, so Amami-kun didn’t necessarily have the **time** to kill someone,” Shuichi shot back.

“I figured you would say that!” Tenko exclaimed. “Leave it to a degenerate **male** to defend another one for something as heinous as murder!”

“Quit it with the **male** crap! Being a guy isn’t enough to prove he killed someone!” Kaito exclaimed.

“Maybe not, but my sweet Amami-chan did say those earpieces could act as spying **bugs** without the microphone,” Ouma teased.

“They could easily be planting **bugs** , but most of his time went into using them for his and Yumeno’s plan,” Hoshi reminded.

“Yes, but he also kept their existence **hidden** from the rest of us until the investigation. That paints the flag a bright, bright red in my opinion,” Korekiyo stated.

“I had all the reasons you could name for keeping my earpieces **hidden** , and ‘used for murder’ is at the top of the list,” Rantaro fought.

“That doesn’t suddenly negate the fact that you could **use** them for anything you wanted, and we’d all be none too aware until it was too late,” Kirumi argued back.

“And he did **use** them. For only one thing, which was trying to fix Tenko,” Himiko reminded.

“Your eyes aren’t as **all-seeing** as mine when it comes to people. I should know because my army needs to stay in line,” Tsumugi brought up.

“Nonsense! Only Atua can be **all-seeing** , and He knows Rantaro is innocent until proven guilty after all!” Angie giggled.

“Guys, I really don’t want to start blaming anyone without solid **proof** , but I do want to find Gonta’s killer, and this is getting us nowhere,” Kiibo mewled, staring at his friend’s wordless postmortem portrait.

_Crouch Bind_

_Set!_

**< No, Rantaro’s not the culprit! |<**

“This is our answer!” Kaede’s team declared.

_Full Counter!_

_Break!_

* * *

“Things are looking pretty grim right now, but we can’t be 100% sure Amami-kun’s the killer yet!” Kaede pleaded. “We still need to look at every last part of the case, no matter how small it might seem!”

“Why are you talking? You threw him under the bus in the first place,” Maki spat. “Now you choose to defend him?”

“She must be backtracking because everything’s starting to blow up in her face again,” Ouma laughed. “You can only do so much to save yourself now, Akamatsu-chan!”

“Leave her alone, you two,” Rantaro scolded. “She didn’t throw me under the bus. All she did was bring up some important evidence that so happens to belong to me.”

“If she left it out, we wouldn’t be as far as we are in the discussions now,” Shuichi further supported.

“Yeah, so cut the shit and get back on what’s important!” Kaito demanded.

“Like giving Amami-san what he deserves,” Tenko bit, glaring at Rantaro.

“Man, you are really insistent on getting him killed, aren’t you?” Hoshi wondered.

“She’s just jealous that he breathed too close to Yumeno-chan’s air and she can’t breathe any of it at all!” Ouma mocked.

“I don’t want to hear a peep out of either of you!” Tenko yelled, fidgeting from another malfunction. “If I’ve reason to suspect someone, then I’ll suspect him!”

“Why don’t we go over why everybody minus Tenko-san thinks I’m the culprit?” Rantaro suggested. “For one, the earpiece stuffed away where Gokuhara-kun died. I understand that, but what else?”

“It’s the timing and when the death happened!” Miu asserted. “You said you were with Yumeno in the courtyard starting from 3:30, Paint Night was at 4, and the big guy died at 5!”

“Uh-huh? We were doing our thing until close to 4, and I was in my Lab until the body discovery announcement.”

“Oh, I’d bet! If anything, you just gave yourself away even more! Didn’t anyone see him dicking off in the basement after 4?”

“No, actually, no one was there,” Shuichi corrected. “Akamatsu-san and I were right outside the library when Gokuhara-kun pulled us into Paint Night about five minutes to 4.”

“Which narrows it even more. Thanks, Shyhara, for bein’ useful for once! At 4 pm, Amami could have easily started doing his other business, put the poison in the vents, plant the earpiece wearing the gas mask, and then ditched both in the Game Room when he was all set! Easy as that.”

“How would he have time to do all of that in an hour?” Kaito wondered. “He’d have to go get everything in the warehouse and vinegar from the kitchen. There’s no way he’d pull that off without someone catching him running all over the place first.”

“Not entirely true,” Korekiyo said. “Our culprit, be it Amami-kun or otherwise, could have started gathering supples anywhere from 10 this morning to 3 in the afternoon. A lot of the evidence is small enough to keep on their person, while stashing the bleach and vinegar bottles behind Classroom 1A’s podium in a space where Gokuhara-kun and Iidabashi-kun couldn’t see it.”

“Hahaha! I fuckin’ knew it! Shitguuji just spelled it all out for you numbskulls!” Miu cackled. “Thanks for giving away our perp!”

“Oh, I never said that’s how it went down. Only possibly. You’re simply jumping to conclusions as you usually do with no logical ground to stand on.”

“Gh— hey, fuck yourself with that! I praise you and this is how you repay me?! The gorgeous golden girl who wipes all of your ungrateful asses and cooks your only source of food?!”

“Yes.”

“H-Hmph! See if I keep doin’ anything nice for you jackasses…”

“No worries, nobody here will miss you in the first place!” Ouma laughed.

“Liar or not, that doesn’t make it okay to say what’s not true,” Kiibo fought. “We should all be thankful for Iruma-san’s amazing cooking and all she does for us every day and night!”

“Despite her… manner of talking to others, let’s not let that make us just sweep her hard work under the rug,” Kirumi included. “Think what you must, you’d probably be right, but she’s just as important as the rest of us.”

“Eh…?” Miu wondered, then gaining her confidence back. “Yeah, damn right, I am! Listen to the only two here with a brain that didn’t shit itself and die, too!”

“Shinguuji, what you said sounds pretty solid for how it went down. What’s wrong with it?” Maki questioned.

“It’s only hypothetical,” Korekiyo explained, joining her in pretending Miu hadn’t talked. “You can’t just assume a hypothesis is real without anything else supporting such. That applies to science, and sleuthing work equally.”

“I guess. How do we figure out when the murder plan began exactly?”

“We do the one thing we haven’t tried so far and take things slowly and calmly. If it seems like it’d be unrelated, it’s probably not. For instance, Classroom 1A is directly tied to the murder aside from being where the chemical bottles were found.”

“How?” Angie asked.

“Well, perhaps I should say it’s _connected_ to the murder instead.” Kiyo looked right at Kaede. “Isn’t that right, Akamatsu-san?”

“Huh? Oh! Yeah, that’s a better way of putting it,” Kaede answered, going back to her thoughts when she took the hint. _‘Something in the classroom helped the culprit with their plan, and it’s gotta do with the vents…’_

**|| Aluminum Foil Screen >**

“I get it! The classroom vent and the library vent **share the same shaft** . In order to get the towels to absorb the chemicals, they pinpointed wherever the source was and poured from there. Momota-kun and Hoshi-kun found **a sheet of aluminum foil** around the grate, which was meant to block out the chlorine from rising back up and stinking up the classroom.”

“Which would not only be dangerous for the rest of us, but also give them away on the spot,” Shuichi added.

“If it weren’t for the waste of my missing ingredient AND foil, I’d almost praise the bastard for being so clever,” Miu murmured. “But, that doesn’t automatically clear Amami yet! We still need—”

“—To figure out what happened at what time,” Rantaro interrupted. “We’re getting to that, patience, Iruma-san.”

“Don’t you dare scold her, you— PRTZZH— murderous male!” Tenko snapped. “You’re still in the hot seat waiting to be burned at the stake!”

“That doesn’t revoke my right to speak. If anything, it’s at an all-time high if I wanna defend myself and stop everyone from voting wrong.”

“At least we know now the culprit was busy in the library first to make sure the towels and fan were in place properly, and then went up to the classroom to do the rest,” Kirumi brought up. “And they don’t have a very wide distance, either. Classroom 1A is right where the stairs are.”

“No, but it would take a little time getting everything perfect in place,” Kiibo spoke. “You can’t just slap it all together and run downstairs or up.”

“Is it even possible to figure out the time the plan started? The time gaps after 10 o’clock are still too big,” Maki sighed.

“Nothing’s impossible! We’ll figure it out!” Kaito encouraged. “A few more chips away at the case, and we’ll have our time!”

“And, since Gonta and I were in the classroom until 3:15, that means the culprit would have moved in to tamper with the vents anytime after that. Any sooner, and we would have spotted them. The same goes for their library trip prior because they’d still be in our line of sight.”

“Plus, going off of how long it took for our plan to botch, Amami’s alibi prevents him from being anywhere inside at that time,” Himiko deduced. “On top of that, when we met outside, he didn’t come from the school, he ran up the stairs from his Research Lab. In other words, he’s clean.”

“Aww, what?! Really?!” Miu groaned. “I definitely had that in the bag!”

“Guess not,” Ouma teased. “I had full faith in my darling Amami-chan this whole time!”

“No. No you didn’t,” Shuichi refuted, calling out the astronaut’s obvious lie.

“Well, if Amami’s clean, then Tenko and Yumeno are off the hook, too,” Maki admitted. “Congratulations.”

“Oh, I don’t need that,” Rantaro chuckled. “I’m just relieved to not be the primary suspect anymore—”

“—Hey, wait! Not so fast!” Tenko interrupted. “We can’t assume he’s innocent yet— GASZZHTZ! Sure, he wasn’t inside at 3 or 3:30, but we never brought up him being there at 2 or sooner!”

“What do you mean?” Angie asked.

“I mean, that criminal could have easily— SHHHTPSZ! Acted before Himiko-chan showed up and done his duty a full hour or more before, which is how Gokuhara-san and Iidabashi-san couldn’t see him in action. And to think he nearly had us all fooled with his boorish, manipulative tactics!”

“You do strive a very good point,” Korekiyo affirmed. “But, we shall see if that’s really the case or not.”

“Hello, hot seat, my old friend…” Rantaro sighed.

 _‘All this part of the trial, we’ve been yammering about time,’_ Kaede thought. _‘Let’s see. Something had to have come up related to it. And I’m gonna show everyone just what it is to prove Amami-kun’s innocence!’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Egg Timer >**

**|| Rantaro’s Testimony >**

**|| Library Vent Items >**

**|| Gonta’s Condition >**

“The jig’s up, you foul cretin,” Tenko pompously mocked Rantaro, “ **you’re the killer** and almost dragged all these poor maidens under to take the fall!”

“What about the rest— ah, forget it,” Kiibo decided. “Amami-kun, tell us the truth. Are you the one?”

“Don’t bother askin’ him, he’s just gonna lie about it!” Miu hissed.

“He can’t if we figure out if **something happened before 3 or not** ,” Kaito pointed out. “Were you still in your Lab by then?”

“Yes, I was,” Rantaro answered. “All I really did earlier than my meet-up with Yumeno-san was get lunch, which happened **at 2:30**.”

“Do you guys smell that? It ain’t me pissin’ myself, but I’m definitely picking up on a pile of bullshit!” Miu snapped.

“Your input is hardly necessary at this point, so don’t bother doing anything short of cutting your tongue out,” Korekiyo snarled, darkly.

“A-Are you serious? I’m the one l-leading this trial! Don’t talk about me like that, please…!”

“Besides, she’s right. He’s obviously **lying to us** right now,” Tenko accused.

“He’s not, why can’t you see that?” Himiko growled.

“Why can’t you admit he could be just as guilty as the rest of us, whether he did it or not?” Maki questioned. “Get over yourself.”

“I dunno, you seem just as insistent that Amami is the one we’re all looking for,” Hoshi brought up. “The kid’s got just as much evidence **pointing the other direction**.”

“Well, I for one say he’s telling the truth!” Kaito argued. “My faith’s going all the way to Amami until proven otherwise!”

“Still just as bad of a mistake. Don’t get so crazy with that…”

“It being the truth or not doesn’t matter if we have **no way of figuring out when the library was altered** to suit the killer’s plan,” Kirumi said.

**|| Egg Timer >**

“No, that’s wrong!” Kaede refuted.

_Break!_

* * *

“Oh, dear, did I speak out of line?” Kirumi asked, guilty.

“It was just a little boo-boo, don’t worry about it,” Kaede reassured her. “But, I do want you to know something happened towards the end of Paint Night.”

“Really? What was it?”

“A few minutes after Gokuhara-kun left the room to find newspaper for the event, we all heard **a really buzzy ringing sound** for a few seconds before it stopped. During the investigation, Saihara-kun found the source of it.”

“Turns out, we just heard an egg timer,” Shuichi clarified. “And this went down a little before 5:00. I’d say a good 10 minutes, actually.”

“How does that help us?” Kaito asked. “I remember that, too, but it’s the wrong kind of time-telling we need.”

“Not exactly,” Kaede corrected. “The most an egg timer can be set to is an hour, with the least being a minute. And since it went off at 4:50, there’s a chance the culprit wound it up at 3:50 when their library trap came together!”

“Or 4:40, maybe 4:35 for some extra time,” Tsumugi stated. “It’s just as likely the culprit only needed 10-15 minutes to leave before running off out of sight.”

“Well, it still gets rid of Rantaro possibly going down to the library before 3, does it not?” Angie said, raising her hands and putting them together above her head. “Tenko, your worries are hereby lifted because the timer cannot go back for more than an hour!”

“Yay…” Tenko spat, displeased.

“Hey, you should be thankful. If Amami was the killer, we’d have no inventor,” Himiko scolded. “No inventor, no fixing for you.”

“Hmph! Who needs him?”

“You! You do!”

“Look on the bright side,” Kaito cut in. “Now, we know for sure that the culprit did their trick between 3:15 and 4:50.” He gave Rantaro a hearty thumbs up, paired with a wink and a grin. “Amami, my man, you’re officially off the hook! This time for sure!”

“Glad to be so,” Rantaro said, looking from the side with a slight dullness to his brow. “Sadly, that does leave us with 12 more suspects. Who had the guts to try and frame me, I do wonder…?”

“Before we get into that, may I be so bold as to ask you something?” Angie requested.

“Sure. Spill.”

“If you truly didn’t go into the library at the proper time, then how did your earpieces get there?”

Rantaro bowed his head, fists on his hips. “Yeah, here’s the part I’m not proud of. When I had everything checked over for my plan with Yumeno-san, rearing and ready to go, something passed me by in a blur. I didn’t see what or who it was, but I checked my apron for the two earpieces I was gonna use for the incognito repairing, I couldn’t find them.”

“Did you not drop them?”

“No. My apron’s hole-free. I hadn’t known this then, but now I know for sure that I’d been pickpocketed by the culprit.”

“Pickpocketed?!” Kaede gasped. “So, that’s how your earpieces got in the hands of a murderer.”

“And poor Amami-kun wasn’t aware of it even happening until he was caught in the middle of a crime,” Kirumi bemoaned. “I’m deeply sorry for causing you so much trouble by not believing you before.”

“Don’t sweat it. Lots comes out in the heat of the moment,” Rantaro excused.

“Was there anyone else outside when it happened?” Kiibo asked.

“Just Harukawa-san, but it wasn’t her. I saw her walk back inside and that was when I still had both earpieces on me.”

“Ah-ha! What’d I tell you guys?” Kaito gloated. “Another not-suspect crossed off the list!”

“Leaving 11 left,” Maki stated, ignoring the praise. “For all we know, the pickpocket could be Monokuma helping the culprit kill. He’s that desperate to see us dead to begin with.”

“Our father is a strong, central figure to this Academy! He would never do such a thing!” Monotaro argued, outraged.

“My smart idiot cub is right, I had nothing to do with this case,” Monokuma confirmed. “Well, unless you count what I’m about to do to the killer, or all of you if you don’t pick the right one. Then, I’ll really be involved!”

“Poor Daddy. Having to deal with 15 meanies willing to blame him for everything,” Monophanie lamented. “He’s only doing his job, so why can’t the rest of you?”

“‘Cause they’re not as smart or clever as he is,” Monosuke said. “Which is fine. Not everyone can live up to the best.”

“Except us, of course! We’ll be following in his footsteps until we kick the bucket ourselves!” Monokid gloated.

“It feels good to be king,” Monokuma snickered. “Now, if it’s not important, quit yakking with me and get back to work! You’ve got all the time in the world to solve this, but no one wants to be here forever!”

“Someone else had to have been outside,” Maki reinstated. “Are you going to tell me none of you saw anyone leave the building?”

“Oh, wait, Yonaga-san did,” Tsumugi blurted out. “Or, I at least saw her holding a rock from outside.”

“That’s right, and she came in here like the nosy skank thought she owns the place!” Miu growled.

“It was only because I heard you in distress about your missing vinegar,” Angie explained. “I wanted to help you look for it using the guidance He imbues inside of me, but I guess you were not in too much danger after all from your response.”

“I don’t need your made-up monkeyshit God makin’ my day any harder. I can find anything and turn it into the meal of a lifetime for Plain Jane!”

“Then why was it you did not find your vinegar until the investigation?” Angie’s eyes darkened, her mouth now circular whilst warning Miu. “It sounds to me like you were secretly punished for refusing Atua’s aid. Be thankful He is forgiving, but next time, He could reconsider.”

“Funny, all of that and I heard this annoying-ass buzzing in my ears. Have you stopped spewing shit from your shriveled up lips yet, or do I have to keep tuning you out?”

“Very well… you have been warned.” Angie returned to her happier state. “As I was saying, I was outside today. You were right, Maki.”

“So, you pickpocketed Amami?” Maki asked.

“Oh, no! I only went outside to get a rock for my petroglyph I made at Paint Night. I do hope nothing happens to that; carving stone isn’t an easy task.”

“And you want _just_ for the rock? Nothing more?” Korekiyo interrogated.

“I was tasked with grabbing only one thing. Doing anything else would go against Atua’s will.”

“Then she means it,” Himiko confirmed. “Once she says one or all of Atua’s split forms tell her to do something, then it gets done without any question.”

“Himiko-chan, you can’t seriously believe in that nonsense,” Tenko sighed. “KSSHZZTH! It’s only her bizarre way of saying what she pleases and using someone else’s name as an excuse!”

“It sounds to me like Yonaga wasn’t doing what she says she was,” Hoshi agreed. “If there were any kind of God out there, they wouldn’t curse us with any of this. What a load of garbage…”

“Atua would never forsake me this way. He speaks nothing but the truth through me as His vessel,” Angie insisted.

“Blah, blah, blah, malarkey!” Ouma scoffed. “You’re the most sketchy of us all!”

“Yeah, religious freaks like you always end up doin’ something bad in the end!” Miu concurred. “Just admit it! You pickpocketed Amami and pinned it all on your doofy little imaginary friend!”

“Hiding it behind a smile and everything. How sick and messed up could a human get?”

“And since she admitted to being at Paint Night, that means she was definitely in the basement today,” Tsumugi accused. “She could have robbed Amami-kun, gone downstairs, and pulled off the poisoning trick.”

“I seriously wouldn’t put it past her to do that,” Maki muttered.

“Oh? None of you believe me?” Angie wondered. “What a shame. I really was just getting my rock, but I cannot convince those who go against Atua.” She smiled darkly. “That will be corrected, even if I must do so myself.”

 _‘There’s a chance Yonaga-san could be telling the truth after all,’_ Kaede speculated without speaking it aloud. _‘She said something earlier that proves it, and it’s up to me to convince everyone it’s true! Even… if I have to do the opposite.’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Kiibo’s Testimony >**

**|| Angie’s Testimony >**

**|| Monokuma File #1 >**

**|| Gonta’s Condition >**

“I’m telling you, I did not **pickpocket Rantaro**!” Angie pleaded, her smile now brighter again. “I didn’t actually see him while I was out collecting my stone slab!”

“Pretty weak argument, Yonaga-chan,” Ouma told her, sing-song. “If you want us to believe you so badly, you’ll have to give us a reason.”

“She doesn’t have one,” Maki said. “At least, **not one that’s believable** for the rest of us.”

“All you’ve done is accuse people left and right,” Himiko hissed. “Just because you’re not the culprit doesn’t mean you can say whoever you want is.”

“Sorry I’m not stupid enough to trust anybody. Especially when an actual, dangerous killer’s standing in this trial room.”

“Did you see her do anything off?” Kaito asked. “More than usual, I mean.”

“Actually… I didn’t see Angie at all,” Himiko confessed. “But, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have her reasons for being outside! **She’s harmless**.”

“That’s definitely a word, but it being the right one is a stretch,” Hoshi said.

“I vow never to harm a soul that has done no wrong,” Angie promised. “Glorious mortal children of God shall prosper for as long as possible, and Atua Himself would never ever punish the innocent. Smiting anyone on this Earth is considered a last resort in His book.”

“That excuse is pathetic!” Miu shouted. “Everyone knows you’re nuttier than squirrel shit, so just tell us **the whole story**!”

Angie ignored her, getting into a prayer pose. “Are you there, God? It’s me, dear Angie. Yes, I am trying to tell them what you wished of me, but they hear me not.”

“Yonaga-san?” Shuichi spoke. “Is she not listening anymore…?”

“Ah, of course, thank you for asking, my Lords! **I fetched the stone tablet You so desired from the courtyard** , and the finished product came out swimmingly! You all should see it sometime!”

 **|| Angie’s Testimony > ** —> **|| Angie’s Lie >**

“I’ll turn this lie into the truth!” Kaede declared.

_Break!_

* * *

“Yonaga-san, you can’t fool anybody that way,” Kaede fibbed. “You were out in the courtyard, but you weren’t just **getting a long rock** for your art project.”

“Hmm? What was that, Kaede?” Angie asked, opening one eye in the middle of her prayer.

“I said, you’re covering up the whole story. While using the rock as a cover story, you took a detour in seeing Amami-kun before Yumeno-san could reach him and snatched his earpieces right out from under him.”

“Oh. I see.” Angie resumed prayer. “Forgive me for the interruption. I thought I was needed for something important, but none can surpass You.”

“She’s not even trying to defend herself anymore,” Shuichi sighed.

“Bah, screw that devout bitch!” Miu sneered. “Let’s just start the vote up since we’ve got our killer right where we want her!”

“We are doing no such thing because we haven’t gone over every part of the case yet,” Korekiyo advised.

“Do we even need to? A lot can get left out when the killer’s obvious!”

“Never. All evidence is important evidence.”

“And! I want Yonaga-san to know I’m only doing this for her own good,” Kaede made clear. “Because she and Amami-kun were outside in the courtyard at the exact same time. When she spotted him on her way back inside with her rock, she passed by and pickpocketed him when the moment was best.”

“Hold on there, Akamatsu-san,” Rantaro interrupted. “I didn’t see Yonaga-san at all outside. Granted, I didn’t leave my Research Lab until a few minutes before 3:30, but that only makes my point stand more.”

“Atua also did not see Rantaro making his presence known in the outside world under the cage,” Angie said, finished with her prayer. “I was firmly guided back inside as soon as my task was complete. I was to do nothing else except attend Paint Night.”

“When did you go inside?”

“10 minutes before you left your Lab. I’d been looking for a rock since shortly after 3 sharp.”

“You could have said that sooner!” Tenko cried. “We almost— ZZZSHHSZT! Accused you of murder! That wasn’t such a hard thing to admit!”

“I was not asked. By any of you or Atua, so I said nothing until it was ready to come up.”

“Which means that officially clears Yonaga-san of blame,” Kirumi breathed.

“Lying in a court of law was not the best way to go about that,” Korekiyo hissed at Kaede. “There is no place for dishonesty during a trial that could cost almost all of us our lives. Do not make a habit of it, or there will be severe consequences afterwards.”

“You’re welcome,” Kaede huffed, turning her head away from Kiyo stubbornly.

“Don’t be so hard on her, Detective!” Ouma insisted. “Lying isn’t always so bad, and yet people treat it like it’s an unspeakable evil. You Earthlings lie all the time, and yet no one even can always tell so.”

“Coming from the liar himself,” Kaito growled, getting dismissed.

“Besides, you owe Akamatsu-chan your thanks. She got the truth confirmed using a lie. Quit being such a stick in the mud, man! We talked about this.”

“I will give thanks where it’s properly earned,” Korekiyo snarled. “When she wants to do things professionally, she may come see me then and no sooner.”

“Ah, I tried. Sorry, lady! Your craftiness only goes appreciated by one.”

“Don’t say that like it’s a good thing coming from you,” Kaede fumed.

“Yikes-a-roonie! Tough crowd we got going here. Who died?”

“Gokuhara-kun. Whom we’re trying to find justice for,” Shuichi criticized. “Behave and be quiet if you aren’t gonna be helpful.”

“We still have some corners left unchecked,” Hoshi brought up. “Like the purpose of the egg timer and the evidence we might not have gone over.”

“Is there anything left to discuss besides that?” Himiko wondered.

“Plenty,” Korekiyo answered. “The more thorough we are, the likelier we’ll get the correct results.”

“That means keep the arguing with each other to a minimum, unless it has to do with the case,” Kaede warned.

“Hey now, no need to put a damper on the party!” Monokuma said. “By all means, arguing is healthy! Welcome, even! Just don’t kill anybody before the execution, or that’ll ruin what’s coming up!”

“Of course you’d say that. You’re just trying to tear us up even more than you already have, but I’m putting those pieces back together!”

“Or so you say,” Ouma commented. “No matter how many times you encourage teamwork, that’s gonna be everyone’s downfall including yours. There’s no such thing as being friends here since that implies trust, which is equally stupid to do now since someone’s been killed. By all means, I’d like to see you try, but I’ll love to see you fail because you didn’t get a clue in time!”

“Hey, this one gets it!” Monokuma laughed. “Maybe I’ve found my star pupil! No, my new favorite child!”

“Wh—? Are you serious, Pops?” Monosuke whimpered. “He doesn’t even have a split color!”

“Or cute little bear ears!” Monophanie whined.

“Not to mention, that freak’s not rockin’ the baby dummy like all of us!” Monokid argued. “Why pick him?! I mean, anyone over Monodam, but COME ON, old man!”

“Upupupu! I’m just kidding, my sweet little cubs!” Monokuma chuckled. “I’d never make it anything except for a fair competition! Why pit my poor children against a bunch of other ones that follow common sense even less? That’d be like pitting camel poo and donkey poo, you just can’t win!”

“I dunno, I’ve always been more of a ‘Team Camel’ man myself,” Monotaro said.

“Fuck that! ‘Team Donkey’ would top every time! It’s practically their birthright!” Monokid screeched.

“All in favor of ignoring anyone that’s a talking bear?” Kaede asked, getting a raise of hands from everyone. “That’s what I thought.”

“Let’s continue by figuring out why the egg timer was there to begin with,” Korekiyo spoke. “There was something in the library the killer used for their plan, and the egg timer was very important.”

“That being?” Kaito asked. “Everything got poured from the classroom above the basement, so why use anything extra? Sounds kinda unnecessary to me.”

“You have to remember that the culprit wanted as successful results as possible, meaning they took another step in making sure such happened.”

“Using a vent-sized fan and some chemical-drenched towels seems pretty handy to me,” Hoshi said. “Are you sure, Shinguuji?”

“Positive. And it’s arguably the most important aspect of this case and will all but reveal the killer’s true identity among us all.”

“Then we have no time to waste,” Shuichi decided.

 _‘Alright, this is it,’_ Kaede declared in her thoughts. _‘One more step to finding the culprit. No turning back and chickening out now!’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Kiibo’s Testimony >**

**|| Library Vent Items >**

**|| Stacked Books >**

**|| Clay-Covered String >**

“How much longer until we can all leave? I don’t know if I wanna do this anymore…” Himiko sighed.

“Just a little further, and everything will be okay!” Tenko comforted.

“Yeah, except for **the person who has to die after this** ,” Maki snarked flatly. “Not gonna be so happily ever after on their end.”

“If they can’t do the time, they shouldn’t have done the crime!” Ouma exclaimed, pointing ahead earnestly whilst making his claim. “But, what else is new with shitty humans doing dumb things and causing their own deaths?”

“Guys, something was **put in the library** to push Gokuhara-kun right into the culprit’s trap,” Shuichi brought up, pulling everyone back on topic.

“We know about the **desk fan and chlorine towels** , but what else would be necessary?” Kirumi inquired.

“Something to **help either of those things along** in the murder,” Kiibo suggested. “The fan was what helped blow the gas, but what if the culprit was afraid it wouldn’t be enough?”

“What could be used to speed things up?” Kaito questioned. “If you ask me, **everything necessary was in that vent** , and no other tools could be that important.”

**|| Clay-Covered String >**

“No, that’s wrong!” Kaede refuted.

_Break!_

* * *

“Only most of the crucial items were hidden away in the vent, but one stuck out of it,” she continued.

“Really? So, there was something extra,” Kaito pondered. “What else did you find?”

“A **long, long piece of string** hanging from the grate. One end was tied to something inside of the vent so that the culprit could get Gokuhara-kun to set off the trick for them.”

“Just string? How does that help anyone?” Tsumugi asked.

“It could have been some kinda mini-trap so Gokuhara-kun was kept in place and poisoned,” Rantaro suggested.

“There’d need to be at least two rolls of string to pull that off,” Hoshi corrected. “Gokuhara wasn’t exactly much of a shrimp, so he wouldn’t get caught easily by a little thread.”

“Maybe not restrain the guy, but at least get him tangled in it to the point where he couldn’t focus on the real threat. Kinda like a false alarm in some way.”

“Or a very creative distraction!” Angie chimed. “Like that of a house fly buzzing all around you and you can’t find your swatter!”

“Just be sure not to be holding anything pointy when you’re trying to get rid of it and get back to work,” Himiko warned, talking from experience. “That’ll end with a lot of bandaids covering your hands.”

“Actually, you guys, I have a very good idea of what— FHHZZT— it was used for,” Tenko said, going back to everything she saw earlier. “Do you guys remember how I found that fan in the vent behind the towels?”

“Yeah, it was used to blow the chlorine out and make Gokuhara choke on his own air,” Miu commented. “What’s your point already?”

“That around part of the fan, something was tied there. I didn’t notice the rest of it, but— SSHHKFFH— if there was string in the library, that’s definitely the source.”

“Which answers the question, but only half of it,” Tsumugi observed. “How did Gokuhara-kun unknowingly pull on it and bring the fan closer to the tainted towels?”

“Maybe he thought something was stuck inside the vent and walked right into his own trap,” Ouma snickered.

“Don’t be silly! Gonta was a lot smarter than you think he was,” Kiibo chastised.

“That doesn’t mean he couldn’t have been a little curious about the string. You see something weird hanging from the vent, you’d pull it and see where it goes! Lots do it at least once in their lifetime.”

“By how we found the string, it’s not likely he simply pulled it,” Korekiyo stated. “No, there was a far less direct means of how it got the fan a lot closer to the chlorine. Less involving of his hands, and more towards the ground, if you understand me.”

“Which no one does because of how cryptic you are when you don’t gotta be,” Kaito sighed.

 _‘Shinguuji-kun’s no doubt getting at something again. The culprit set the string up in a specific way, and it was like a…’_ Kaede thought.

  1. Pulley system
  2. Spider web
  3. **Trip wire**



“I get it! The vent string was arranged into a **trip wire** for Gokuhara-kun to walk into.” Kaede envisioned the culprit setting it up from tying it around the fan inside the vent, then moving the rest carefully around where Gonta would meet his demise until it was all secured and set up. “With him walking forward, part of the trip wire pulls the fan closer to the right without turning away from the left, not only blowing the gas more towards the right spot, but also giving the towels a better gust.”

“And our killer would need a lot of string to have it reach Gokuhara-kun’s feet, so it’d need to go everywhere at just the right angles,” Shuichi included.

“Very good, you two,” Korekiyo commended. “That’s exactly what transpired. For the victim to have physically walked to his death, not knowing those very steps would end up his last…”

“Ahem. Can we stay on topic?” Kiibo requested. “Like on how Gonta knew to go near the trip wire? The library’s fairly roomy for all the books cluttered in it, so what if he just didn’t wander into where the killer wanted him to be?”

“That’s not possible. In fact, you heard the reason why it was guaranteed he’d get caught in the trip wire just like he did.”

“I heard it? What are you talking—?” Kiibo gasped, horrified at the realization. “Oh, no, that’s what it was for?!”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Wait, something we heard?” Hoshi quizzed, pausing when it hit him, too. “Ah. That definitely explains things. I should have known it wasn’t just out of the blue.”

“Akamatsu-san, would you care to do the honors of refreshing everyone’s memory in case they’re lost?” Korekiyo suggested.

 _‘I wish I didn’t have to, but one thing was loud enough to lead to Gokuhara-kun’s death,’_ Kaede lamented in her private thoughts.

**|| Egg Timer >**

“I get it! When the people at Paint Night heard the **egg timer ringing** before, that was no sudden occurrence. As soon as it’d gone off, Gokuhara-kun’s time was up, too. Basically, he also heard the egg timer and as he went to quiet it, he walked into the trip wire and started his exposure to the chlorine gas.”

“Because the egg timer was on one of the shelves closest to where he died,” Shuichi stated. “It also explains why we found it sitting near his hand. When he inhaled enough chlorine and fell, he let go and it landed near his loosened grip.”

“How awful!” Tenko shrieked, covering her mouth with both hands. “Even a human male like him… he didn’t deserve to be tricked like that. Or made into— SHHZFFFHZ— a killer’s pawn! That’s just sickening!”

“Given, but now we’ve just figured out the piece of evidence that’s all but sealed the identity of the one we’re looking to expose,” Korekiyo said. “If knowing about the string doesn’t, then nothing will.”

“We know it was turned into a really complicated trip wire, but what else would it say about who the killer is?” Maki asked.

“Maybe it’s someone that’s surprisingly good with string,” Himiko suggested. “But, that doesn’t really narrow it down very well, does it…?”

“It could have been Toujou-san,” Tsumugi suggested. “Pianos do come loaded with a lot of strings, and she’s bound to know how to replace them if they get busted. Not to mention, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her with her gloves off…”

“Replacing the strings of a piano is not as easy as doing it for a guitar,” Kirumi bit. “Each time I’ve been faced with the issue, someone else has done it because that’s not my field of expertise. I play pianos, not repair them.”

“And, Toujou-san has the same alibi as I do,” Korekiyo said. “For an hour until quarter-past 4, we—”

“—Were doing nothing of importance. It was just a silly, one-time piano playing session, and nothing more than time consuming.”

Korekiyo looked on at Kirumi’s emotional distance forlorn, deciding a trial wasn’t appropriate to deal with it and moving past it. “It was a marvelous piano playing session very well spent, but it’s no less the truth.”

“There goes my guess, then,” Himiko sighed. “Can you just tell me the answer and pretend I got it right?”

“I’m getting to it, have patience. It all has to do with the state of the trip wire before the body discovery, and afterwards. And since we’ve previously established the murder’s construction couldn’t have been completed before 3:50, that gives us an easy gap of a little under two hours.”

“The string was obviously intact at around 5:00 since that’s when Gokuhara-kun died, but by the time we found it, it’d been cut in two,” Shuichi informed everyone.

“And no one else knew about the wire to begin with, so it goes without saying the killer snipped it before any of us could notice or re-trigger the trap,” Kaede added. “Now, to pinpoint exactly when they did that so we can go from there.”

“Think of it this way, you two,” Korekiyo hinted. “If the culprit left just before 4 o’clock, what time do you think they returned to sever the trip wire before someone walked by?”

_‘What time would that be…?’_

  1. 3:00
  2. 4:30
  3. **5:10**



“I get it! The trip wire was cut at **5:10**! ...Give or take.”

“No estimate is perfect, but around then would indeed be their only window of opportunity to dispose of any and all evidence linked to their crime. Cutting the string, framing Amami-kun by throwing his earpieces inside the Game Room along with the gas mask, and plugging up the vent grate with paper to stop more chlorine from leaking into the library once Gokuhara-kun was already dead.”

“What does this mean for the culprit’s identity?” Rantaro wondered.

“Sheesh! Does he have to spell it out for you?” Ouma groaned. “There’s literally no other prime suspects with how much we’ve narrowed down the case! Since the culprit cut the wire after 5:00, but before we found Gonta’s body at 5:30-ish, anyone too far from the basement would need to be faster than a hedgehog to make it to the crime scene in time!”

“Just what are you getting at?” Maki sneered.

“The point we’ve all been looking for.” Ouma smiled wickedly, even more so when his answer was revealed and drew in gasps of shock from everyone else. “Gonta’s killer went to Paint Night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent so much time trying to clear Rantaro's name that I gave myself a headache. This is how well I can do trials, folks @w@"
> 
> By the way, should have said this sooner: I'm fully aware the A/V Room door was busted in canon and could only open enough to fit your arm through it, but since that fact is inconsequential here due to how differently the murder went down, it's fixed in this story bc who cares
> 
> Well, that does it for this update, and I'm sure you guys are looking more forward to the next one than ever! The first culprit's definitely being confirmed (and executed .w.") next chapter, so hold onto your trousers for that sucker! Thanks for tuning in this time around, and I'll be happy seeing you lovely lovelies when the next update comes up.


	11. Episode X: Class Trial 1.3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Execution, enough said
> 
> Aww, shit, this is it everyone. You get to see whodunnit (without jumping ahead to the end/end notes plz and thanks) and see 'em go. This chapter is W I C K E D long because they're not entirely doing trial stuff since, of course, this is the last part of it. Yeah, we're back to actual story stuff, folks XD
> 
> Without further ado, I'll leave you all to properly enjoy (more or less) the conclusion of Chapter 1. Have fun, and Happy Reading! ♥

“What the Hell are you getting at…?” Kaito breathed, just as stunned as the rest but directing his outrage more towards Ouma. “One of the people at Paint Night has been the killer all this time?!”

“Uh, yeah. Did you hear me speaking French or something?” Ouma snarked. “Maybe I did say it in a way too advanced for the human mind. I’ll try dumbing it down for you guys—!”

“—No, we heard you clearly,” Shuichi cut in. “And now that I think about it, that actually makes the most sense.”

“I agree,” Korekiyo said. “By attending Paint Night, the culprit could easily pick up on anything happening in the library right across the hallway, and access it in only a few short steps. They could be right by the crime scene under the guise of playing along with the rest of the group.”

“And that group would be Saihara-chan, Akamatsu-chan, Momota-chan, Yonaga-chan, Hoshi-chan, and Iidabashi-chan,” Ouma counted from his fingers proudly.

“Don’t forget yourself!” Kaito barked. “You were at Paint Night with the rest of us!”

“Oh yeah, I was, wasn’t I? My mind must have been so bored during it that it nearly blocked out the memory.”

“Damn liar…”

“Which just narrows things down to seven suspects,” Tenko murmured.

“Six. We’ve established that Yonaga-san didn’t steal from Amami-kun, so she couldn’t have gotten her hands on the earpieces,” Kirumi reminded.

“Oh. BFHSSKZ! That’s right, my mistake! Six suspects, but I really should be saying four instead.” Tenko glared at the boys listed. “Akamatsu-san would never do something so heinous.”

“You mean despite how reckless she is despite being our alleged leader?” Maki wondered. “If anyone’s at the top of the sketchy list, it’s her. No one knows what she’s planning, but it’s bound to be a terrible idea.”

“How about you don’t single me out just because you have a problem with me?” Kaede hissed. “Only one of us is the killer, and we still need to figure out who.”

“Okay, then what do you think? Who out of you six seems the most sketchy?”

“Momota-chan, obviously!” Ouma interrupted before Kaede could answer. “An ill-tempered meathead like him is definitely bound to do something idiotic!”

“For the last time, I’m not the killer!” Kaito argued. “You’re always pointing at me first, so how do we know you’re not it?”

“You do have a point. I’d be giving you way too much credit for being able to set up such a complex poison trap. Knowing you, you’d probably just say ‘eff it’ and barge in to kick Gonta where he stood! Just because he liked art and you didn’t. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

“I— that’s got nothing to do with anything! Who’d just go beat up a guy over his hobby?”

Ouma glared at Kaito hatefully. “Human scum like you who think they’re king of the world and stomp on anyone that might seem weaker than them. Just ‘cause you act like you’ve got power and no one else does, you go and give them crap for not doing something you think is socially acceptable.”

“...Yikes.” Kaito genuinely drew back, not expecting the response at all. “You, uhh, feeling okay over there?”

“Nishishi! Just a silly old shot in the dark! Man, I can’t believe you thought I was being serious!”

“That didn’t just sound like any old leg puller,” Kiibo muttered, highly worried by how quickly Ouma appeared to bounce back.

“Anyways, you have the motive, but not the brains, I’m afraid.”

“We could be looking for Iidabashi,” Himiko guessed. “Wasn’t he with Gokuhara the whole time?”

“That’d better be a joke I just heard,” Kiibo snarled. “And if it was, I’m sorry to tell you that I’m not laughing.”

“Hear me out. You two went to the warehouse around when the murder was getting set up. How do we know you didn’t just grab everything and go to town on the library and classroom?”

“Because Gonta was with me the whole time, and I wouldn’t be stupid enough to do something suspicious in front of him, nevermind kill my own friend!” Kiibo now just looked struck, close to tears. “I miss him, and you think I’m the one responsible for all of this? I just wish it didn’t happen…!”

“That doesn’t automatically rule you out of killing him,” Ouma brought up. “Even if someone’s your so-called ‘friend’, hello? Killing game? Anything goes to win, whether you like what happens or not.”

“And maybe Gokuhara-kun wasn’t exactly your target, so you could have set things up and he wound up caught in the middle of it all,” Tsumugi suggested.

“Don’t suddenly disqualify yourself just because you liked him,” Maki told Kiibo coldly. “You could easily be hiding something to drive the blame away from yourself.”

“I… no, but I didn’t…!” Kiibo wept, gripping his head. “It’s not me…! How could any of you even _think_ that?! What’s wrong with you all?!”

“Look, don’t take it as a personal attack,” Himiko insisted. “I’m just laying out a possibility is all. You ran Paint Night, so that puts you in the main suspects group, unfortunately.”

“Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Miu whistled. “Well, more like running it, actually…”

“I’M NOT THE KILLER!” Kiibo wailed, banging both hands on his podium as his face reddened with outrage and tears poured from his eyes. “First, I have to lose someone I care about, and now I’m being accused of doing it just because I was standing next to the real killer?! Is— when will enough be it for you people?!” His body trembled, forehead falling towards his podium as the room grew quiet in midst of his crying. “I get it sounds hard to believe me when I seem just as suspicious, but please… you have to understand that I’m not the one. Not just because I’m over here d-defending myself, but because the rest of you’ll die with me…”

“Yeah, quit ganging up on the guy already!” Ouma scolded everyone. “Can’t you see he’s had enough?”

“Even though you were just part of the problem?” Kirumi brought up. “Look, it’s very clear there’s a lot we aren’t looking at. The case has eliminated a lot of us as suspects, but let’s not pick at random and call it from there.”

“Okay… I still say it was Momota-chan, though.”

“Drop that! I’m still putting money on you being the culprit!” Kaito thundered. “You’re the one that keeps wishing death on the human race!”

“So? That doesn’t mean I’ll put a wrench in my own plans.”

“Maybe the killer is Saihara-san!” Tenko argued. “He’s been the most quiet among the guilty group, but that’s merely a front so he can strike his hardest!”

“I didn’t do it!” Shuichi fought back. “I was nowhere near the library today!”

“Yeah, and he’s definitely not the killing type!” Kaito vouched. “His Aikido is used on the bad guys only!”

“Well, both in self-defense from people looking to hurt me directly, and sometimes by accident if it’s just because someone snuck up on me.”

“And your misuse of martial arts could still be enough to kill somebody,” Tenko spat, glitching out. “You degenerate males are so blind it’s mind-numbing just— SHHZZFFT— listening to it!”

“I’m not the culprit!”

“Neither am I, I’m innocent!” Kaito fought.

“River in Egypt, you two,” Ouma giggled. “But, yeah, I didn’t do it either.”

 _‘Oh, great, they’re all shouting all at once,’_ Kaede groaned internally. _‘Maybe I can sort through them and soothe the panic. I’ll see who’s the most shifty and go off that.’_

* * *

_Mass Panic Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Bleach & Vinegar >**

**|| Gas Mask >**

**|| Kiibo’s Testimony >**

**|| “Amami” Brand Earpieces >**

“I was nowhere inside the library today except for the body discovery announcement!” Shuichi argued. “Tell me how I could have set up the trap without going inside?”

“Your ruse cannot fool me!” Tenko objected. “From how little you talk, it’s not hard for you to not make a peep and go unheard— GZZSFHZ! Then, when Gokuhara-san and Iidabashi-san’s backs were turned, you could mosey into the library and— SSFFHHZK— set up your trap!”

“Not possible around when it was all said to have happened. Around 3:30, I was with Akamatsu-san the entire time in the warehouse—”

“—Where you got all of your supplies to commit murder.”

“I don’t think so. If I’d gotten all the stuff needed for the crime, she definitely would have noticed and caught me.”

“Ha! And who’s to say you didn’t just threaten her into silence with your— KZZSFHKL— Aikido? Just when she was ready— BZZZKSHZ— to apprehend you, you used a dishonorable technique and forced her to comply, running off and doing the deed in spite of a witness!”

“Wow, it’s… unbelievable on how much sense that doesn’t make. I genuinely don’t know where to start on that one.”

“A confession! I want a confession out of you, menace scum!”

“You guys don’t seriously think I’m the killer, do ya?” Kaito tested. “The Shining Star of the Court plays rough, but never dirty! That goes for another person’s life, too! Heroes protect the folk that are in danger, not kill!”

“That doesn’t suddenly exclude you being with the main suspects,” Hoshi pointed out. “Regardless of how innocent you might be, it still looks pretty bad.”

“Look man, I didn’t _ask_ to get roped into Paint Night! I only went for my own agenda!”

“Being…?”

“I went to make… a poster, but only for advertising! I had an idea that was bound to have prevented this if the culprit hadn’t jumped the gun and took out Gokuhara!”

“Listen, kid, something you think might have been the best plan in the entire world would only fall flat on its rear. You can believe it’ll work all you want, but you’re no match against the universe and how cursed you’ve gotten by it.”

“Do I have to knock some word sense into you again, Hoshi?! ‘Cause I won’t hesitate to right here, right now! My plan was foolproof!”

“By a fool himself. Huh, kinda like a paradox, if you think about it. Maybe it would have gone okay in that case.”

“That’s what you go based off of?! Dude! Not cool!”

“I wonder why people think I’m the killer,” Ouma hummed mildly. “I wouldn’t have even been near the A/V Room if it weren’t for Shinguuji-chan and Toujou-chan wanting some alone time together.”

“You were misbehaving and being disruptive,” Kirumi brought up. “Every time I got started on Sonatina in C major, Op. 136, No. 1, I kept hearing you clap obnoxiously and howl.”

“It’s called being supportive. You Earthlings crave that more than anything, and I was cheering you on as your humble— no, _only_ other audience.”

“The session was meant to be private, and thus very few in attendance.” Kirumi grew sullen, frowning from the disappointment she felt towards herself. “Not that it mattered in the end, anyways… my silly music-playing did more harm than good, and I realized it too late.”

“Hmm? I take that as a confession to the murder?”

“What? Not at all! I’ve the proper alibi; you don’t! And **there isn’t any way** you can prove you’re any less guilty than the others involved in that group!”

**|| Kiibo’s Testimony >**

“I hear it!” Kaede exclaimed after catching Kirumi’s claim amongst the uproar.

_Break!_

* * *

“There is a way to determine who among the Paint Night group is the most guilty, and who’s not,” she corrected. “And it’s all a matter of the things we did after Gokuhara-kun left to the library.”

“Didn’t you guys just sit and wait before going to find his body?” Tsumugi asked. “That’s what I’d have done in case trouble was brewing outside my door.”

“No, we didn’t, actually,” Shuichi added. “A little after that, **some of us went for a bathroom break** and left the A/V Room for a bit.”

“With the exception of myself, Kiibo, and you, Shuichi,” Angie stated. “It simply wasn’t time for me to relieve my body.”

“Or so you say,” Miu snickered. “If I were there, I’d have gotten right up to—”

“—Iruma-san. Not now,” Kaede forced, silencing the maid. “But, yeah, I went to the bathroom after Momota-kun and Hoshi-kun because _someone_ doesn’t know paint’s not always for human skin.”

“No need to hide me, I know what I did,” Ouma laughed, accepting the hard look and grinning with both hands behind his head. “I’m surprised you got every last bit of it off.”

“It’s not my first time cleaning up paint messes. This was nothing.”

“That’s also not all what happened in the girls’ bathroom! Akamatsu-chan and I noticed—”

“—You went in the girls’ bathroom?!” Tenko gasped, angered. “You pig! You know you’re not— GASZZHSTZ— allowed anywhere near there! It’s the one place we ladies have our privacy and you go and invade it!”

“She took me there to clean the paint off my face because she didn’t wanna go in the boys’ bathroom. Now, as I was saying—”

“—Save it! No one wants to hear anything you have to say!” Kaito barked. “Especially if it involves pinning me as the culprit!”

“N-No one…? Wants to listen to me?” Ouma fake-whimpered, instantly going back to a better mood. “Okay! I’ll keep my mouth shut about it forever since you asked me so nicely!”

 _‘Phew. Now would be a terrible time to say it in front of Monokuma and the Mastermind,’_ Kaede gulped internally. _‘...Unless he knew he’d get told to shut up and did it on purpose? Or was he acting like he was ready to spill the beans and just wasn’t gonna anyways? Ouma-kun is truly something else…’_

“But, while I’m still yapping, I might as well go ahead and say this. Akamatsu-chan, the culprit’s been exposed just now. Can’t you tell, silly girl?”

“Eh? No, they haven’t.”

“Have, too! It’s between us four, but only one sticks out like a sore thumb. Why don’t I do the first question for you? You and I were together in the girls’ bathroom, and Momota-chan was in the boys’. We walked out at the same time, you know this because it happened right in front of you.”

“And on our way back, we saw Momota-kun go with us back downstairs.”

“Yeah, girlfriend! But, one issue. That’s only three, and yet four of us went up the stairs more or less together. Riiiight? I didn’t just dream it happening?”

“No, I saw it, too. Four went up, and three went—!” Kaede covered her mouth after a sharp gasp, the realization hitting her like a freight train. “...Oh, my God. That just narrowed the culprit down to one person.”

“Uh-huh, uh-huh! And who is it~?”

**_Who killed Gonta Gokuhara?_ **

**_Select someone!_ **

“It’s you! It's definitely you!” Kaede declared, firmly pointing towards her left. “Isn’t it, Hoshi-kun?”

“What’s that?” Hoshi asked, far too calmly.

“I said… you killed Gokuhara-kun. The evidence points to no one else but you.”

“Him?! Ho-shit killed the big guy?!” Miu questioned.

“Yes. He’s the culprit we’ve been looking for.”

“Hoshi-kun… you did it?” Kiibo gasped, voice going quiet. “I don’t believe it…”

“I do!” Tenko disagreed. “I knew all along a degenerate male was the killer, and I was right! Just, not which one.” She spasmed out, then proceeded. “Answer for your misdeeds, you heartless criminal!”

“No! Hoshi’s a bit of a buzzkill, but he’s no murderer!” Kaito fought. “I’ve been pouring nothing but my heart and soul into that guy, and I won’t buy for a second that he’d go this far to throw his chances all away!”

“We literally just spelled it out for you and you still think it’s bull?” Ouma sighed, now bored. “Sometimes, I wonder why anyone even bothers with you.”

“Because I saw Hoshi clear as day when we all went back to the A/V Room! He even went inside before I did, and up to the first floor at the same time as me, too!”

“Did you also see him when you left the bathroom?” Himiko wondered. “Or was he AWOL until you went back to the basement?”

“Sounds like someone didn’t actually hear the call of nature,” Korekiyo pondered. “How strange is that?”

“Uhh, well…” Kaito stammered, getting fired up again. “Who cares about that?! He probably just needed to stretch his little legs a bit! No harm in not going to the can!”

“There is when it doesn’t leave you with a viable alibi.”

“And if you ask me, Hoshi-chan didn’t excuse himself to pee,” Ouma stated. “Nope! That was definitely a lie bigger than he could ever be. Instead, he took the time to go in the library and cut the trip wire he spent all afternoon putting up.”

“Which definitely fits in with it staying intact during the murder, but being in two by the investigation,” Rantaro agreed, hands on his hips without making particular eye contact.

“So? Are we right?” Shuichi asked, earnest. “Are you the killer, Hoshi-kun?”

“...Hmph,” Hoshi got out, both hands in his jacket pockets. “That’s not a bad deduction you and Ouma just made, Akamatsu. But, you at least know better than him.”

“And?” Kaede asked.

“Say I am the culprit, you’ll need the most concrete evidence you’ve ever fathomed to implicate me. Without it, you’d just be taking a lucky guess, and that’s not cool to do.” Hoshi had his fist up by his face, looking right at Kaede stern. “If you can seal up any holes in the evidence you have, then I’m your crook. If not, then you’d best do some serious rethinking.”

“Alright. Do your worst. Why wouldn’t you be the culprit?”

“Besides the convenient timing, there’s nothing pointing directly to me. What would I have left at the scene of the crime that singles me out from everyone else?”

 _‘Something only applying to him…?’_ Kaede wondered.

  1. Gas mask size
  2. **The clay on the trip wire**
  3. Where the egg timer was placed



“I get it! Shinguuji-kun found **traces of clay** on one of the string halves, and during Paint Night, you were working on a sculpture of a cat. Nobody else was doing anything clay related, but you used a knife to carve in some details before you went in and cut the trip wire in the library with it, leaving the clay smears behind as evidence.”

“True as that is, that doesn’t mean I’m the killer. Someone could have easily picked up the knife I was carving with, went into the library, and used it to get rid of the string. Me using it to make a little art means nothing inherently.”

“See? You’ve got the wrong guy!” Kaito insisted. “That’s what happens when you listen to people like Ouma!”

“You don’t have proof Hoshi didn’t do it,” Tsumugi cut in. “Akamatsu-san has to really know what she’s talking about to agree with Ouma-kun.”

“Well, it isn’t as though he’s unintelligent, he’s merely…” Kirumi trailed off.

“Highly untrustworthy,” Maki answered for her. “And a liar, to go with it.”

“Sucks for you guys, because I just gave you all the right answer,” Ouma snarked. “If you don’t believe me, I frankly couldn’t care less.”

 _‘I know better than to trust everything he says, but he’s actually right on this one,’_ Kaede thought. _‘They’re all more likely in taking my word for it, so I’ll have to do the rest from here on out.’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Clay-Covered String >**

**|| Monokuma File #1 >**

**|| Rantaro’s Testimony >**

**|| Stacked Books >**

“Well, Akamatsu? Everyone’s waiting on **why I could be the culprit** ,” Hoshi prompted. “If you’re so sure you’re making the right choice, I want you to prove it. That’s all.”

“Don’t encourage that! If she picks you, she’ll **doom everyone** but the real culprit!” Kaito snapped. “Akamatsu, I’m telling you, you’re making a huge mistake!”

“Ouma-kun could be just leading her on,” Shuichi suggested. “And yet, he’s also made some pretty reasonable points thus far.”

“Awww, you do believe in me!” Ouma cooed. “You’re as smart as you look after all!”

“I’d— prefer if that praise didn’t come from you.”

“And he’s modest, too! For an Earthling, that is.”

“Once again, he’s just **goofing around** and contributing nothing,” Maki sighed. “Are we sure we can’t just pretend he isn’t talking?”

“Guys, I get Ouma-kun’s not the most agreeable person out there,” Rantaro defended, “but he’s definitely onto something. He’s even got **solid proof on the killer**.”

“Does he?” Hoshi questioned, tugging on his hoodie and smiling grim. “Lots of evidence can be shot down if there’s even the slightest problem with it.”

“That doesn’t make it any less true. Could you do us a favor and fess up? You’re still on thin ice for making me look like a killer.”

“If I’m really the culprit, Akamatsu needs to solidify it. For instance, take a look at **the murder plan**.”

“Nyeh, what about it?” Himiko asked.

“The towels were first and foremost put inside the vents. I’m nowhere near tall enough to get up there even with a ladder, so **I couldn’t possibly reach that high** to put them in, could I?”

**|| Stacked Books >**

“No, that’s wrong!” Kaede objected.

_Break!_

* * *

“Even if you couldn’t get very high with just the ladder, you still used something to get you up to the vent,” she said. “Because there’s only so much the shelves can fit, **the rest of the library books** were stacked on top of them.”

“Which means, you could have climbed up and used them to get close enough to the vent and put in those towels,” Shuichi included.

“Alright, not a bad argument,” Hoshi calmly admitted. “But, those books didn’t move an inch from their spot on the shelves. You can’t entirely prove they were used as a stepping stool. Maybe the culprit had no need for them at all and just let them be.”

“See? Solid proof that Hoshi’s innocent,” Kaito argued.

“That’s only one possibility versus another,” Kirumi told him. “We don’t know if his claim is true or not.”

“And unless we figure out how to prove the books were used, we can’t officially pin him as the culprit,” Kiibo said, still not fully back from the possibility of knowing his friend’s killer.

“We’re not going back to square one,” Maki demanded. “We’ve finally narrowed it down to one likely person among the last group, so there’s bound to be evidence he’s not telling us just to save his skin.”

“Isn’t there any way to prove it?” Tsumugi wondered.

“Yes,” Korekiyo answered. “Akamatsu-san actually brought it up much early on in this trial. The question is, can she remember what it was, or will she be forever _torn_ by the possibility?”

“What now?” Kaede exhaled, tired.

“I’m only saying, if you do not incriminate the correct person, we’ll all be _ripped_ limb-from-limb while a guilty man goes free. Make the right choice, and do not keep us from the truth that will save the rest of us.”

“Oh! Right.” Would it kill him to give less vague hints? One way to prove the books had been used…

**|| Stained Paper Wads >**

“I get it! Hoshi-kun, you did climb on those books because there’s nowhere else you could have gotten **enough paper** to plug up the vent grate after killing Gokuhara-kun.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Hoshi disagreed. “You’re forgetting the crime took place in a library, which, unless I’m mistake, is covered head to toe in books.”

“Yeah, but when I looked at the book pile under the vent, one book was smaller. I opened it up and saw a good chunk of its pages had been ripped out. And it wasn’t just to make a mess; you were trying to keep the gas from getting out after what you’d done.”

“You— desecrated a novel?” Korekiyo growled. “Was ending another life not enough for you that you had to commit vandalism, too?”

“To be fair, the library books aren’t very legible,” Himiko defended. “Half of them are written in a made-up language.”

“Only some were made up,” Angie corrected. “I was able to translate a small handful of others, but even they proved difficult for my eyes!”

“Also, preserving books would be the last thing on— GSAZHTST— the mind of a criminal,” Tenko spat. “If it absolves them of evildoing, consider it used.”

“This is all very true…” Korekiyo exhaled, exclusively welcoming logic back into his head. “And if the ruined book was atop that same pile near the vent, then Hoshi-kun well could have used such for two steps. To help himself up both times around, and plugging up the gas during his cleanup.”

“Sounds like the case to me,” Hoshi concurred. “Not bad so far.”

“Why aren’t you arguing?!” Kaito yelled, furious. “If you’re supposedly the culprit, you’d fight to the end, not throw the towel in when you’re caught! At least try to defend yourself!”

“Hey, I’m not confessing anything. All I’m doing is making sure my accusers aren’t barking up the wrong tree.”

“That’s the same thing!”

“Another thing, Akamatsu.” Hoshi was outright ignoring Kaito at this point like the majority of the trial room. “What Tenko found in the vents. You said there was a fan, yeah?”

“Right,” Kaede confirmed. “What about it?”

“It was pretty far the shaft, so how could I have gotten it there? My arms can’t reach so good, even if I could get near the vent.”

“And when we investigated the classroom, it was pretty small,” Kaito added. “It’d take a miracle to fit inside without getting stuck.”

“Maybe he lubed himself up and went right in,” Miu pointed out. “No need to go in dry and come out red as a freshly-slapped pair of cheeks!”

“Shut up. No one’s gonna tell you again,” Maki hissed, red eyes emphasized with the shadow around her eyes.

“Gh—! D-Don’t take it so seriously! I’m just sayin’ is all!”

“Your first problem exactly. If you’re not gonna at least pretend to be useful, then no one wants to hear you.”

“I-I am useful! I’m the most useful SOB you’ll see on this side of town and wherever! Everyone needs the Ultimate Maid to function, and there’s n-nothin’ you can do to change that! When you can’t even wipe your own ass without screwing up, don’t c-come crying to me about it! I won’t answer!”

“Okay. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

Miu grew cut, now quiet as a churchmouse and looking kicked. “Wh… you’re serious?”

“While it might be hard to fit in the vent, it’s not entirely impossible,” Shuichi pointed out to Kaito. “Especially with Hoshi-kun, it’s pretty obvious how he could get really far up the shaft.”

 _‘And actually, he’s the best candidate for tampering with the vent,’_ Kaede said no further than her thoughts. _‘There’s only one way for him to fit inside enough to distance the fan from the towels in order for his trip wire to work!’_

* * *

_Hangman’s Gambit Ver. 3.2_

_Start!_

Kaede could see nothing short of circles encased in dimmed lights, their identities a mystery to her eyes. They all moved towards either the left or right, but were in no hurry to get away from one another. In trying to decipher them, a brief flash of bright light ran over them all, revealing repeated bunches of seven different letters of a specific color each. Kaede was able to identify the first few, picking them out and letting them go to where they were needed.

**S** **M** **A** __ __ __ __ __ __

She kept going, looking carefully and relying best on her memory to find the right pieces to the words she needed for her answer. Where was it? Did the light plan on coming back soon to help her? Before it had, an expanding circle of brightness revealed each sphere, giving her enough viewing time and picking out more of what spelled the evidence out.

**S** **M** **A** **L** **L** __ __ __ __

Only four more to go and she’d have the answer in her grasp. Just then, the beacon went once over the dark gray bubbles and showed her what to do. Kaede caught only one letter this time around, but used another expanding circular light to bring the rest out and got them quickly. Now, she had the truth, prepared to reveal it to those counting on her for saving their lives from the guilty party’s deceit.

**_How could Hoshi have fit easily inside the vent?_ **

**S M** **A** **L** **L** **S** **I** **Z** **E**

“Now I see!” Kaede declared.

_Break!_

* * *

“The vent may be just barely big enough for someone to fit inside, but **it’s the perfect size for Hoshi-kun** to do it easier,” she answered. “He only needed to go up far enough and put down the desk fan, so that was as good as done once he opened the vent.”

“Using your shortness for evil?! The nerve!” Ouma fake gasped. “I’ve been glad to be taller than you since we met, but now I’m feeling my best since it’d make it difficult for me to have done this. Good going, Hoshi-chan.”

“You do realize that once he’s gone, you’ll be the shortest of the guys, right?” Himiko wondered.

“What was that? Couldn’t quite catch that with you all the way down there!” Ouma put his hand to his ear, leaning towards Himiko. “You’ll have to speak up!”

“Nevermind…”

“That explains how he’d be able to get inside the vent,” Shuichi stated. “Or is there a hole in that logic too?”

“...Nah, it’s airtight,” Hoshi said. “Akamatsu’s got legitimate evidence pointing towards me since I am the smallest.”

“Can we confirm you’re the culprit, then?” Korekiyo asked. “The one thing you haven’t done yet is a solid confession.”

“Hold your horses, Detective. We still have a few more loose ends to tie up before you convict anyone.”

“Why bother? We know it’s you!” Miu ranted.

“For the last time, no it’s not…” Kaito snarled. “I’m— I ain’t backing down on Hoshi until the fat lady sings!”

“Defiant to the end,” Angie mused. “If this is the peak of humanity’s faith in one another, I am truly honored to see it this close and personally! Even if it does make Kaito look like an idiot in front of his peers.”

“I’m not an idiot! If Hoshi won’t get any faith for himself, then I’ll be giving it to him until he finally learns to! I was right about the culprit not being Harukawa or Amami, so what’s stopping me this time?!”

“Evidence. Clear-cut evidence that’s refuting everything you’re saying, and you’re blatantly ignoring it,” Korekiyo said with brutal honesty, then softening up. “Look, Momota-kun, it’s okay. I don’t want any of us to be on their way to an early grave, but what other choice do we have?”

“Every kind! You’re just choosing not to take them except the easy route! What kind of detective are you?!”

Kiyo gave Kaito a hardened look, having no more patience for him being counterproductive. “One who would do far better out of training than you could ever hope to at this rate. If you’re going to be disruptive, then I suggest you take your nonsense somewhere else while the rest of us put a lid on this mystery.”

“I—! But—!”

“—No buts. My words are final.”

“Oooh, you got told!” Ouma jeered, pointing at Kaito, who refused to say a word to him or anyone in favor of stewing bitterly.

“Back to the important things at hand,” Hoshi started, “can you think of anything else you might have against me related to the murder plan?”

“If I may,” Korekiyo spoke, raising his index finger, “Hoshi-kun being our culprit would make sense considering he was at Paint Night. Which means, using the earpiece, he’d be within proximity of the crime scene and jump as soon as he’d heard Gokuhara-kun’s demise.”

“How could I hide it?”

“What’s that?” Shuichi asked.

“I said, how could I hide the earpiece?” Hoshi gave a half-lidded, but intent look at everyone whilst his candy cigarette hung from his little fingers. “People would notice it sticking out of somebody’s ear and not pretend it’s nothing. And planting it anywhere else on them or off makes it difficult to hear what’s going on on the other end.”

 _‘How did he hide the earpiece while wearing it…?’_ Kaede repeated internally, going over her choices. _‘Wait. That’s how! He had to have hid it behind his…’_

  1. **Hoodie**
  2. Arm
  3. Sleeve



“I get it! You’re always wearing **that hoodie** of yours enough for it to cover your ears, so it’d be easy to hide an earpiece behind it so long as you never took it off.”

“Which he didn’t the entire time he was at Paint Night,” Shuichi added. “At least, not until he got rid of the evidence when he took that so-called ‘bathroom break’.”

“That clears up everything he did,” Maki noted. “Or does he have more riddles to put everyone through?”

“Do you, Hoshi-kun? Or is this all what’s happened?” Kirumi quizzed.

“No, she’s pretty much got a lot of it down,” Hoshi said. “But, now I have this to ask.”

“Here we go!” Ouma complained.

“Tell me how I’d be able to pull any of this off so smoothly. A faceless, memory-damaged nobody like me going through all of this for reasons that ended as well as I should have expected, and yet did it anyways as if I didn’t know better.”

“How? But, we already—” Kaede began.

“—No, you got the process down and set, but I mean something that separates me from the rest. One key piece of skill helping me that I’m not even fully aware of myself, and yet… it was my helping hand.” Hoshi took the rest of his candy cigarette out, giving Kaede a serious look. “Gimme all you got, and tell us the number one thing that might have helped me do all of this.”

“If it’s not evidence you want, then… then I’ll reveal what you’re searching for! And if I’m right, it’s the one thing missing from you all along.”

“You ready?”

Kaede nodded. “I’m giving this everything I’ve got! This is nothing personal, but there’s no holding back and no hesitation!”

* * *

_Argument Armament START!_

Now, it was just Kaede and Hoshi, who appeared to her much differently than he did in reality. On him, an orange prison suit, handcuffs, and a ball-and-chain coiling all around him like a python. What he held in front of him was a black mugshot board with his full name, the number “241159” under it, and some messy scratches over the spot where the crime would be, all of it in white. Flying around him scattered were wanted posters, all depicting his face and the reward for catching him. The new background behind Hoshi seemed to be a cold, black prison cell with only a bench and a small, barred square for a window letting in minimal gray light from outside.

“So, it’s all come down to this, has it?”

“You say I’m guilty, but are you able to put the nail in the coffin?”

“If you don’t have this right, it’s curtains for everyone else.”

“Only one person here should be going up the river, are you sure it’s me?”

“Evidence points in all sorts of directions, so don’t make any wild guesses!”

“I’d rather it was over for me than any of you…”

“To drag everyone down without them deserving it, so uncool to do.”

“Don’t be flimsy with your claims, you can’t afford it!”

“Make sure you find the real culprit and put a stop to this trial.”

Hoshi’s wanted posters vanished with that hit, picking up the tempo of the challenge.

“Are you sure it’s me?”

“Your faith is strong, but your logic’s gotta be stronger!”

“Otherwise, it’s all gonna go south for you and the others.”

“Do you really want that?”

“For all you know, I didn’t actually kill Gokuhara.”

“His killer’s still alive, but not for long…”

“The one who started this killing game deserves the worst. I don’t care who it is.”

“And neither should you!”

“There’s no way out for them, they’re cornered.”

“Don’t hesitate to expose the killer, even if it’s me!”

Next went the ball-and-chain, everything speeding up for Kaede to catch up with.

“Can you really see right through me?”

“Show no mercy!”

“It’s better one person than a whole bunch of others who’ve done nothing.”

“Don’t worry about what’ll happen.”

“This is all on you, Akamatsu!”

“You wanna save everyone so badly, this is your chance to do that.”

“The culprit made their bed, now they’ve gotta lie in it.”

“I doubt even Gokuhara would be so forgiving of his killer.”

“Can’t say I’d blame him.”

His mugshot board was gone, the tempo coming to a stop as Hoshi was positioned right in the center of it all.

_Final Blow!_

“ **W** **hat could have helped me pull off all those steps in the murder trap**?”

**_HOSHI’S-TRUE-ULTIMATE-TALENT_ **

“This ends now!” Kaede proclaimed.

With the last and most powerful hit, Hoshi was sent to one knee in scratches on his skin and the prison uniform ripped to shreds, the side of his thumb under his bottom lip now that the chain of his handcuffs had broken clean in half.

_Break!_

* * *

“While I know what it is as much as you do,” Kaede started, “I have reason to believe your **true talent** was key in helping you commit this crime. You might not consciously remember it, but parts of you do and acted on it.”

“Hmm. So, that’s it?” Hoshi wondered.

“Uh-huh. Do you have any clue what it could be? The stealth, the climbing, the ability to crawl up small spaces, pickpocketing someone, and moving along steep ledges? Is any of it ringing a bell?”

“It’s… I just can’t figure it all out. Yeah, it’s melting into something, but what is it?”

“Oooh, oooh, we know!” Monotaro blurted out, raising his hand. “We’ll give you some hints and Father will spill the beans! First, you were right on your title being ‘bad’! Bad to the bone!”

“And like you are now, it involves you doing lots of running away,” Monokid resumed.

“Not just from one spot, but from another, and another, and more you can think of!” Monophanie stated.

“So many places in so little time,” Monosuke finished. “There was just no way out for you, whether you remembered it or not.”

“Anything sparking a sudden epiphany?” Monokuma inquired. “No? Darn! I guess I gotta say everything for ya! People! Listen loud, and listen clearly for the greatest mystery of all time! Ryouma Hoshi’s true talent is none other than…!”

“Here goes…” Hoshi sighed, his eyes and the others’ on Monokuma, who wheeled down a letter banner reading “Ultimate” in big letters before another, more solid one hung right next to it.

“Bum-bum-bum-baaaa! The **Ultimate Fugitive**! That’s right! Our dear Hoshi-kun did something very, very naughty that got a lot of people around him… well, we’ll just say ‘seriously hurt’, but you get the real picture.”

“A lot of gore and guts, and blood, and—!” Monophanie gagged, holding back her bile and swallowing after envisioning it. “Excuse me. It was a messy scene that the fuzz just weren’t gonna let slide with just a slap on the wrist.”

“Inevitably, Hoshi-kun was thrown in the slammer, left to either rot in Hell on Earth, or have someone do the rotting for him,” Monosuke said. “Either way, he had no way of escaping.”

“Or so everyone thought! But man, did he prove ‘em wrong!” Monokid chortled. “That midget kicked names, chewed ass, and took some serious gum gettin’ out, but sooner or later, he was on the outside lookin’ in!”

“For a few seconds, because he had to keep running or else the guards would catch him,” Monotaro stated. “And ever since then, he’s been all over the place. Tokyo, Ikebukuro, Shibuya and everywhere in Japan until it just wasn’t safe no mo’!”

“Which meant he had to kick it up a notch and start hittin’ the seas! I’m talkin’ Nice, Budapest, Ghana, Georgia, Los Angeles and Vaduz! Anywhere to get him away from the authorities and hide, he took it in any way he could get.”

“Living off the land, plus whatever resources would stop those daisies from getting pushed up or blowing his cover,” Monokuma giggled. “Then, when all of you came here, most of it was wiped from him and we were able to sit back and watch him try to figure it out. Like a four-year old trying to do calculus, only to bawl their eyes out!”

“The Ultimate Fugitive…” Korekiyo pondered. “One who’s only just now finding that out.”

“No wonder he didn’t want to know the truth,” Shuichi said with sympathy. “And now look what’s happened.”

“A prisoner to the very end without a chance of escaping my shit life,” Hoshi sighed, pulling up his sleeve and revealing his orange wristband, which turned out to be nothing more than a means of prison identification. “What a joke.”

“...Is that all?” Kaede asked Hoshi, getting a nod. “Nothing else to debate?”

“You know what you gotta do. For the others.”

Kaede paused, then nodded. “Let’s review this case from the very beginning.”

* * *

**Closing Argument**

“From yesterday morning, Monokuma gave us all a **second motive** to kill besides the First Blood Perk. If nobody committed the first murder by tomorrow night, we’d be executed altogether, giving us only two days to do so. To try and quiet the panic, **Gokuhara-kun** and **Iidabashi-kun** came up with a harmless activity planned for the night before the time limit would be up. A cute little **Paint Night** in the A/V Room for anyone to enjoy. But, it seemed **one of us** was less keen on doing art and more on taking their own action before time was up.

“Sometime prior to when set-up started at **3:00** , the culprit went to the **warehouse** and **dining hall** to gather everything they needed for their master plan. That included a **desk fan** , some **bleach** , **vinegar** , **a spool of string** , **aluminum foil** , an **egg timer** , and a **gas mask** , all otherwise normal everyday things soon to be turned into tools for murder. Before they could be seen at the warehouse, they left to start setting everything up after **3:15** , which is when Gokuhara-kun and Iidabashi-kun made their own trip there after finishing putting the desks in place downstairs.

“The culprit’s first stop was the library, where they used the ladder to reach the shelf under the **air vent** and climbed, unable to reach it because of their **short stature** , so the **piles of books** on top of it acted as an extra boost. But, their size wasn’t entirely an issue, because it helped them get enough inside the vent to put the desk fan a distance away from the towels while turned to the highest setting. Then, they fastened the string around it and shut the grate carefully with string still hanging out **from the slits**. Moving it all over one area of the library, the culprit turned it into a **trip wire** in a way that would pull on the desk fan and get it further down the vent.

“After they were done messing with the library, the culprit went directly to **Classroom 1A** , which is right upstairs from the basement. Once there, they opened up the **vent connected** to the library’s and poured down a combination of bleach and vinegar, which was absorbed by the towels below and created some highly poisonous **chlorine gas**. In order to keep the gas from getting inside the classroom, the culprit used the aluminum foil to create a **protective screen** around the vent, closing it and stashing the bottles of chemicals away so no one would find them anytime soon.

“Initially, the culprit thought they were mostly set in putting together their plan, but wound up spotting **Amami-kun** outside in the courtyard. On him, they found his newest invention: **earpieces** that he intended to use with Yumeno-san in order to fix Tenko-san’s injuries. Wasting no time, the culprit **pickpocketed** him and stole two for themselves, running back inside and getting back to work. Down in the library, the culprit— now having put on the gas mask for protection against the chlorine— placed one earpiece on one of the shelves like an **audio bug** , and wearing the other for hearing everything happen. Before they left, they put the gas mask somewhere safe, wound up the egg timer to a **full hour** and put it down, now clear to take cover.

“By the time they’d finished, it was almost time for Paint Night, which was happening **right across the hallway**. Figuring it’d serve as a good cover and a way of checking on the **crime scene** , the culprit attended, at some point followed by Yonaga-san, Momota-kun, myself with Saihara-kun, and finally Ouma-kun. Over the next hour, things seemed normal until Gokuhara-kun left to get more newspaper, intending to come back soon, but he never would as soon as he set foot inside the library.

“Not long after he went in, the egg timer went off and **caught Gokuhara-kun’s attention**. On his way over to it, his foot unknowingly caught on the trip wire, which pulled the desk fan still on full blast to the chemical-drenched towels, which had been **stewing in the vent** long enough to produce a lot of chlorine gas. The fan was positioned in a way to blow the gas closer to the other side of the library where Gokuhara-kun was standing. Because of this, he got more or less a direct dose, inhaling enough of it to send him coughing and choking while causing a **slight rash** and **eye irritation**. Unable to breathe properly with lungs full of poison, Gokuhara-kun dropped the egg timer and collapsed, the chlorine gas killing him in minutes.

“After a while, we all noticed there was **no sign of Gokuhara-kun** whatsoever, none of us but the culprit aware of the circumstances happening outside the door. Momota-kun took the time to excuse himself for a **bathroom break** in order to clean the paint off his arms and clothes, I myself taking Ouma-kun to wash off his… facepaint, and the culprit just pretended to be doing something similar. In reality, though, they only went upstairs until we were out of sight, then going back to the library to **clean up** their mess now that Gokuhara-kun was gone.

“Since the culprit worked on a **sculpture** during Paint Night, they left **traces of clay** on the string when they’d used the same **carving knife** to cut the trip wire. Having nothing to seal the vents back up, they resorted to ripping out **pages** from the book stack they used to get up high on the bookshelf to begin with and plugging up the grate with **wads of paper** , which got **stained** by the wet chlorine towels still stinking up the vent shaft. Throwing the gas mask and earpiece in the **Game Room** to pin the whole crime on Amami-kun, they rushed outside and joined the rest of us coming back to the A/V Room before we all set out to search for Gokuhara-kun. But, by the time we’d found him, it was already way too late to **help him** …

Kaede gestured to the culprit, who was blacked out by anonymity with red eyes, and had their back to her with hands in both pockets while looking down until they shifted into their true identity in full color. “And that same person, who had the gall to hurt such a gentle giant, was none other than you! **Ryouma Hoshi, the formerly unknown Ultimate Fugitive**!”

_Complete!_

* * *

“And that’s… how it all went down,” Kaede sighed with a heavy heart. “The one we’ve been looking for this whole time. It’s Hoshi-kun.”

“You… you really did kill Gonta, then?” Kiibo croaked to him, eyes shaking and dampening with more tears. “But— but I don’t understand. How could you do that to him?”

“Is it really so surprising? He’s killed once, and he was happy to do it again,” Ouma sneered, arms folded and showing nothing but revulsion. “The very embodiment of a garbage species jam packed into one of them.”

“Worse than that! He’s surpassed his criminal status and gone straight into— KHLSSHZT— abhorrence!” Tenko shouted. “Once a degenerate male, always one!”

“People like that thinking they can control who lives or not are sick,” Maki spat. “I couldn’t care less what happens to him after this if he’d just pick off whoever he wants.”

“Well? What do you have to say for yourself?” Rantaro asked firmly, arms folded and giving Hoshi a look of displeasure. “You did all of this, killed someone who didn’t do a thing to you or anybody, and nearly got us all killed by thinking you could frame me without consequences.”

“Nothing to say?” Kaito snarled, gripping the podium livid as Hoshi refused to spare any words or a glance. “Seriously? Even after you did something unthinkably shitty, took away the one thing no one can get back once it’s gone, and tried to get away with it! Nothing. You’re just gonna say nothing at all?”

“...What else can I tell you guys?” Hoshi questioned. “You got me. I’m the scum who killed Gokuhara. Nothing else to it. Props to Akamatsu for solving the case.”

“You conniving sack of shit!” Miu roared, especially after seeing Kiibo sink further into grief and horror. “The life of crime was just too sweet to stay away from, wasn’t it? What? Are you gonna stick a knife in the rest of us for exposing you, too?! Is your blood boner throbbing that hard?!”

“Oooh, thanks for reminding me!” Monokuma interrupted. “I love where this is going, but we’re not done with the trial yet! Just the debate part!”

“Now, it’s time to vote!” Monotaro announced.

“To do that, you bastards need to turn your attention to the screens in front of you,” Monophanie said.

“Pick your best choice for the blackened of this case, and don’t pick wrong!” Monokid ordered.

“And don’t not pick anyone, either,” Monosuke warned. “Failing to vote means you die with the correct choice!”

“Pick an Ultimate, any Ultimate! Preferably the one who’s actually a murderer, though!” Monokuma sang. “It doesn’t have to be unanimous; just a majority. IIIIIT’S VOTING TIME~!”

On the fifteen active podiums, a flashing logo reading “Class Trial Voting Time” within a heart popped up, then changing to a screen showing the students’ faces in organized boxes beside their full body view and name. Gonta’s was crossed out, leaving it impossible to vote for him. When everyone selected a candidate within the time limit, the picture boxes closed up and only showed the words “PLEASE WAIT” before becoming Monokuma holding up a sign reading “Announcement” in scarlet writing.

“Upupupu! The votes are in,” Monokuma said. “Now, let’s see what those results are. Cross your fingers and hope you’re right!” A large screen lowered above him, showing the results. All fifteen red tallies were under Hoshi’s name and beside his icon. “Good, good! Everyone agreed on something for once! But, was it the correct choice? Let’s see…”

The “Verdict” wheel spun like a roulette board, a yellow light going in a circle through all the students’ pixelated icons at least once before slowing two spaces before the popular pick. When it stopped on it, the face flashed in red in the dark center underneath “HOSHI” colored yellow at the very top. Confetti sprung everywhere, bronze coins flying out of the giant gambling machine and filling up while the Monokubs rejoiced and Monokuma’s face cackled where Hoshi’s was once depicted.

* * *

_Class Trial: All Rise!_

“Wowzers! You all guessed right for your first trial!” Monokuma cheered. “As you figured out, the blackened responsible for the murder of Gonta Gokuhara is the **Ultimate Fugitive** , Ryouma Hoshi!”

“Just as I’d suspected,” Korekiyo said. “Well, it was either him, Yonaga-san, or Amami-kun, but no less among my choices.”

“I still can’t believe this,” Shuichi exhaled. “Hoshi-kun, you seemed to be the most mild-mannered out of all of us. Why would you do something like this to Gokuhara-kun?”

“He only wanted to help everyone stay calm,” Kirumi rasped, “and you repay him like this? I just can’t wrap my head around it…”

“Don’t bother. That sick fuck can’t get himself outta this one,” Miu bit, glaring at Hoshi.

“No. I can’t, can I?” Hoshi wondered, hollow.

“There is no excuse for murder, no matter what your reasoning is,” Korekiyo said. “However. I do believe now would be a perfect time to still explain yourself. Surely, there must be a reason to have done this. A motive, if you will.”

“We got a motive! The time limit, dicknips!” Miu snapped.

“I don’t think so. Something tells me it’s not inherently as concrete as we’re all thinking it to be. Hoshi-kun fails to strike me as someone who would do a crime this serious without a more personal reason.”

“A different reason? Really?” Kaede inquired.

“No! I don’t give a shit about what that son of a bitch has to say anymore!” Kaito bellowed, hoarse with rage. “Gokuhara is gone! And he’s never coming back, and it’s all his fault!”

“Momota—”

“—Don’t, Akamatsu. Just don’t. I don’t wanna hear you defend him. I couldn’t bring myself to believe there wasn’t hope for him because lots can do great in the world, whether they think so or not. But if I knew he’d go this far in doing something so STUPID—! I’d have never wasted my time beating a dead horse trying to be his life coach! He can keep his bullshit excuses to himself because I’m not listening to a word of them!”

“Momota-kun, please,” Korekiyo pleased, lowering the athlete’s finger from berating Hoshi. “Even the guilty have a right to explain themselves. He can’t fix this, but it will only worsen if we let him go without seeing it from his eyes.”

“I don’t care. I don’t wanna see anything from his eyes.”

“You don’t have to listen if you don’t want to, but don’t deny Hoshi-kun his final rights.”

“Then he can run his mouth all he wants. I’m done telling him what to do if that fucker won’t listen to anyone but himself and his dinky little pity party.”

“He’s right,” Hoshi agreed to Kaito’s further disgust. “I could tell you all my reasons, and none of it’s gonna bring Gokuhara back to us. What’s the point of trying to justify the unjustifiable?”

“So, you’ll just leave it at that?” Kiibo of all people croaked, looking at Hoshi exclusively with pain where scorn was on others. “You killed my best friend, and you think you’re not rubbing any salt in by denying us the reason you went after him? Well… you’re wrong. Very wrong.”

“Humor me how I supposedly am.”

“Because if you don’t at least explain yourself, nobody can understand. And if we can’t understand…” Kiibo sniffled, tears dropping from him while he trembled. “How could I even _consider_ forgiving you, if I get to that point?”

“...You shouldn’t.”

“You don’t get to decide that for me! You have no right to! Tell me right now why you did all of this, or so help me God, I’ll make it happen myself!”

“Iidabashi, listen. There is no way I can say anything without… well, throwing someone else under the bus with me.”

“Who?” Kaede asked.

“...You of everyone wants to know that badly? I really think it’s a bad idea,”

“Nobody cares what you think anymore. Out with it,” Maki ordered, curt.

“Go on. Just say what you need to, Hoshi-kun,” Kaede encouraged.

“Alright. Because you insist,” Hoshi began. “To start, I’m gonna make one thing very clear: Gokuhara wasn’t even close to being my intended target.”

“He wasn’t?” Kiibo repeated, wiping away the eyeliner dampened by his tears. “Then, why did he end up in your trap?”

“I don’t know, but he wasn’t supposed to have anything to do with my plan. He was a good kid, and I’d never lay a finger on him given the chance.”

“Oh, really? Then who _were_ you trying to get poisoned?” Kaito bit, only turning his head to Hoshi angrily.

“The one who actually put us in harm's way. I was trying to kill the Mastermind.”

Everyone’s collective attention went right to Hoshi at that, Kaito now jumping around and fully facing him. “You— come again?”

“I said, I was aiming for the Mastermind, not Gokuhara. And considering what it’s led up to, he and them are definitely not the same person.”

“I thought the Mastermind wasn’t one of us,” Tsumugi brought up. “Monokuma said so when the trial started.”

“You’re seriously gonna buy what that thing has to say, Shirogane? He’s obviously not gonna tell us there’s a traitor amongst us or who it is.”

“I— might have made a little boo-boo saying that,” Monokuma laughed uneasily, scratching his head when he got too many eyes glowering.

“No, boo-boos are accidents. You just flat-out lied to us,” Ouma called out. “Not that I didn’t already know that. It takes liars to know one.”

“So, the Mastermind really is one of us?” Himiko shuddered. “Gross. That means I ate breakfast with a maniac…”

“And will continue to because I botched my plan,” Hoshi lamented, then smiling wryly from disappointment in himself. “You were wrong, Akamatsu. I couldn’t do good after all. I got too confident thinking I was able to actually help people like you, and I made things worse by starting the killing game for real. I guess I’m the one who still has a long way to go…”

“You mean this whole time, you were just trying to off the Mastermind?” Kaito asked, then growing more distressed despite still sounding angry. “Why the Hell didn’t you say that first?! I’ve been over here thinking you just killed for shits and giggles!”

“Doesn’t matter anymore now, does it?”

“It could have! You could have done anything else first like join my rebellion a day later! I would have supported you all the way with a safer idea than— this! Where did you even get such a batshit plan, anyways?!”

“I overheard someone I highly suggest oughta fess up too while she’s at it.”

“‘She’ who?”

“...Me,” Kaede admitted, guiltily raising her hand.

“Akamatsu-san? What does our plan have to do with Hoshi-kun?” Shuichi asked.

“ _Your_ plan, plural?” Korekiyo pressed, raising a strict eyebrow at both of his helpers. “What is he talking about?”

“Leave him out of this. I haven’t been entirely honest with Saihara-kun on what I came up with,” Kaede further revealed.

“What else could you have planned? It was just a simple, harmless trap, right?” Shuichi assumed, getting no response or glance his way from Kaede. “...Akamatsu-san? What’s wrong?”

Kaede was uncharacteristically despondent. “...That thing I meant to tell you before the trial and didn’t get to. Now is a very good time to come clean for what I almost did.”

“No, it’s not!” Monokuma objected. “I’m not letting your little aborted plan get in the way of my favorite part of the trial! Spoil anything you want, but not Punishment Time!”

“Saw this coming,” Hoshi said, resigned.

“You’re still giving up?!” Kaito snapped, brow blue and perspiring. “Gimme a break! At least say you don’t wanna die or complain! Just a little wouldn’t hurt!”

“It’s like the old saying goes: ‘you can’t do the time, then don’t do the crime’. And frankly, I’m not giving my sorry excuse of a talent anymore to feed off of. My days of running from the consequences are over.”

“That, and I’ll still find a way to get you even if you do run,” Monokuma tittered, eyeing Kirumi for a second.

“Why are you looking at me?” Kirumi inquired before changing her mind. “On second thought, don’t answer that. I don’t care.”

“There has to be another way!” Kiibo pleaded. “I know he killed Gonta, but that doesn’t mean Hoshi-kun deserves what you’re planning!”

“You’ll kill him over my dead body!” Kaito declared, baring his fists and confronting the judge’s chair.

“Suit yourself,” Monokuma shrugged. “Can you cuties take it from here if or when he does something stupid?”

“Gladly!” Monotaro agreed, joining his siblings. “Exisals, we choose you!”

When the Exisals marched in, Tenko instantly froze in place horrified, unable to move a single part of her despite trying. “Oh, great…” she whimpered through gritted teeth.

“Huh? What’s with you?” Himiko asked, prodding at Tenko’s joints and feeling pure stiffness.

“My— body is designed to lock in place— SHHZHST— in stressful situations I know have ended poorly for me. I’ll be fine when these things go away.”

“Bring it on!” Kaito roared, beating his fists together before the Exisals. “If you couldn’t get me before, what makes you think I’ll lose now?! Do your worst!”

“Punishment Time is sacred, so interrupting it guarantees as bad as a punishment as not voting!” Monokid exclaimed.

“It could have been only one, preferably. Why do you have to make this difficult?” Monophanie sighed.

“He knows the rules and chooses to break ‘em!” Monosuke laughed. “Time to pay the piper after he makes one wrong toot!”

“You’re not going anywhere near him or killing Hoshi-kun!” Kaede declared, jumping in front of Kaito like a shield. “He got the idea to kill the Mastermind from me, so if you want someone to take, don’t pick anyone else!”

“I never thought I’d be fighting alongside a girl, but yeah! What she said, now and forever!” Kaito agreed. “Two against machines, it’s a no contest!”

“Well, I never said anything about fighting an Exisal, but I might as well do something! Don’t blame Hoshi-kun for what’s happened! This is all my fault…”

“It would have been if he hadn’t beaten you to the punch,” Monotaro stated. “But, he did, he killed, and now he’s gonna die. Punishing you for a crime not committed would just be… criminal! Upupu!”

“Fitting for the one now more on death row than he was the first time!” Monokid cackled.

“You’re not getting to him!” Kaito fought. “Not before you get through either of us!”

“They are,” Hoshi spoke up. “What I did can’t just get swept under the rug. I’ve gotta pay for it, or that’s not fair to Gokuhara for his killer to go free.”

“Stay out of this! This ain’t about you!”

“Actually, it is. And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t defend a killer like me.”

“But, Hoshi-kun, you only killed because—” Kaede started.

“—Don’t. You didn’t do anything, and I wish you’d act like it. Sure, I overheard what you were saying earlier, but that was on me, not you.”

“I’m still who you got it from! If I hadn’t said anything, then none of this would be happening!” Kaede began to shake, tears welling up. “You took bad ideas and bad advice from me… and now, it’s gonna get you killed…”

“Nah. I got myself killed by following the right advice wrong. I shouldn’t have taken on something I couldn’t handle after all.”

“But, you were trying to kill the Mastermind, not Gonta,” Kiibo said.

“That doesn’t excuse a thing. I nearly framed Amami for murder when I wasn't even trying to and screwed all of you over with what I’ve done, but you most of all, Iidabashi. I can’t say if it’ll mean anything, but… I really am sorry for costing you a friend.”

“Hoshi-kun—” Kiibo was interrupted when Hoshi held his hand up with his chin bowed to his chest.

“Save it. I just wanted to tell you my regrets, but I don’t deserve to hear the response you might have.” Pulling the candy cigarette from his lips, Hoshi turned to the judge’s chair. “Monokuma… I’m ready. Do your worst for someone like me.”

“Finally! I thought you’d never ask with all this ‘blah-blah-blah’ crybaby hour!” Monokuma cheered. “Can’t I do my job in peace?”

“Get over it.” Hoshi turned to the others, who all looked incredibly displeased with what was happening in their own ways. “As for you guys, don’t do anything stupid like me. Easy to pull off as something might seem, if it’s too good to be true at the moment, don’t bother with it until you’ve got the right way of handling it.”

“Kick back and watch, everyone! Because I’ve got a special punishment prepared for the **Ultimate Fugitive** , Ryouma Hoshi!”

“Damn it, you can’t do this!” Kaito screamed. “You’d better let him go, or I’ll give you a reason to punish someone else!”

“Sure you will. Anyways! It’s… PUNISHMENT TIIIME!”

* * *

A springy red button rose just under Monokuma’s chin, prompting him to take out a gavel and spin it in his hand. His left eye shone once before did a miniature somersault in his seat and slammed the head on the button with a playful clicking sound. On its screen, everything was both pixelated and blue, including Hoshi’s full icon getting dragged away by his head thanks to Monokuma.

**GAME OVER**

**RYOUMA HOSHI HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY.**

**TIME FOR THE PUNISHMENT!** ****

* * *

Surrounded by his classmates, Hoshi could no longer look any of them in the eyes; Kaito, Kiibo, and Kaede being the most difficult to consider facing at all. From the ceiling came a small metal clamp with both halves of Monokuma’s face on each side, descending to grab Hoshi and claim him for its own. Instead of taking him by the neck, however, it instead bit down on his left ankle, pulling the blackened up, high, and away from everyone with the knowledge that he’d never again see them.

The chain pulled him into a dark prison cell, the metal bars shutting with a lock behind him after he landed on his bottom. Outside, Monokuma (now dressed a warden) twirled the keys around his “finger”, the Monokubs now playing the role of guards and monitoring the cell.

Hoshi sat already defeated, soon noticing a cardboard box drawn shoddily in crayon to look like a pink cake sprinkled with little heart candies. Begrudgingly opening it, inside he found a wood rasp and a large stone, a sticky note inside reading “Use us!” and pointing the instructions to a barred window. Looking and spotting it, Hoshi climbed up and did as told, having nothing left to lose seeing as he was doomed to die anyways. Filing the bars from the middle, he pried them apart and smashed the glass of the window with the rock, which instantly set off a loud siren.

Jumping to freedom, he found himself running through the yard ignoring the whistle blowing from Monotaro, who began the chase alongside his siblings using barking guard dogs colored just like themselves. Hoshi could see the gates closing ahead, running as fast as he could until Monokid tackled him and pinned him to the ground. Struggling against him wasn’t hard as the bear didn’t weight too much, but while trying to throw him off, Monodam sprung forward and clicked a metal cuff in place, revealing to have attached his brother to Hoshi by their ankles. They looked at one another bewildered, but the fugitive kept going and ran to the gate, tucking and rolling and taking Monokid with him to the other side.

What awaited them wasn’t freedom, however. It was a full-length labyrinth themed for suiting a crime scene.

**Prison Break**

**Ultimate Fugitive**

**Ryouma Hoshi’s Execution: Executed**

Hoshi dashed through the maze, its brick walls lined with barbed wire at the top and search lights shining down to look for their hostage-holding runaway. From the center of the maze stood a towering, muscular nose-ring wearing creature that was half-man, half-steer that stood on its hind legs known only as the Monotaur by its similar coloring to the demented Headmaster. While the creature started tracking down the intruder of its labyrinth after putting a guard’s cap between its horns, Hoshi was busy running over chalk outlines, jumping yellow police tape, and ramming face-first into dead ends, dragging Monokid along the asphalt the entire time. Rubbing the bruises he accumulated through each trial-and-error, he turned and headed a different way, the Monotaur also hot on his path.

Eventually, the two met at the same spot, Hoshi grabbed by the Monotaur and swung around like a flail by using Monokid as the handle. It threw the two onto the ground, kicking them rough before grabbing the blue bear and whipping Hoshi back and forth in a way that made him eat concrete on every impact. Suddenly, both horns were grabbed by its opponent, wrestling around to shake Hoshi off until he got it charging towards the closed metal gate and ramming into it. The Monotaur collapsed, Monokid quickly jumping onto Hoshi’s back for a safer ride as he kept fleeing into a dark tunnel, seeing a tiny white light growing the closer he got. Behind him, the muscular beast leaned up halfway, pushing its finger into a red button and grinning maniacally.

Underneath Hoshi and Monokid, a trap door opened up and sent them both falling into a dark pit full of nothing but sharp hissing. It felt like they were sinking deeper, bitten and nipped at the arms and legs, which ached and filled with toxins that also brought on swelling. Fangs sunk deep and thorough wherever they could find skin, sucking the life out of Hoshi and rendering him helpless to fight back or swim out to freedom. His struggling was made worse when something coiled tightly around his neck, depriving him of oxygen as seconds passed quickly. The pit was already dark as is, but slowly, his vision blurred and started being able to notice less until every sense in his body gradually failed the worse the poison flowed through him underneath swollen, agonizing patches, and the more he was denied even one free breath.

When it was all over, the remaining four Monokubs entered through the light at the end of the tunnel, searching the perimeter with flashlights until Monotaro found the pit and gathered his siblings to huddle around it. Shining his light down, they all saw the pit of coral snakes wriggling along two noticeable lumps caught within. Further inspection helped them see one belonged to a damaged-past-repair Monokid (to Monodam’s delight) and parts of swollen, purpled skin still on a lifeless Ryouma Hoshi, only his bite-riddled forearm sticking all the way out of the disturbed vipers.

Everyone had watched it all go down feeling nothing but abject horror, barely able to swallow the final, grisly fate of their newly departed classmate.

* * *

“Oh, Monodam, again?!” Monophanie wailed. “And it wasn’t even instantaneous this time! Thankfully, not nearly as gorey, but you’ve got a serious problem!”

“History sure repeats itself, don’t it?” Monosuke sighed, now inching away from Monodam terrified. “Preferably only mostly.”

“I dunno. Four is a pretty unlucky number,” Monotaro warned. “I wouldn’t go feeling so safe now.”

“‘E-Ey, cut that out! That ain’t funny!”

“My poor little Monokid…” Monokuma sniffled. “How many times must he die first before you’re satisfied?!” He cheered up without missing a beat. “C’est la vie! Four cubs is better than zero!”

“You… how could you cheer up so quickly after what you just did?!” Tsumugi cried, tears leaking past her orange spectacles. “Does someone else’s life really mean that little to you?!”

“I wouldn’t go that far since if a life was meant to be thrown away, it’d take the fun out of doing this!”

“Which basically means ‘yes, your lives hardly mean anything to me’,” Maki translated, glowering more than ever. “Do you think I’m stupid or something? Lives aren’t something you can just put in your hands and toy with carelessly. Once they’re up, that’s it. Which is what you couldn’t be bothered to care about since you’re all safe and sound up there and pulling the strings.”

“Awww, am I that transparent? Bummer! On the bright side, at least I get to leave all of you feeling pretty crummy right about now. Consider this a victory after all!”

“It’ll be a victory when someone gets rid if you!” Kaede barked, eyes drenched with tears.

“What? You mean like Hoshi-kun did and just died messing it up? Or like you tried behind everyone’s backs like the sneaky little snake you are? I’m not following what you’re screaming at me for, really. That could have been you up there.”

“N-No! My plan would have been the one! You can’t say otherwise and I wouldn’t buy it!”

“Fine by me, but I’d be more concerned about what’s gonna happen next for you, Akamatsu-san.” Monokuma blew a kiss to the students, disappearing alongside the Monokubs. “Good night, everybody!”

“I wanna go home…” Himiko choked, hiding in her hat as her balls of tears didn’t stop rolling down her reddened face.

“So ends… yet another trial where—” Korekiyo gulped, gripping both shoulders desperately but unable to at all stop himself from shaking like an earthquake. He maintained as much of his composure as possible, but hardly pulled himself together. “—Where the perpetrator has been punished. The rest of us are safe, a-a-and there’s nothing else to it… things are fine, things are fine, things are fine, th-things are f-fine… because no one else will be harmed…”

“This is overkill,” Miu whimpered. “Who would make anyone go through any of this? What did I do to any of you people to have to see this?!”

“And another arrogant human dies,” Ouma commented coldly without so much as smiling, everyone now looking at him with a perfect blend of anger and appallment.

“Got something to say over there, punk?!” Kaito growled, cracking his fists. “Go on, say it again and we’ll see how far my knuckles can reach down your throat!”

“Oh, don’t get your panties in a knot. You all knew this was gonna happen after the first kill, and yet here you are pretending it’s news. We had to have met Hoshi-chan like, what? Two days ago? Three? Don’t know, don’t care. All you’re doing is bawling over some nameless stranger whose name no one’d remember unless it popped up on a roster!”

“So what? That doesn’t make what happened any less terrible,” Rantaro scolded. “Just because you don’t care doesn’t give you the right to stomp on anyone else for not finding good in this.”

“No, it does, because I’m smart enough not to waste my tears on someone that deserves none of them. And I can say for certain that you all only suddenly cared about Hoshi-chan when he was dead and bitten. You never know what you have until it’s gone, just like an old toy!”

“That’s it! Now you’re asking for it!” Kaito roared, speeding forward and raising his fist to Ouma, held back by Kiibo. “Hey! What gives?!”

“Please, stop!” Kiibo pleaded, constricting Kaito’s arm as tightly as he could and pulling him away. “Getting into a fist fight solves nothing! It won’t do any good for who we just lost tonight, especially since there’s only bound to be more heartache and disagreements going around than ever.”

“Oh, what? Now you actually step in and do something before shit gets worse?”

Kiibo was thrown off by Kaito’s angry tone of voice being turned his way now. “Come again?”

“You heard me, Iidabashi!” The tennis player threw Kiibo off, pulling him up by the collar when he fell on his butt. “Of all the times to actually man up and intervene, you do it _after_ two people have kicked it, and not before when it’d be— oh, I dunno— useful? Time you could have spent helping prevent this was wasted doing stupid little arts and crafts, then you go and cry your eyes out like a baby as if you didn’t play a role on this!”

“I…? But, I didn’t—!”

“—Yes, you did! Yes. You. Did! You’ve got no right to go and bawl over Gokuhara when all you did was sit on your ass and let this all go down, and I’m sick of you pretending you do! Either you man up and actually contribute to helping us all win, or you’ll be watching someone else end up like two of our classmates. What’s it gonna be?”

Kiibo was at a loss for words, eyes widened to their fullest and leaking more tears as his breathing hitched. He pulled away from Kaito, fully ashamed. “...You’re right. I didn’t do anything important when I could have, did I? I… I killed Hoshi-kun and Gonta by doing nothing…!”

“What the fuck’s your damage, Homota?!” Miu yelled, going to Kiibo’s side with Angie as his emotions kept unraveling like an old spool of thread. “Do you shoot your load screaming at people who get scarred for life?!”

“It is not wise to blame those in mourning for their loss,” Angie chided, holding up a warning finger and looking darkly at Kaito while only half-smiling. “Doing so will cost you a peaceful afterlife for your uncorrected moral misguidance.”

“Typical, typical jock,” Ouma snidely laughed, clapping derisively. “It’s always them picking on the nerds for no good reason. Same old story told time and time again. Will there ever be justice?!”

“You have five seconds to shut your yap before I shut it for you!” Kaito barked, turning again to Ouma.

“Oooh, now he’s gonna stuff me into a locker while my lips are in my sinuses! Momota-chan never ceases to amaze me with his meatheaded antics that don’t make up for his undersized little—!”

“—PRICK, you’re in for it this time!” Before he could move to lower his fist, Kaito suddenly felt someone jab at vital, specific points in his shoulder, arms, and waist, sending him to the ground gasping for breath. “Wh—? I can’t move…! Who did that?”

“Sorry, Momota-kun,” Shuichi apologized, stretching the tension out of his wrists. “Iidabashi-kun’s right, we can’t afford to start anymore chaos.”

“Once again saved by my handsome knight-in-shining-armor by the big, bad, brainless bully!” Ouma cheered.

“If anyone’s the real bully, it’s you.” Shuichi stood his ground, firm and fed up with Ouma. “All you do is give the rest of us crap for the stupidest reasons, or none at all. I warned you about painting an open target on yourself with how you keep behaving, but it’s clear to me that nothing will get through no matter what anyone tries. You say you hate humanity for being full of lowlifes, but really, you represent everything that’s always been wrong with it.”

“...No. I don’t.” Ouma’s playful smile vanished, leaving a purely flinty glare shot at Shuichi and the rest. “You do. Here you all are giving me crap for not wasting my time crying over a guy who just killed another person. I’m supposed to be in the wrong here… how, exactly? Oh! It must be because I don't miss someone who’s responsible for starting up the killing game! True, I agree his reasons were _supposedly_ noble, but that doesn’t change a thing, now does it? Because of him, we’re gonna be stuck here following in his footsteps and sticking a knife in someone else’s back for lame reasons, then getting executed for it. 

“But, hey! What do I know? I’m nobody’s friend, and thankfully won’t be. By all means, go! Go! Just go and pretend you’re all anything but enemies and trust each other like nothing’s always gonna be wrong. Leave that bedroom door open and welcome in your killer! Because when— not if, _when_ that happens, I’ll be over here laughing at your asses for getting exactly what you idiot Earthlings all deserve.” Ouma left his podium and headed for the elevator, contemptuously waving to the others with his back turned to them. “Enjoy the hubris while you can, ‘cause I owe myself a shower!” Ouma did turn once, grinning sinisterly. “...Oh. And don’t forget to have a little chit-chat with Akamatsu-chan before you all hit the hay, won’t ya? Ciao!”

“Oh yeah, what were Monokuma and Hoshi talking about before?” Himiko wondered, facing Kaede with the rest of the class. “You were trying to kill the Mastermind, too?”

“And you knew about this?” Kirumi asked Shuichi.

“What? No! As far as I knew, Akamatsu-san was just trying to _catch_ them, not kill them!” Shuichi defended, hauling Kaito onto his shoulder like a crutch. “This has gotta be a misunderstanding. Or something.”

“Is it?” Rantaro questioned Kaede.

“...Everyone, I think you all deserve an explanation,” Kaede swallowed.

“Oh, trust me,” Korekiyo hissed, now staring daggers into the caregiver. “You don’t have a choice. Leave nothing out, and start explaining yourself right now.”

“I’m getting to that! But, first… follow me, please. I’ll say everything by the time we reach the library.”

The others walked to the elevator when it’d come down from dropping off Ouma, no longer waiting for Kaede to go first as she slowed more behind them. Shuichi was the most at a loss from finding out what he’d been kept in the dark about the entire time he’d helped her. Although more confused than he could be angry, the weight of it all still crushed him considerably. What was Kaede going to do if she hadn’t been a day too late? And more importantly, could he have prevented it if she’d succeeded and potentially caused a much different disaster?

* * *

“And the door opens like this,” Kaede instructed in the library later on, no sign of Gonta’s body or Hoshi’s trap anywhere in the room. She put her fingers in the crease, opening up the bookshelf door and revealing the Mastermind’s. “See?”

“The bookshelf was a secret entrance?!” Tenko gasped amongst everyone’s surprised murmurs. “I don’t— FZZHFGHZ— believe my eyes!”

“You’d better because it’s as real as can be,” Rantaro said. “And it definitely solidifies one of us being the Mastermind.”

“How long. Have you known about this?” Korekiyo forced out through angered, gritted teeth. “And how long. Were you planning on staying quiet?”

“I, well,” Kaede stammered.

“Answer my question. _Now_.”

“Since Monokuma announced the First Blood Perk, okay?! Shirogane-san showed me everything, and it all escalated from there!”

“You knew, too?” Kirumi wondered, turning to Tsumugi.

“Uh-huh, but I didn’t find this on purpose!” Tsumugi defended, seemingly cornered. “It was by accident and I had no idea Akamatsu-san was gonna try and go too far with it. Or tell Saihara-kun despite me saying not to show anyone else!”

“You mean you not only knew about the Mastermind hiding their lair in the library and was ready to do something idiotic, but you couldn’t even keep your mouth shut with it?” Maki snarled. “The list of things wrong with your brain just keeps growing, doesn’t it?”

“Damn right it does!” Miu snapped. “Kaeidiot didn’t realize she could have killed someone not running this joint and did it behind all our backs except her little kung-fuck buddy!”

“The sheer disaster of that could have been phenomenal,” Korekiyo growled. “How could you not see how risky and foolish trying to outsmart the Mastermind this way could have possibly ended? For someone so determined to lead us all to greatness, all you’ve proven is your own shady schemes kept deliberately from everyone else.”

“But, if I got rid of the Mastermind, everyone would be free,” Kaede got out, tail between her legs. “I was trying to help you all in one go.”

“We know,” Rantaro said. “We don’t doubt for a second that you were looking out for us, and we fully understand that. But, what you almost did would have been not only super sketchy, but also highly dangerous to pull off.”

“How could anybody trust a leader that acts behind the rest’s backs?” Tsumugi questioned. “We can’t count on someone that might hurt us.”

“...I know. I know you can’t,” Kaede admitted. “And I’m sorry, everyone.”

“You would have been if Hoshi-kun hadn’t beaten you to it first,” Korekiyo scolded.

“Atua commends you for wanting the best for us all, but condemns you for what would have been attempted murder,” Angie chided, giving her the same wary look she did Kaito. “As such, He presently cannot spare you another word.”

“Me neither,” Himiko agreed. “I’d have hated to get my head squashed by a shot put ball of all things.”

“Come on, everyone. It’s been a very long night,” Kirumi advised. “We should all be headed to bed soon.”

Everyone agreed and left the library without another word, a few glaring back at Kaede, who didn’t follow. Only Shuichi stayed, attempting to make conversation. “Akamatsu-san—”

“Save it. I know I messed up,” Kaede cut off, leaving by herself without sparing Shuichi a passing glance.

“Well! That went as badly as I expected!” Ouma laughed casually from around the corner, Kaede stopping in her tracks startled. “Man, did you drop the ball there, lady! Or, at least you would have if Hoshi-chan didn’t snoop and act first.”

“What do you want?”

“I can’t say hi to my favorite daycare lackey? Ouch. No, but in all seriousness, I got a little curious about the you-know-what we found.”

“Did you go inside the girls’ bathroom by yourself?! That’s so not appropriate!”

“Cool story, I wasn't listening. But, I hope you listen to me just this once.” Ouma got closer to Kaede, putting his index finger on his lips. “What we found stays between us. Not to Shinguuji-chan, not to Saihara-chan, no one. I know you have a hard time keeping your lips tight, but you gotta more than ever now.”

“I don’t need you to tell me that. Even if I wanted to, nobody trusts me anymore as the leader.”

“Yeah, and whose fault is that for being too pushy, overbearing, and forceful? You gotta let people do their own thing and not just what you want because you think it’s better, even though it never is when you say it.”

“Can I go now? I’m pooped.”

“Yeah, I guess. Just remember what I told you about the chamber of secrets hiding in the ladies’ room. And if you don’t care what I say, you should obey Hoshi-chan, or you’d be violating a dead man’s wishes with your own stupidity.”

“Good night, Ouma-kun.”

Ouma blew a kiss at Kaede affectionately, who was apathetic to it. “Don’t let the bed bugs bite!”

The students were well in bed after the Night Time announcement rang, Shuichi turning in his sheets after having put Kaito in his room to sleep off the temporary paralysis. He lied wide awake in darkness, staring up at his ceiling trying to process all of it at once. Just about everyone popped up in his mind, alive or otherwise, but Kaede? She was really almost a murderer herself?

While he didn’t have the stomach to try and imagine her in Hoshi’s place if she was just given one more day to act, the relief he felt on her being alive and breathing overpowered any chance at being mad at her like he knew some of the others would wake up continuing to be. And why would he? She didn’t actually do anything and was still the one working hardest to help. Kaede was by no means perfect, but she was still worth counting on in his eyes.

Now, the question was what would happen next? She’d no doubt be getting the brunt of her would-have-been plan from the others, and he’d be stuck in the crossfire the whole way through. Well, at least there was always some means of getting out of trouble, right?

He sure hoped that was still the case…

* * *

**_New!_ **

_Obtained Present:_

  * Prisoner’s ID Band



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 01: The Deadly Art of Survival - Class Trial END
> 
> Students remaining: 14/16
> 
> *Starbomb voice* What if Monokid rode Hoshi and then fell into a pit
> 
> Well, there you guys have it! The end of the very first full (arc) chapter of V3B done at last. Sad to see Hoshi go and even sadder that I couldn't do much with him, but there wasn't really much I trusted myself to be able to do for him (I do know some people who had him survive/live long and gave him a very satisfying arc tho uwu). Nonetheless, all will be well in the end. Some of y'all last chapter were guessing /Kiibo/ of all people to be the killer and??? Bruh.
> 
> Okay, that's not too surprising given the logic I saw, but now you know that's not the case. Props to @Mirror_Face for guessing it was Hoshi, tho! Good job!  
> Chapter 2 will be considerably longer since we're no longer in the very beginning of the story, and I've got a lot more planned that cannot be wrapped up in 3 little-ass individual chapters. You'll see come the next update, so keep an open eye out for that, folks!
> 
> Thanks once again for tuning in, I hope you liked the first arc of the story, and more will come your way! See you soon, everybody! ♥


	12. Episode XI: Daily Life 2.1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus officially begins Chapter 2! I don't reveal the names of the chapters until the Deadly Life bc I'd hate to just make the chapter titles seem like I'm some sorta parakeet. So, that'll be a custom from now on. uwu
> 
> I'm uploading this kinda late because nobody told me getting into P5 required a L O T of time dedication between playing and saving (especially with the Mementos part we just wound up not doing all the way, Jesus). So, if my notes seem a tad odd, it's because I'm rather tired right now. I've still got enough juice to update, hence why I bring you lovely folks this. Without anymore chit-chat to eat up your time, have at it and I'll see you after the update. Have fun, all!

Only eleven of the students entered the gymnasium early the next morning, three of them having received a strict ban from showing up for either “previous insensitivity” or “arousing too much suspicion”. The stage was decorated to its best ability with fake flowers and white ribbon banners, Angie standing in the middle of two portraits: one of Gonta, the other of Hoshi. An easel stood right outside the doors holding a canvas labelled “Memorial Service: To The Lives of Gokuhara Gonta and Hoshi Ryouma” in fancy calligraphy.

“Iidabashi-kun, are you all set to come in?” Shuichi asked, watching Kiibo stop by the sign and stare distantly.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I’ll be in in a minute,” Kiibo answered. “You go on and I’ll meet you there.”

“Take all the time you need. This may not be long, but it won’t be easy to stomach.”

“I know. Just go already.” He looked at the sign morose, unable to bring himself to feel angry towards Hoshi’s name since in the end, he’d suffered just as much as Gonta did despite what he’d pulled. In the middle of his silence, something hit him in the back of the head hard. “Ouch! Who threw— this? Some tissues?”

“I thought you could use ‘em,” Ouma casually said, leaning against the gym lockers resting his head on his hands. “You’re way too sensitive to not, anyways.”

“Why are you here? To be disruptive during a memorial service of all things?”

“Can’t. I got banned, remember? Speaking of getting locked out from going, though, you can use those tissues all you want without anyone butting in like a doofus. After all, Momota-chan won’t be there to yell at you again.”

“If you put it that way, it’s a wonder if I even deserve to cry. I could have at least stopped Gonta from going out to the library, but I didn’t. I just pretended everything was okay and did nothing.”

“Then why did you two host Paint Night?”

“Come again?” Kiibo wiped the stray tear on his sleeve before it could leak out despite now having a full box of tissues at his disposal.

“I said, if you were pretending nothing was going wrong, why’d you do that weirdo Paint Night thing to make sure no one went crazy from stress? That doesn’t sound like something someone who pretended things were all peachy-keen would do.”

“Oh. Well, sure, that was the idea, but it was a bad one.”

Ouma shrugged. “Meh, it was harmless. Lame, but harmless. It could have been worse and you plotted it as a ruse to kill someone, but that didn’t happen, now did it?”

“No! Don’t joke about that after last night’s events!”

“Nishishi! I was right, you are sensitive. Enjoy those tissues and let ‘er rip. I won’t stop ya, and nobody else can or will.” Ouma wiggled his fingers, leaving. “Ta-ta!”

Kiibo watched him go, heading inside to join the others for the services as Miu went up to him. “There you are, Kiibabey! What took ya so—?” she started to ask until she saw the tissues. “Ohohoho! I see! Needed a little stress relief before paying your respects, right?”

“What?” Kiibo wondered, confused.

“Don’t think I don’t see the tissues. What else could you have been using them for?”

“Nothing because I just picked these up while I was standing outside.”

“Oh. Seriously? Then where’d you get ‘em from?”

Kiibo looked down and good at the tissue box, intrigued at what he knew. “...Someone very surprising, let’s say.”

From another part of the gym floor, Shuichi observed the students attending, realizing that in the last of them entering, Kaito and Kaede were the ones not permitted to come. He could understand one given how he behaved during the trial, but forbidding the other seemed pretty excessive to him. Then again, it’s also just as likely she wouldn’t have wanted to attend anyways, given how much of a low mood the revelation of her botched plan put her in last. Shuichi wondered if she was doing better, having not had the chance to properly speak with her yet.

“All eyes in attendance to the front of the gymnasium,” Angie instructed, using the microphone to be better heard as everyone directed their attention there. “Thank you. Today, on this rather grim morning of mourning, we commemorate the loss of not one life, but two. Neither was known for particularly long, but they are no less gone far sooner than Atua would have preferred. He still welcomes His departed children with open arms, and promises to keep them safe for the rest of their afterlife. Would anyone care to say a few words?”

“Should I?” Kiibo quizzed softly, highly conflicted.

“Don’t feel obligated to,” Korekiyo said. “Only go up by choice.”

“The question more is if I deserve to or not.”

“You do. Gokuhara-kun meant a lot to you, so your pain is more than justified in spite of what you were… well, told last night.”

“Saying a few words going once!” Angie called out. “Going twice!”

“I’ll speak,” Kiibo hurriedly said, going up and taking Angie’s place at the podium. “Thank you, Yonaga-san. Ahem. I’ll admit, I hadn’t known Gonta for very long, and sure, it’s a little silly to care this much over someone I’d been with for a short time. But, I personally think time isn’t always a factor in what you can come to think of another person. So long as you enjoy what you have together, even if it doesn’t last for very long… well, it’s still more meaningful than having nothing at all.

“Gonta, there’s never gonna be a day that goes by where I don’t wish you were still with us. You showed me so many things about nature and art that I never quite looked at before. And even though you probably didn’t think you'g gotten there yet, you definitely qualified as the perfect gentleman. What happened to you was unimaginable, and I personally wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Not my loved ones, not my enemies, and not even Hoshi-kun despite what he did.

Kiibo’s lower lip trembled, feeling the clenching in his chest and salted droplets of water budding in his eyes, but using a tissue to clean them before taking a breath. “Regarding Hoshi-kun, I wish he’d stayed much longer than he had. I didn’t know him nearly as well, but I understand he was trying to help us out, even if it went sour. And though he wouldn’t wanna hear this, I don’t hate him for what he did. Holding a grudge isn’t gonna bring Gonta back to me, or help me through my grief any faster. So, rest in peace, you two. Wherever you are…” He sniffled, sounding more choked up, “you’re in a much better place than this school. I can guarantee that.”

“Their eternal slumber is far more sound now hearing you speak up,” Angie said, carefully guiding Kiibo down from the stage while he quietly sobbed to himself holding a few tissues to his face. “If no one else would care to step up, too, then we may begin the ceremonial lighting and properly send off the departed. I— was sadly not able to acquire either of their remains, so these will have to do."

“Paper dolls?” Maki wondered, looking at the folded wads in Angie’s hands of two different sizes and shapes.

“Not just any ones. Dolls made of joss paper suited to Gonta and Ryouma’s likenesses using Zhizha!”

“Translation?” Miu asked.

“It’s a type of traditional crafting used often as an offering in Chinese celebratory or funerary events. Rather than burn something that’s living, they use paper to ensure the deceased have a fortunate afterlife. Such has been practiced as far back as the Northern Song Dynasty, but is sadly starting to occur less often due to less superstitious beliefs.”

“Kind of a way to say ‘good luck’ to the dead?” Rantaro guessed.

“Yes. Which is why, it is time to begin the pyre so that our comrades may properly rest. Himiko, the table, if you will.”

“Ready any time,” Himiko said, wheeling in a wooden table with two little open rectangular boxes on it. When Angie placed the joss paper doll versions of Gonta and Hoshi inside one each, she was handed the matches before Himiko picked up a fire extinguisher. “Just in case it gets a little too crispy in here.”

“Please be careful with the— FFFSHFHZ— fire, Himiko-chan!” Tenko pleaded. “That could get out of control and seriously harm you!”

“I’m not five. What do you think the extinguisher is for?”

“While the lighting commences, would everyone please join me in a prayer?” Angie requested. “I’ll start us off.”

Angie chanted words no one else understood, adding a few drops of flammable fluid to the dolls in the miniature coffins as a good half showed some gesture of respect to the dead and pretended to go along with the prayer. Striking a match, she carefully dipped its hottest end against each bunch of joss paper, watching them erupt in flames and shrink into burnt black by the seconds passing. Before the fire could get out of control, Himiko blasted white cooling agent over the table, shaking the nozzle to be as thorough as possible until there was no more orange and yellow dancing against charred paper and wood.

“It is done,” Angie said, her hands together and lowered before her bowing head. “To officially conclude this memorial service, we shall let the smoke rise to the heavens as a way to deliver our blessings unto the ones in Atua’s arms forever more. Amen.”

“Can we go to breakfast now? I’m sure Atua wouldn’t want us to starve,” Himiko said.

“The first meal is always the most important, and dining after commemorating the fallen is customary. So, yes, everyone is free to go now.”

“About time, I thought she’d never shut up,” Miu groaned, hurrying over to Maki desperately. “Hey, Harukawa! Since breakfast is as usual on me and I’m sure you were just jokin’ yesterday about not needing me, you’ll get the first pick of the trough! Anything you want, just name it and you’ll be moaning all the way to squirting from how good it is!”

“Get lost,” Maki sneered, walking further after giving the maid a dirty look. “I can get my own food.”

“W-Wait a minute! But, you can’t just settle for the bare minimum when you’ve got the universe’s hottest cook and server all in one at your disposal! Hello?!”

“...Are you still talking to me?” Maki kept going, leaving a distraught Miu behind.

“I guess I’m not…”

Everyone arrived at the dining hall, already beaten to it by the only three not invited to the memorial service sitting individually with small breakfasts. A bit more than half of the students were purposely ignoring Kaede’s existence, some among them shooting her wary looks of displeasure that she noticed, but accepted begrudgingly as part of her punishment. The seats taken overall were far less together than usual, everyone eyeing each other distrustfully and maintaining a wide berth save for a few small exceptions.

Shuichi told Miu his preferred order (after she’d all but forced him to tell her what he wanted to eat) and sent her away to handle the rest. Going over to Kaede eating her oatmeal topped with sliced strawberries and a cup of coffee on the side, he sat next to her. The look she gave him in response was surprised for a moment, but went back to being distant until her back shied away from him. He persisted, moving his chair so he could see her, eventually earning enough attention to establish a conversation.

“You shouldn’t be sitting with me,” Kaede huffed. “Not after I almost dragged you into trouble.”

“I may not have known everything you were thinking, but I no less chose to try and help you,” Shuichi said. “And I’m still going to.”

“Don’t. I can’t let you get caught up in anymore mistakes I make. Or, almost make.”

“Shouldn’t I be the one making my own decisions?”

Kaede flinched, remembering what she was told by Ouma the night before and shrinking. “Sorry. I must have sounded pretty bossy, huh?”

“What? No, not really. I only meant that if I help you, it’s because I genuinely want to. Don’t forget I care about you a lot, Akamatsu-san.”

“And you think I don’t back? If you had to take the blow after I go too far, I’d never be able to live with myself. Look, I appreciate that you’re trying to cheer me up, but I’m fine. I made a mistake, and I’ve gotta pay the price by myself. End of story.”

“But—”

“—End. Of story. Have a nice day, Saihara-kun.” Kaede moved her breakfast to another isolated spot, not looking back.

 _‘That didn’t go so great…’_ Shuichi hardly looked up when Miu served him his meal. “Thanks, Iruma-san.”

“Anything else you want?” Miu asked. “Different utensils? Less tofu? More tofu?!”

“For you to leave me alone right now. I’m not in the mood.”

“Oh… whatever, then. I’ll bug you later.” Miu left somberly, still hurrying to tend to the others.

From his seat, Kiibo was picking at his requested food in a gloom when he looked up and saw who’d approached him. “Gah! Oh, hey, Momota-kun…” he sighed. “Don’t mind me. I’m not doing anything.”

“I’m not here to yell at you,” Kaito said, unusually modest-spoken. He scratched the back of his neck, appearing rather guilty, but still maintaining enough eye contact. “I did enough of that last night, and I’m more here to talk about that.”

“What else is there to say? I more or less killed my best friend by goofing off.”

“No, no! Well, alright, I won’t lie. I said that. But—”

“—Back for more, Sweatband?” Ouma interrupted, marching right over and getting between the other two. “You couldn’t make the services, so you waited until breakfast to kick a wounded puppy even more, huh? I’d give you props for tenacity if you weren’t such a gaping asshole.”

“Move it, Ouma, this doesn’t involve you. I wanna talk to Iidabashi alone.”

“You’re not doing anything with him. The last thing anyone’d want is to deal with you screaming your head off like a banshee and rubbing more salt in the boo-boos.”

“Let him speak for himself! You don’t want him bothering ya, do you?”

“I’d… rather just have some peace and quiet,” Kiibo said, solemnly refusing to look at Kaito. “I’ve had a rough morning and an even rougher night.”

“What?! But, I—” Kaito didn’t get to finish his plea, getting a cup of orange juice dumped on his shirt by Ouma. “Augh! You little twerp!”

“Scram. Nobody wants to talk to you,” Ouma demanded, firm and blank-faced. “Take a hint and get lost already.” He ignored Kaito’s dirty look before the tennis player left, sitting down to enjoy the rest of his oyakodon. “Head’s thicker than a brick, I swear…”

“Why did you that?” Kiibo wondered. “Shoo Momota-kun away, I mean. He wasn’t bothering you personally.”

“Because he’s got some real cajones thinking he’s got any business with someone he just talked down to yesterday like he owns the place. Brainless sports players like him think they’re hot shit just for being able to hit a stupid ball.”

“Okay… but, did you have to dump juice on him? That seemed kind of mean, Ouma-kun.”

“No, it was exactly what he deserved. Nowhere overboard, and not too lenient, either.”

“...I see.” Although Ouma shared no more words with him in favor of his breakfast, Kiibo couldn’t help but look at him highly intrigued and— if he had to admit so— a bit impressed. What occurred was a little less orthodox than he’d preferred, but he wasn’t too surprised with Ouma.

Korekiyo had his breakfast fully eaten, one sip into a cup of green tea when he noticed Kirumi not too far away appearing rather down. Remembering previous events, he took it upon himself to clear the water and go nearer. “Toujou-san, something’s amiss with you, isn’t there?” he asked her.

“Huh? Oh, Shinguuji-kun,” Kirumi spoke up, not looking at him all the way. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.”

“Yes, you do. There’s very little to hide from me. It’s come to my understanding that my poor choice of words yesterday has since upset you. You know, about our time in your Lab and how I implied it was a waste of time.”

“I see no reason for you to bring that up again. I acknowledge that it was wrong of me to distract you from more important things and waste your time. You don’t have to apologize.”

 _‘Apologize. Apologize. Apologize.’_ The word echoed in Kiyo’s ears like a gong, sending his system into overdrive and both sets of fingers digging near his wrists. He sucked in both lips, eyes clamped shut in a wince until he got himself somewhat stead enough to look at Kirumi. “N-No, no, I do. I really do. My actions were unforgivable and downright wr-wrong despite me knowing better. There is no excuse for what I’ve done and there never will be.”

“Now you’re just sounding a tad excessive. I promise you, I’m not too upset about what you said. I’ll learn from it and do better so no one has to get upset because of me.”

“Please, Toujou-san. It wasn’t your fault.” Kiyo took a few deep breaths, bringing his nerves back to normalcy and letting the tension in his forehead subside. “Your piano playing wasn’t anywhere close to being a waste of my time, and I’m sorry for making you feel like it had been.”

“Really, Shinguuji-kun, there isn’t any need for this. If all my music did was make you unhappy, then that’s no fault of anyone’s but my own.”

“But—”

“—Hey! Is this creepy degenerate bothering you?” Tenko asked Kirumi, coming to her rescue. “Actually, don’t answer that; I heard the whole— SHHZZFTH— thing. How dare you blame her for just trying to make people happy? You should be grateful someone was wonderful as Kirumi-san is willing to spare her time for amoebas like you! Such talent is clearly— FFHSSZSHTZ— wasted on the wrong things, if you ask me.”

“That’s the opposite of what I was trying to say, actually,” Korekiyo stated.

“Shut it! Your excuses are falling on— BSSFFHHZ— deaf ears from here on out!”

“Yes, that I can say for certain with you.”

Tenko glared at him, then looked far more sweetly at Kirumi and helped her up and away from Kiyo. “Come on, Kirumi-san. You can sit with me and— GRRTTSZZ— Himiko-chan. We make much better company than an incompetent detective!”

 _‘Highly doubtful, but I don’t feel ready to face Shinguuji-kun right now,’_ Kirumi thought, reluctantly letting Tenko move her. _‘A little more improvement and more tact should get me somewhere better.’_

“Tenko, did you kidnap Toujou against her will?” Himiko asked when the robot sat down with her new guest.

“No, I rescued her just in time,” Tenko defended. “Now, she can sit with those that will never— EHHSSFFZEE— ever do her any harm.”

“You cannot guarantee I won’t be in danger if I spend my time solely with women,” Kirumi said. “For all you know, the next killer could be female.”

“There isn’t going to be one! If it comes down to it, then I’ll protect every maiden in this— SSZZZHOOFT— school from evil! You’re all safe and sound under my watch— BSSHZZT!”

“I don’t know how safe I feel having to be protected by a robot girl that’s still malfunctioning and won’t get fixed.”

“I’m still working on it! Once my Research Lab opens, I might have full access to doing better self-maintenance— PSSZZZT! It’s just a matter of time.”

“You’re going to wait that long? That doesn’t sound very smart to do.”

“My injuries aren’t too bad. I’ll be— FFFSSHF, JSSHZZFFK! I’ll be fine.”

“Why are you such a liar?” Himiko hissed. “Either that, or you’re in so much denial it’s giving me a migraine.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Then beg, because I’m not giving it to you until you get properly fixed. I can’t do it, you can’t do it with damage this serious, so just get it over with and see the one who’s best able to repair you.”

“Mmm-hmm. And that is?”

Himiko slammed her hands on the table repeatedly, frustrated. “You! Know! Who! Stop playing dumb, it’s so annoying!”

“Yumeno-san, calm down,” Kirumi soothed, holding the cosplayer’s hands under her gloved one. “Tenko-san just needs the right push to get her repairs. How about… I cut her a deal?”

“Like what?” Tenko wondered.

“If I accompany you and stay the entire time for moral support, will you go through with it?”

“Toujou-san, I can’t make you—”

“—I choose to. I know having another girl by your side is what makes you feel safest, so that’s a route I’m willing to use if that’s what it takes to see you fully functional. I’m doing this not just for Yumeno-san, but for you as well.”

Tenko’s faceplate turned pink, turning meek at Kirumi’s vow. “So noble… what did I do to deserve someone like you around this place?” She smiled, spasming out from her injuries again. “Okay! I’ll do it under this condition. How could I make this up to you in return after?”

“I’d much prefer if you didn’t. My offers never require repayment.”

“Take her to get fixed. Next time I see you, Tenko, you’d better not be all glitchy. Got it?” Himiko demanded.

“Anything for you, too, Himiko-chan!” Tenko promised. “You care so much for me, and to not hold up my end of the bargain would be unthinkable!”

“Good. Let’s leave it there until after breakfast… it’s way too early to be listening to this much commotion.”

“That’s too bad, because here I come with a lot more!” Monokuma sang, bouncing around and sticking the landing to everyone’s dismay.

“Way to jinx it,” Maki sighed. “What is it this time?”

“Chillax, yo, I’m not here with anything bad. No, it’s actually pretty good! A prize, if you will, for not dying at the trial!”

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the now-four Monokubs all chimed, three of them looking uneasy in the presence of Monodam.

“S-So, we just bring the reward in now! ...Right?” Monotaro gulped.

“That’s right! Since we— well, most of us. Got past the first class trial,” Monophanie laughed half-heartedly.

“And there’s four artifacts. One for each little bear,” Monosuke brought up.

“CHEER-UP, MY-SIBLINGS,” Monodam more ordered if anything. “WE-ARE-ALL-GETTING-ALONG-NOW. WITHOUT-MONOKID. RIGHT?”

“Right, right! Totally!” Monotaro quickly laughed. “Who needs him, anywho?”

“Yep! It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all!” Monophanie quipped. “And even better than that is not having a single coral snake in place!”

“Are you kids okay over there?” Monokuma asked, baring his claws threateningly. “You’re not fighting again, are you? I raised my little cubs better than that!”

“NO. WE-ARE-FINE, FATHER,” Monodam reassured him, slowly turning only his head to the other three. “RIGHT? WE-ARE-GETTING-ALONG?”

“Y-Yes! Yes, we’re just fine!” Monophanie insisted. “Getting along perfectly, we four are!”

“Oh! What a relief,” Monokuma laughed. “For a second there, I thought I’d failed as a parent and you were all being bullied by your brother.”

“That’s exactly what’s going on,” Shuichi stated, unamused. “I know bullying exactly when I see it, and this is it. Being forced into silence…”

“Pretending everything is okay in front of authority,” Kiibo sighed.

“Feeling scared at each passing second because said authority won’t help you anyway. And worst of all!”

“The helplessness from seeing no easy way out,” they both concluded at the same time, exchanging a bewildered, concerned look.

“Well, that’s your problems, ‘cause my kids are way too badass to ever let such nonsense happen to them!” Monokuma gloated. “But, enough tooting my own horn. Here are your fabulous prizes!”

The Monokubs all threw an item each: a red jeweled orb from Monotaro, an orange pentagon-shaped tag from Monodam, a yellow ocarina from Monosuke, and a metal crank from Monophanie. “Listen up! We’ve got an assortment of amazing, yet seemingly nonsensical prizes for all of youse to enjoy around the school,” Monosuke announced.

“Behold! A Dragon Gem, an Ocarina that can’t tell time, an Ancient Passport, and a Hexagonal Crank!” Monotaro listed.

“Oh my, I hope you aren’t giving that last one to any evil residents here,” Monophanie gulped.

“They’ll be in good hands,” Monosuke insisted. “Each one in a fun ol’ bundle!”

“We don’t know what they’re for, but enjoy ‘em anyway!” Monotaro cheered.

“All this looks like is…” Rantaro started.

“Junk. A bunch of junk,” Tsumugi finished. “Is that the word you were looking for, Amami-kun?”

“Pretty much. Even I can’t make much of these items.”

“Neither can I!” Monokuma confessed. “If you wanna know what they do… eh. Just make an educated guess. This is a school for a reason. You’re bound to find the answer eventually!”

“Helpful as ever, I see,” Kirumi said sarcastically.

“More than usual, I’d like to think. Well, good luck, ya little bastards! You’ll probably need it!”

When Monokuma left, Monodam spoke up. “LET’S-GO, TOO,” he ordered.

“Like Hell we’re gonna listen to you after you just backed us into a corner!” Monosuke barked. “The one thing you haven’t done as payback yet is give out swirlies and wedgies!”

“But, we don’t wear underpants,” Monophanie pointed out.

“This son of a bitch’ll find a way! Just you wait! Monokid with the snake pit was just the appetizer, and we’re the main course!”

“NOT-TRUE, MONOSUKE,” Monodam claimed. “LET’S-ALL-BE-FRIENDS-AND-GET-ALONG-SWIMMINGLY.”

“Really? That’s all?” Monotaro wondered.

“As if!” Monosuke objected. “He’s buttering us up to kill us, too! Second verse, same as the first!”

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs sang, vanishing.

“Well, they’re falling apart rather easily,” Korekiyo noted. “One banished to spend the last minutes of their life in agony from the venom and fangs of a pit of snakes, and everything unravels like Mother’s old sweater. Much like how this group is fated to be.”

“If it weren’t for how you started that, the ending would have been almost pleasant for once,” Kaito shuddered. “Anyways, Detective. What’s all this junk for, huh?”

“Me? I don’t know any better than you do. Were it not for the appearance of those bears, I’d have easily concluded that this was all nothing more than rubbish.”

“Let’s throw them in random parts of the school and see what wiggles!” Ouma suggested, jolly. “Something’s bound to!”

“Very true. However, that would take ages we simply don’t have. No, our only guide to figuring these out is simple brainpower and careful deduction. We’re all fairly capable of that, aren’t we?”

“Perhaps I could be of service with these artifacts?” Angie suggested, taking the prizes into her arms and examining them one at a time. “Hmm… well! Since the bears have referred to this gemstone as a ‘Dragon’s Gem’, I’d have almost thought this was ammolite were it not for the absence of green and blue. But now, it’s more likely for it to be the Bàozhú instead, otherwise known as the ‘wish-granting pearl’ or ‘flaming pearl’ held underneath the chin of Shenlong!”

“Shenlong? You mean _the_ Shenlong?” Himiko gasped, amazed. “But, doesn’t he need seven pearls to grant people wishes and not just one? Also, they were more ‘dragon balls’ and orange, not red…”

“Well, Shenlong doesn’t really grant wishes. Like most depictions of dragons, he is the one who brings storms and rain, to the point where people feared angering him lest bad weather be the punishment.”

“Ah. Must just be his namesake, then. At least now I know where it comes from, so… thanks, Angie.” Himiko smiled. “Your wisdom truly knows no bounds.”

“For every show you watch, there is bound to be some things depicted from mythology, sacred text, or sometimes real life.”

“But, aren’t you telling her things that aren’t real?” Tenko objected. “My database is— KHISHT, FKSZZHKZ-JSHZZ— chock full of wonderful information that would stimulate Himiko-chan’s mind a lot better!” She snatched the Hexagonal Crank, holding it up. “Like this, for example! It’s clearly meant for fixing bicycle pedals whenever you’re out for a lovely ride— GZBBSSHHZ—, and something gets jammed in the crankset. You can’t pull it off with anything else, so once you have that bolt cap off, this crank will be your hero in removing the rest easily! Pretty impressive, eh?”

“Uhh, sure. I don’t really know what you just said though, but it sounded… cool,” Himiko said, hardly impressed until she turned back to Angie much to Tenko’s disappointment. “So, what’s the Ocarina for?”

“Much like the Dragon Gem, this has importance in Chinese culture, but also Mesoamerican culture, too,” Angie explained, playing a short tune on the ceramic instrument.

“Ah, sick! She’s putting it in her mouth!” Miu gagged. “It ain’t someone’s cock, you dunno where it’s been!”

“The ocarina used to be considered more of a toy than an instrument, but during the 19th century, a man in a small Italian town modified it so it could be used as more than just a plaything.”

“Okay, what about… this?” Himiko pointed to the last prize.

“Ah, yes, the Ancient Passport! It clearly… hmm. Actually, I don’t believe I’ve seen anything like this quite before. It doesn’t look like the one first issued in 1866, so…” Angie was cut off by Maki swiping it. “Oh! Did you have your own knowledge to share with us?”

“The Ancient Passport…” Maki murmured, running her index and middle fingers over it until she gasped, overcome with a powerful resonance and nearly stumbling back. “...It’s back.”

“What’s back?” Kaito asked, getting no answer when Maki instead ran out the door with the Ancient Passport. “Hey! Slow down there!”

“I wonder what’s gotten into her?” Tsumugi wondered.

“A very powerful presence that beckons for her to come! I must follow and see this for myself, too!” Angie cheered, shoving the other three prizes into Kiyo’s arms. “Korekiyo, I leave the rest to you. Wait for meeee!”

“Now, hold on—” Korekiyo tried to stop her, too late as she’d immediately run off. “Very well. At least Yonaga-san was kind enough to clue us in on where these might go. Let’s split up into groups and find out where these belong.”

“I’ll take the Hexagonal Crank,” Rantaro volunteered, accepting it. “Anyone want in?”

“Sure, I’ll go,” Tsumugi decided.

“Wherever this leads, I’m curious to see,” Kirumi stepped in. “Should we start anywhere in particular?”

“Maybe it’s something mechanical-related,” Rantaro guessed. “I’m thinking either the warehouse, or the courtyard.”

“How come that’s an option?”

“Well, lots of machinery tends to be more outside. The boiler room, the Exisals, my Research Lab, so I figured this could fit in with that.”

“Odd deduction, but it might be crazy enough to work!” Tsumugi encouraged, leading the other two. “Follow me, guys!”

“Alright, two more left,” Korekiyo noted. “Would anybody care to take either the Ocarina or the Dragon Gem?”

“I’ve got dibs on the Ocarina,” Himiko said, accepting it from Kiyo. “One Dragon Ball a full wish does not make.”

“Dragon _Gem_ , Yumeno-san.”

“Same thing. Tenko, are you coming?”

“Me? You mean it?” Tenko beamed, going through another spasm while smiley faces adorned her collar. “Oh, I thought you’d never ask! Let’s— GSSHHZZT, FZKKSSSH— go! I’ll even hold the artifact for you so your hands don’t get clammy.”

“Uhh, no thanks. I’m not the one malfunctioning like crazy right now.”

“Oh. Yeah, I understand.” Tenko looked to see who was left, ignoring the boys and making her choice between the final two. “Kaede-san, would you mind accompanying us? Three heads are better than two!”

“Me?” Kaede wondered, looking up. “Are you sure?”

“Nyeh, not her,” Himiko grimaced. “She’ll probably lead us into something stupid that I don’t wanna deal with. Nothing’s safe around her anymore.”

“Himiko-chan, that’s not nice,” Tenko scolded. “Kaede-san messed up, but she’s still our friend.”

“Yours, maybe. I don’t trust her.”

“It’s alright, Tenko-san,” Kaede insisted, hiding her hurt through a calm smile. “You guys could use the alone time, anyways. Three’s a crowd.”

“Are you sure? FSSHHZZFT!” Tenko asked, worried.

“She said it, not us,” Himiko stated, already leaving. “Come on.”

“Hey! Wait for me!”

“That leaves the rest of us with the Dragon Gem,” Korekiyo noted after Tenko left. “I say, rather large group.”

“Where should we start?” Kiibo asked.

“How about the second floor? Before any of you ask, the best place to find where unfamiliar fits is where unfamiliar lies.”

“In a real language, dipshit!” Miu yelled.

“Since we don’t know anything about these prizes, we go to the one spot most haven’t been often because they’re both new.”

“Kind of a stretch, but if you’re right on this, I’ll eat Yumeno-chan’s hat when she comes back,” Ouma wagered.

“It’s better than starting nowhere,” Korekiyo said. “Saihara-kun, you’ll be leading with me.”

“Me? Why?” Shuichi asked.

“You are in need of a looking partner, are you not? A _trustworthy_ one?” Kiyo eyed Kaede, who avoided his gaze stubbornly.

Shuichi caught this easily, giving the detective an angry look. “There’s nothing wrong with the one I have.”

“Just give the baby his bottle and help him,” Kaede sneered, starting to go ahead. “I don’t care anymore.”

“Hold on,” Korekiyo stopped, pulling the girl back. “You’re not going off on your own again for this very reason. Stay with the group, and go no further.”

“You can be my search partner, Akamatsu-san,” Kiibo volunteered. “Maybe we’ll find something both of us can benefit from.”

“Fuck that!” Miu objected, shoving Kaede away and claiming Kiibo for herself. “Dump the bimbo and go with me instead! I won’t think about killing you!”

“If I was worried about her killing me, then I wouldn’t have asked. I want to partner up with Akamatsu-san, but I could go with you both, if you’d like.”

“Takin’ us both at the same time? That’s ballsy, Kiibabey, but I like your style.”

“But, Amami-kun went with two partners. How is that—?”

“—Don’t think too hard on it,” Kaede told him. “Just don’t.”

“Shall we?” Korekiyo asked Shuichi.

“...Yes,” Shuichi agreed, just as reluctantly staying by his side while glancing at the distant Kaede concerned.

The Dragon Gem’s group went up the staircase from around the corner of the dining hall, arriving at Hallway 2F. Not too far from Kirumi’s Lab, a bronze statue of a dragon with one red eye stood on top of a pedestal. Curious, Shuichi led the group over to it and took the gem from Korekiyo’s possession, slipping it inside the empty black socket. When it fully clicked in place, it glowed brightly, the wall behind trembling and cracking just like the statue before shattering into pieces and revealing a new corridor once the dust cleared.

“Stoney? Stoney…?” Ouma asked the destroyed remains of the dragon, using his finger to tap it.

“The statue isn’t sentient, Ouma-kun, merely the guardian protecting… this,” Korekiyo said, gesturing down the hallway.

“Ooh, you’re right! That’s way more interesting than some stupid rock! Last one down is a rotten egg!”

“Wait— don’t go ahead of us! Slow down, please!” Korekiyo chased after Ouma, lunging and holding the small boy in his arms like a runaway dog. “Gotcha.”

“Booo! You didn’t even say ‘tag’.”

“I’m not playing any childish games with you. This is an investigation and needs to be done in a professional manner. I understand your excitement and everlasting curiosity, but everyone needs a chance to see it all, too.”

“Okay…” Ouma looked and saw a door decorated with a doily-like pattern, three large circles going down the middle. “Wow! What’s that?!”

“No—!” Kiyo was helpless to stop Ouma from escaping his hold, sighing weary as he tailed after him. “What’s this?”

“A door.”

“Yes, Ouma-kun, I can see that. What does the door _lead_ to?”

“This!”

Ouma wasted no time in pulling the door handle down, showing everyone catching up yet another Research Lab. This one, however, was equipped with rose gold walls adorned with fancy carvings and lantern wall lamps. A triad of large windows sat in the back of the room near a section full of washers, dryers, and an iron connected to the wall near some ironing boards, two velvet magenta drapes for each one. Sitting in the center on a long eggshell rug over a cherry wood floor was a lengthy dining table proper for its eight cushioned chairs, a crystal chandelier hanging above its electric candelabra.

Built into the wall to the right of the table was a marble fireplace displaying a holographic hearth, and on the Lab’s opposite side, a walk-in closet full of silverware, fine china, metal cloches with platters, doilies, and cleaning supplies galore. Over by the windows, a magenta fabric chesterfield sofa sitting between two smaller wing chairs of the same color, all before a glass coffee table.

“This is a Research Lab?” Shuichi wondered. “It’s really fancy for a school like this.”

“I am curious as to whom this belongs to,” Korekiyo pondered.

“Are you idiots blind?! This is my Lab!” Miu spat. “Geez! There’s no one else here that it could fit like a fine rubber but me!”

“It’s very, _very_ unwise for you to talk. You have nothing worthwhile to say, so refrain from sullying the air with your worthless prattle.”

“H-Heeee! I’m sorry, M-Master Shinguuji! It won’t happen again, I s-swear!” Miu was bowing repeatedly standing up, keeping her head down in submission. “This is my Lab, though. I’m definitely worthy of it…!”

“How can that be?” Shuichi asked. “You never struck me as the fancy rich girl type.”

“No, but my later masters were packin’ it in the dough. Maids aren’t exactly living the sweet life in an expensive mansion, but lots of ‘em work there to make a really pretty penny.”

“So, what you’re saying is, if I pay you lots of money, then I can make you do anything I want you to?” Ouma tested.

“Not everything! Don’t you know there are some things I nor anyone just can’t pull off?!”

“Man, so we got stuck with Diet Maid?! Lame. You’re super useless, Miu-Miu Power.”

“Am not! I wouldn’t care how much money you don’t have; I’d rather stick a fork up my ass than do what you say!”

“Not that you’ll refuse my needs. A maid’s number one priority is pleasing her masters and making sure they’re taken care of properly. If I wind up more malnourished or dirtier after hiring you, then what good would you be to anybody?”

“Well! …Not good at all. No one would even bother hiring me or putting my kickass skills to good use…” Miu lifted her spirits back up, retaliating. “Which is a damn good thing I’m perfect at my job! There’s no one in the world who wouldn’t be begging for my attention!”

“Yeah, except those with a brain that don’t care if you’re in their faces or not. Those are some others.”

“Th-Then fuck ‘em! I’m useful _and_ needed by everyone that counts! Which means, take your worthless opinions of me and shove ‘em up your puckered asses!”

“I think now’s a good time to leave, yes?” Korekiyo suggested.

“Here I thought you’d never ask,” Shuichi shuddered.

“What? Leaving so soon?” Miu whimpered. “My Lab ain’t good enough for ya or something?!”

“Let’s go, Iruma-san.”

Miu didn’t say anything on the way out, too dejected to bother noticing Kiibo’s concerned face and Kaede’s more curious version of the same feeling. Neither wound up bringing anything they thought up, following Shuichi and the others towards the next point of interest. Down the hall around where they could see the first floor from above, everyone found another flight of stairs going up, but also another Research Lab past that very corner. Judging by the honeycomb design surrounding the door with a ladybug, bee, and spider on it, it wasn’t hard figuring out who the owner was.

“I guess it’s your time to shine, Iidabashi-kun,” Kaede spoke up, encouraging him to proceed first.

“This is really my Lab? I wonder what inside’s like,” Kiibo inquired, pulling the door handle down and gawking at the interior. “WOW! Guys, come on in! It’s— it’s spectacular!”

Indeed it was. A cobblestone-like flooring paved along a vast room with isles of lush grass and trees with vines dangling from them, blank exhibit signs posted behind the gray bricks surrounding each solitary patch. Wooden arrow signs pointed visitors in the direction of numerous areas, but remained blank for those to be established later. One set of stairs led down to a wide array of water tanks full of different species of aquatic insects swimming around their habitat, and the other led upstairs to more tree isles and a deck containing a bench behind a wide table fit for writing notes and observations.

On that same upper level stood a wooden beehive and a tank containing branches and some leaves sitting on the bottom of it, one covered in a group of tiny yellow eggs. Installed in the wall, a giant ant farm containing many tunnels and chambers (including a nursery for future hatchlings) built by the colony. Taking up its personal corner was a white greenhouse tent containing vegetation, potted plants, and supplies for crop care. Stretching throughout all three levels, a powder blue wallpaper decorated with silhouettes of numerous insects, primarily butterflies, dragonflies, and spiders.

“Quite a generous outlook you’ve gotten at your disposal,” Korekiyo commented, writing down more of his observations into his notepad. “I’m seeing future and present habitats for numerous insects.”

“And arachnids!” Kiibo chirped, pointing up one of the trees to see a few spiders making their webs. “I wonder if I’ll meet some scorpion friends while I’m mentioning them.”

“Scorpions?” Shuichi gulped. “Aren’t those, you know…?”

“Poisonous? Yes, every species is. But, I wouldn’t be so scared if I wind up raising any. They’re usually too tiny to do any major damage by themselves.”

“Maybe it’s best left in the hands of a professional,” Kaede winced. “You’re the bug expert, but I don’t see myself going near any of those things.”

“Are you scared of bugs?”

Kaede nodded. “One of my kids wanted to show me one they’d found outside, and couldn’t get my attention right away. So, next thing I knew, I found a pleasant, wriggly surprise in my drink and didn’t take it well.”

“You almost drank a caterpillar?” Shuichi asked.

“No, it was an earthworm they _thought_ was a caterpillar. The thought was nice, but the way they went about it definitely wasn’t.”

“Were you both alright after that?” Kiibo questioned. “I understand that must have been pretty scary to deal with.”

“Yeah, I lived and the earthworm went back outside. From that moment on, though, I was sure never to put my cup near children under 10 ever again.”

“What about ones over 10?” Ouma asked, devious.

“If you’re thinking what I think you are, you’d best not bother trying it.”

“That depends. What is it you think I’m thinking of trying?”

“Please don’t steal any of my bugs and use them for evil. Most of them wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Kiibo begged. “If you want, I could still give you guys a showcase of whatever specimens I discover and raise here! My treat.”

“Eww! I’m not going near any of your icky bugs! Huge pass!”

“I expected that. Very few people tend to be fans of the creepy crawlies, but once you get to really know them, it isn’t so bad! They’re still animals, just really small ones.”

“With hundreds of eyes, legs, and crunchy skin!”

“Those are their best features! It’s all the more reason to study them because they’re so little and mysterious.”

“Look, Kiibabey, they gave you some costumes to try on, too!” Miu snickered, pointing to the coat rack.

“Costumes? Wouldn’t that suit Yumeno-san a bit better?” Kiibo examined the stand, putting on a white coat, goggles, and protective gloves. “Oh, nevermind. This is just proper lab attire, not a costume. How do I look?”

“Like a geek,” Ouma snickered, receiving a painful elbow jab from Miu. “OUCH!”

“Pretty snazzy,” Miu complimented. “It suits you! Makes you look like a scientist.”

“Well, I am the son of a biologist and a chemist, so there’s no surprise there,” Kiibo laughed, taking off the gear and hanging them back up. “I wonder what else this place has?”

“There seems to be a tent upstairs,” Korekiyo stated. “Perhaps some sort of supply source? Saihara-kun, would you mind looking?”

“Why me?” Shuichi asked.

“In doing an investigation of any sorts, one must always take the initiative to see new things. And, I can’t be everywhere at once, can I?”

Begrudgingly, Shuichi complied and went to check out the tent, only peering inside. “All I see are a bunch of plants. Nothing much else.”

“Let me see,” Kiibo requested, following Shuichi and going further inside. His eyes widened, now twinkling with delight and cooing. “Awww, these aren’t just plants! They’re homes.”

“To…?”

“Babies!” Kiibo showed Shuichi the little larvae crawling around the vegetation, using it as a joint meal and sanctuary. “From what I can see, we’re looking at future monarchs, viceroys, some swallowtails— ooh! _Hesperia florinda_ got thrown in the mix, too. And conversely, I’ll also be expecting a few species of moth.”

“Like?”

“Well, the one that sticks out is some atlas moth larvae, but there also seems to be a few silk worms, two luna moths, and I think a tiger moth? I’ll have to take a closer look at that little guy, but for now, I’ll happily watch them grow up big and strong.”

“You sure seem to like your bugs. Is this all for science?”

“Science is one reason, but for as long as I can recall, bugs have always had my back when nobody else really would.” Kiibo smiled sadly, watching the larvae crawl. “I’ve caused quite a few turn offs for having friends like these with nasty repercussions, but I don’t care. Bugs will always have a special place in my heart no matter where I go.”

“Were you ever this close to any people? Maybe some other bug lovers?”

“Besides Gonta who I met recently, not really. Plus, he’s… yeah, so. What can I say?”

“If someone did come along, would you wanna be friends with them?”

“Sure! I’m not against having people friends at all. In fact, I… kinda welcome the thought with open arms. If only the chance could pop up again.”

“It will.” Shuichi smiled at Kiibo. “There’s definitely bound to be people willing to be that chance.”

Kiibo returned the gesture, glancing back at the larvae one more time and leaving. “I sure hope so.”

“Hey, are you girls done kissing up there?!” Ouma called from below. “Let’s go so we can see other stuff!”

“Coming!” Shuichi and Kiibo went outside, about to catch up with the others until they spotted a red and gold treasure chest in the hallway. “What’s in this?”

“Maybe another prize?” Shuichi guessed, putting one hand on the rim. “Let’s open it on the count of three. One…”

“Two…!”

“Three!” the boys called in unison, pushing the chest lid up and seeing a strange device with a green body and a cyan head.

“Some kind of flashlight?” Shuichi inquired, studying the tool.

“Maybe it’s another one of Amami-kun’s works,” Kiibo figured.

“No, I don’t see his insignia on it. Also, he wouldn’t just leave it here in a treasure chest for anyone to find.”

“Oh, that’s right. Should we… turn it on?”

“I wouldn’t. It doesn’t look very safe. But, I do think it’s a good idea to tell the others about this as soon as we can.”

“Here, I’ll keep it in my bag for now.” Kiibo opened his messenger bag and exchanged the flashlight for the robot rainbow grasshopper still in the jar. “Wait here.”

Shuichi watched Kiibo go back inside his Lab, peering inside to see him on the upper level and carefully placing the creature on his empty desk, taking a quiet moment to gaze at it before coming back outside. “All set?”

“...Yeah. Just about.”

The boys went upstairs to the third floor, right away spotting another Research Lab, its door covered in a tennis racket and a pile of tennis balls underneath it. More surrounded the entrance, letting Shuichi know immediately that it belonged to Kaito. He was about to be stoked about going inside, he was certain. Before he could so much as reach for the door handle, a loud commotion from down the hallway stopped him. More curious on that, Shuichi and Kiibo followed the noise and spotted everyone else in their group, Kaede shielding a lilac-pink door with her body while Ouma, Korekiyo, and Miu ganged up on her.

“I’m telling you guys, you really shouldn’t go in there,” Kaede pleaded. “You don’t know what you could be messing with.”

“Fuck off, Bakamatsu!” Miu spat. “You’re the last person that’s got any right to hide anything anymore! If you’re gonna kill one of us, at least let us save ourselves!”

“That’s not it!”

“Step aside, Akamatsu-san,” Korekiyo hissed darkly. “Your planned stunt in the library forfeited any and all rights to having secrecy. We’re going inside your Research Lab, with or without force.”

“Besides, what’s so bad about the Ultimate Child Caregiver’s Lab?” Ouma pressed. “Such a harmless title’s got nothing to hide, right?”

“I-I… no, I don’t. But, you could at least grant me privacy.”

“This ain’t privacy, sweetheart. You’re just super suspicious. Now, move it and let us in!”

“Leave her alone!” Kiibo demanded, running to Kaede’s side as Shuichi grabbed Korekiyo and flung him in a way that got Ouma and Miu out of the way as well in one swoop. “If she doesn’t want us to see what’s inside, then no means no! I will not have you guys picking on her like this!”

“You’re taking her side?!” Miu cried, exasperated. “She’s hiding something and it’s gotta be bad!”

“So what? You guys are being really invasive,” Shuichi scolded. “Let’s just skip this Lab and go check out Momota-kun’s.”

“We saw that one, you and Iidabashi-chan are just slowpokes,” Ouma said. “Now, we wanna look at Akamatsu-chan’s Lab!”

“That doesn’t give any of you the right to pressure her. I get you’re all still pretty miffed about last night, but you’re starting to take it a little too far.”

“She’s still our classmate and deserves as much respect as the rest of us!” Kiibo chided.

“Guys, just stop,” Kaede sighed. “You know better than to come to my defense when everyone has every right not to trust me. Don’t justify what happened. I can take this.”

“But, Akamatsu-san, it’s not right,” Shuichi argued.

“It doesn’t matter. I had this coming and I need to accept it until I do better.”

“So, you’re letting us inside?” Korekiyo asked.

“You wanna see what my Lab looks like so badly? Fine!” Kaede grabbed the door handle, throwing it down and pushing the door in. She pointed to the interior of her Research Lab with her eyes shut. “Feast your eyes, everyone! Are you happy now?!”

“Uhhh… sure? I guess?” Miu answered, not certain at what she was looking at. “Looks normal to me.”

“Yeah, yeah, lick it up! Now you all know— wait, what did you say?”

Kaede opened her eyes, colored perplexed seeing a harmless-looking canary yellow room with half the floor covered in vinyl tiles and the other in puzzle piece foam matting of numerous bright colors. Near the door, a wooden cubby storage with sixteen whole empty spaces meant for storing belongings. The harder half had little tables fit for a small handful of children with baskets of crayons on each one, a tall storage cabinet standing against the wall next to the first-aid kit hanging on the hook. A bulletin board in the middle read “Ultimate Child Caregiver Lab” in baby pink letters stapled to a spring green background.

The puzzle piece side of the room was dedicated more to playtime, having a section full of toy bins, blocks, dolls, a miniature plastic slide, toy trucks and airplanes, and a shelf with lots of children’s stories for reading out loud near the rocking chair. A miniature blackboard easel was also in that area, featuring a box of colorful chalk placed on its base. Leaning next to the doorway, a white refrigerator with nothing in it, waiting to be filled with snacks and beverages.

“It’s… adorable!” Kaede beamed. “Reminds me exactly of my daycare!”

“Oh, the horrors! The absolute, kiddy horrors!” Ouma sarcastically moaned, fiddling with the blocks and arranging some into a profanity. “Whatever will these toys do to me?!”

“Don’t do that,” Korekiyo scolded, putting the blocks back. “I saw what you were spelling and it’s not language appropriate for anywhere, let alone a daycare facility.”

“I can’t get away with nuttin’ under your watch, can I?”

“If you did, this school would burn to the ground with everyone in it.” Kiyo stopped Ouma when he opened his mouth. “Yourself included.”

“Dang.”

“What were you getting your panties in a bunch over? This?!” Miu laughed, opening the cabinet. “Man, you’re such a spaz!”

“Hey, don’t go in there!” Kaede gasped, fearing the contents to be less than child-friendly.

“Oh no! I’m being ambushed by… a bunch of blankets!” Miu unrolled one of many stashed neatly inside, the level above it containing plastic bins of extra coloring supplies, decorations, and spare chalk, while a music player and some CD’s were underneath the middle shelf. “What’s gonna happen? I’m gonna go night-night?”

 _‘In the way you don’t think…’_ Kaede took the blanket and put it back rolled, closing the cabinet relieved. “Well, everyone, you got your answer. Can we go now?”

“Yes. I’ve written all that I need,” Korekiyo said. “That should do it for looking at the second floor, so let’s return downstairs to the others.”

“I’m still wondering what got into Harukawa-san,” Shuichi reminded. “She just ran off with the Ancient Passport in such a hurry.”

“Can you blame her? The unknown mysteries of this Academy get bigger as the days pass. Kukukuku… overwhelmed by your desires to see it all and wasting no time getting on it. Discovering what could not be seen before and making such information all yours for the taking…! If it were me, I’d not hesitate to follow where it calls me. Not a chance…”

“Ugh, at this rate, the guy’s gonna cream himself from all this mystery,” Miu gagged in disgust.

“Surly, pushy, grouchy, _and_ creepy all in one,” Kaede sneered. “Let’s get going, everyone.”

“Who the fuck asked you?”

“Ahem, anyways,” Korekiyo coughed, bringing himself back to normalcy. “There isn’t any time to waste. Back to the first floor we go.”

Kaede, still distracted by her Lab, barely noticed the others leaving. She spotted something hiding behind the cabinet, pushing it aside some and revealing a dial. The top of it had the icon of an infant in diapers, but the bottom depicted a pistol with some daggers accompanying. Biting her lip, she turned to make sure no one else was looking and turned it to the opposite side, watching in seconds as her Lab expectedly transformed using trap doors and flips, much to her horror. Quickly twisting the dial back to the baby, it reverted to daycare mode again, sending Kaede running outside and slamming the door in the middle of fleeing.

“Well, look who finally decided to join us,” Korekiyo bit, folding his arms and tapping his foot at a panting Kaede. “You look as though you’ve seen a ghost.”

“It’s nothing, just move,” Kaede wheezed, catching her breath. “We have lots more to look at.”

“Thank you for seeing it my way. Don’t wander off.”

Sticking her tongue out at Korekiyo from behind, Kaede reluctantly stayed with the group back downstairs, skimming through the second floor and coming back to the first. Hallway 1F no longer looked as it had before, now having an open new hallway going down its left. It was dark and stony, the lamps along the walls lighting only enough to see ahead. Turning to a dead end, there was a door on the left decorated with a large infinity symbol surrounded by an ouroboros one, the barrier of it having a heart, a spade, a club, and a diamond in a corner each.

“Well, now we know why Harukawa-san was in such a hurry,” Korekiyo stated.

“She must still be inside,” Shuichi figured, twisting the door handle and stepping in.

The Ultimate Magician’s Lab had even less lighting than its passageway. Were it not for the pair of false torches hung up on the wall and the electric candles lined along the very tops of the shelves, everything would be completely swallowed by darkness. From what could be seen, one side of the room had shelves of exclusively books, and the other had shelves holding jars filled with unknown herbs and other ingredients. In the room’s center, a large copper cauldron was dormant, likely due to the heater underneath being shut off. A space was set aside for a writing desk, the only things on it being a blank tome and a cup of writing utensils.

A large, scarlet curtain separated the left of the Lab from everything else, Shuichi going in and peering behind it. He could see a rolling cabinet with nothing in it, two boxes on wheels with a hand saw on top, a hula hoop, and a basket of multi-colored scarves, a top hat, and a flower bouquet. While browsing, the curtains shut, Shuichi turning to Maki on the other end having untied the string.

“Don’t look at things that aren’t yours,” she hissed, pointing back at Angie and Kaito. “I’m still trying to get these nosy idiots off my case.”

“Just one little potion and I’ll stop asking!” Kaito begged. “You’ve got the stuff, and if it works as well as you say it does, it’d really help me out.”

“And I want to see it be concocted in action!” Angie added. “A practitioner of Wicca is something I’ve yet encountered outside of Western countries, though I never quite took you for the Pagan type, Maki.”

“Not everyone associated with witchcraft is Wiccan,” Maki argued. “I’m just a simple wielder of magic who does her own thing, not what someone else might try and pay me to do just to give them a good laugh.”

“Like a clown?” Ouma snickered.

“Yeah. You’d know that best, wouldn’t you?”

“At least people like clowns more than creepy witchy hacks.”

“Did I forget to mention I still remember how to make someone’s insides disappear? _Permanently_ , I may add?”

“Oooh! Can I see that instead?”

“Nobody’s making anyone’s guts go bye-bye,” Kaito moderated, clearing his throat as if to hide something worse. “Just one little drink to help quiet a cough, and I’ll be out of your hair. Plus, this is your Lab, so what better place to start practicing your talent than here?”

“I practice in solitude, not in the presence of people who’d just screw me up when I’m trying to work,” Maki declined. “Plus, why should I make you a potion out of nowhere?”

“Because I know you’ve got a nifty pair of hands and skills to match. Maybe you can’t… completely help me, but whatever you whip up is bound to do something. It’s better than nothing at all, and I’ve got total faith in you to do something fantastic! The Great Harudini, Mistress of Mystery!”

“That’s— not my name or was. Don’t call me that.”

“Well, you get what I’m trying to say to you, don’t ya? I’m not asking you to put on a show if you don’t want to, but it’s like I said before: your magic could do lots of good for this place, and this is a good start.”

“...And you’ll leave me alone if I show you once?”

“I never said I wanted you to be totally alone forever, but I won’t ask for a whole load of requests, at least.”

“Good enough. Fine. Everybody stand back so I can get started. Breathing down my neck isn’t good for my inner energy.”

Grabbing a few ingredients off the shelf, Maki sprinkled bits of them inside her cauldron, now taking a jar and dropping its only root-like object inside. Some liquified contents from a curvy bottle got poured in, too, joined by leaves plucked off a plant growing on a nearby table and crushed into bits. Maki turned the heat on under her large pulling her cloak hood up and stirring with an elongated piece of driftwood once leaning against the writing desk’s chair. The cauldron’s concoction began to glow a bright lavender under the dimmed lighting, Maki still stirring and turning it all to mix the ingredients well and thoroughly.

“Zakir, zahed, fho-lis kee draealir gana,” Maki chanted, removing the dripping wood from the pot and raising it high. “Amos-shahr, eraji nid, eraji nid! Nasterinth, maelerinoa, ZAKYNTHOS!” A bright gust blew back through Maki’s cloak and anyone standing behind her, dying down when the cauldron settled on a lighter scintillation. “...Okay, it’s done. Did you want this in a vial or eaten in a fruit?”

“Gimme the vial,” Kaito exhaled, still amazed by what he’d just witnessed.

“Good choice because using food absorption seldom ends or works well.” Maki grabbed an empty vial from a crate containing many, tying a thin wire around its neck and using it to dip the open bottle in until full. She pulled out her newest creation, corking it shut and surrendering it to Kaito. “Happy now? This oughta help quiet your cough and clear your airways, but that’s as much as I can deal with.”

“Fair enough. How did you do all of that with the— you know. The glowing, and the gust and whatnot.”

“Magicians don’t reveal their secrets. Doing so would take away my ability to use it on you ever again.”

“Ooh, I getcha.”

“That was spectacular!” Angie cheered. “A marvelous display of the gift bestowed to you from such a while back! Atua is pleased to see you at your finest hour. He truly is.”

“You also got what you wanted, so scram,” Maki demanded, shielding her eyes when the light switch was flipped and considerably brightened the room to normal viewing level. “Gah! Hey, who did that?!”

“Sorry, it was really dark in here,” Kiibo apologized. “That can’t be good for your eyesight.”

“Why do you think I have other lights here? Oh, forget it. You’ve all seen my Lab, so get out and I can keep working without any splitting headaches.”

“The lady wishes to acquire her privacy, so let us move on,” Korekiyo noted, turning and leading the group outside with Shuichi. “Thank you for your time, Harukawa-san.”

Maki ignored him, turning the main lights back off and slamming the door behind her once everyone was gone. “Someone’s got issues~!” Ouma sang tauntingly. “I can’t totally put her at fault for wanting to be as far away from fleshy Earth scum as possible, but she’s taking up to whole new levels!”

“You could do what she’s doing and leave us alone,” Shuichi sneered. “Since you hate humans so much.”

“As if! This place is big, but definitely not big enough to get away from you creatures altogether. Plus, if I just sat in my room all day like a log lump, I’d go bonkers from boredom! I might as well make do and see what I can get out of it.”

“By constantly harassing other people?” Kaito bit. “That’s your form of entertainment?”

“Pretty much! It’s fun, and helps me with my evaluations.”

“There you go again with that,” Kiibo spoke up. “What does it mean in your case?”

“Not telling. That’d just ruin the surprise.”

“Perhaps he’s finally come to see how amazing humanity can be,” Angie conjectured. “And now, he’s participating in the heart of anthropology by observing us and seeing our every action, reaction, and flaw!”

“...Meh, if you wanna put it that way, be my guest. Just don’t think we’re on the same level and I’m doing this for the sake of people. In fact, quite the opposite!”

“Involving your alleged plans to blow us all to smithereens?” Korekiyo joked.

“Bingo! Smarty pants sleuth as always, I see!”

“Can we put a cork on this convo?” Miu demanded. “The little pube’s not gonna go through with it!”

“That sounds like something someone who’s gonna have front row seats to the planet’s destruction would say.”

“She said can it!” Kaito barked. “You’ve already been causing lots of trouble lately, and we don’t need anymore from you!”

“I guess that makes two of us.” Ouma gestured to Kiibo, who was quite distant from Kaito.

“Ah. Speaking of that, Iidabashi, I—”

“—I think I’ve seen enough new things,” Kiibo sighed, taking his leave. “I’ll be checking out more of my Lab if anyone needs me.”

“Enjoy!” Ouma called after, waving. “Finally, he can get some quiet time away from annoying people, too.”

“I’m going after him. We need to talk,” Kaito decided, pulled back by Miu.

“Stop breathing down the guy’s neck! You’ve been a pain in his ass as is!” she yowled. “He wants to get away from you, so stay that way.”

“Why don’t you come explore more of the school with us?” Shuichi suggested politely. “Aren’t you a little curious?”

“...I guess,” Kaito sighed, removing Miu’s hand from him. “Anyone else in?”

“I must decline,” Angie said. “All four artifacts have gotten my appraisal, so my work here is done.”

“Yeah, I think I’ve seen enough, too,” Kaede also declined.

“You don’t get to go anywhere because you cannot be left alone for too long,” Korekiyo scolded, allowing Angie to leave only. “Stay put until the group has finished investigating.”

“I don’t think you’re someone who gets to tell me that. What am I gonna do? Sit on my bed for too long?”

“For all we know, that could simply be a front whilst you plan something greater.”

“Hey, lay off the girl, will ya?” Kaito suggested. “It’s not like she’s gonna do the same thing twice in a row. Akamatsu’s too smart for that.”

“Maybe not the shot put trick, but something else less direct could be her intentions.”

“Something no one else would expect because the same trick doesn’t work more than once,” Ouma added, smirking. “You’re definitely right in that department.”

“It’ll be a lot harder for that skank to take me down with more people around!” Miu declared pompously. “I’d like to see her try!”

“She won’t,” Shuichi argued, irritated. “It’s one thing to be cautious, but you guys are just treating her like a prisoner. Do you really see nothing wrong with that?”

“Akamatsu’s our equal, and all of you’d better start giving her the respect you did before!” Kaito ordered.

“She’ll get that respect when she’s earned it back,” Korekiyo hissed. “Right now isn’t that time due to her rather sleazy attempt that’s proven to have been likely to fail in the worst way possible.”

“Whatever,” Kaede scoffed, marching ahead. “Let’s go.”

“Saihara-kun and I will lead. Your job is not to sneak off.”

Kaede made no effort to hide her frustrated grunt, slowing down so she could be behind them. Shuichi gave her a sympathetic look, but directed his ire at Korekiyo. _‘Yeah, now I’m starting to see pretty easily what Akamatsu-san’s problem with him is,’_ he thought, growing annoyed himself.

Everyone went outside to the courtyard, browsing the area for anything that looked newly opened. A pathway leading to some barracks and flashy signs behind it caught the group’s eye, going down it to see Rantaro, Kirumi, and Tsumugi waiting outside. The hexagon-shaped protrusion was present, but there was nothing blocking the wooden doors off any longer, so it was safe to assume they’d put the Hexagonal Crank to good use.

“Get a load of what’s in here,” Rantaro said. “We didn’t go in either of them yet, but we did find some pretty nice buildings behind this gate. It’s a full other area for the school, outside and everything.”

“There is one that we’ve decided ultimately not to set foot near,” Kirumi shuddered. “You’ll see why that’s so.”

“What are we waiting for? Let’s go, people!” Ouma cheered, dashing ahead and opening the gates.

Behind the wooden barrier lied a night-lit sky despite it only being early in the afternoon, a moat surrounding the pathways paved for going towards two available buildings. One was surrounded by yellow lights flashing up and side-to-side, “CASINO” glowing in the same color above the life-sized replica of the Arc de Triomphe informing everyone of what was awaiting them. The other was behind dark pink lights, the white sign reading “Hotel Kumasutra” and giving off unsettling vibes to those who looked at it. Deducing that it’d be the building everyone ignored, the Casino won by a landslide.

“Everything’s so… bright,” Kaede commented, setting foot in the lobby and taking in the flashiness. “And shining with gold.”

“Is this a real casino, though?” Shuichi wondered. “The sign says so, but what’s one doing at a school?”

“There’s also the fact that gambling’s illegal,” Tsumugi said. “Oh! Maybe this isn’t really a casino, but someone’s Palace, instead! Born of envy and subjecting us to games nigh-impossible to win! Did any of us get screwed over by the courts or the loss of a loved one?”

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the Monokubs chimed, popping up before the students.

“THIS-IS-NOT-THE-METAVERSE,” Monodam scolded. “WHAT-YOU-SEE-IS-A-REAL-CASINO. YOU-MAY-EARN-MONOCOINS-AND-EXCHANGE-THEM-FOR-FABULOUS-PRIZES.”

“Yeah, what he said!” Monotaro agreed. “Gotta say, Monodam, you’ve really stepped up in explaining things to these bastards! I’m kinda proud of you!”

“He’s doing it just like Daddy would,” Monophanie swooned. “Dare I say he’s surpassed him!”

“That makes him Monodam, Sr.! Or maybe Grandpa Monodam?”

“How ‘bout ‘Pops Wannabe Monodam’?” Monosuke snarked. “He’s no leader, he’s a chump and a ticking time bomb ready to explode and take one of us with the blast!”

“Don’t be so glum, Monosuke,” Monophanie said. “So far, so good this time, right?”

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs chimed, leaving.

“We have our answer,” Kirumi said. “Where do we get the coins we start with?”

“I’m thinking the exchange counter,” Rantaro guessed. “Let’s go check it out.”

As everyone went to go get viable casino coins and take them to the basement, Kirumi noticed Kaede did nothing except sit at one of the golden chairs brooding. “Aren’t you going to partake, Akamatsu-san? You can’t play downstairs if you don’t have any coins.”

“Why? Because you feel you need to keep an eye on me?” Kaede spat. “Because I’ll do something stupid when left alone for two seconds?”

“No? I only meant so because I’d hate for you to be left out of the activity. It’d be awfully lonely and dull to just sit up here by yourself.”

“Oh. Sorry, Toujou-san, I’m a little on edge and shouldn’t be taking it out on you. I’ve long accepted my punishment for breaking everyone’s trust, but… I still can’t help but feel really upset. Is that bad of me to do?”

“I don’t think so. Even if someone believes they deserve what’s happening, it’d be more surprising if it didn’t make them feel down. Nobody wants to be treated differently, nor should they be.”

“That’s just it, though. I’m not blaming anybody for being mad at me; I’m just not super keen on being treated like a criminal. Not surprised, but I’m not particularly liking it, either. I guess it’s because I feel more mad at myself than the others.”

“If you ask me, I think it’s beginning to go too far. You nearly made a very dangerous mistake, yes, but that doesn’t make you unsafe to be around.”

“I… wouldn’t go saying that, exactly.” Kaede quickly corrected herself. “Because! Everyone’s afraid of me doing something risky again and getting hurt should it go wrong.”

“While understandable, that doesn’t excuse treating you improperly. This is clearly making you upset, and you don’t deserve any of it considering all you’ve stepped up to do for us.”

“Actually, I kinda do. I messed up big time, and that’s reason enough. It’s fine, though! I’ll just get used to it and find a way to redeem myself!” Kaede stood up, flexing her arms proudly. “No big deal! I’ve taken on bigger fish in need of frying!”

“Did you still want to come downstairs?”

“Sure. I’m not a gambler, but I could give it a try. Oh, and Toujou-san?”

“Yes?”

“Nothing much. I just wanted to say you’re someone anybody would kill to have for a friend.”

“As are you. You might not think so right now, but you truly are a never-ending light in a seemingly bleak cavern.”

Kaede truly smiled, feeling somewhat better after talking to Kirumi. They got their casino coins and went downstairs, only to walk in on Kaito practically flicking his coins into one machine, the pile beside him getting smaller by the moments. Most of the others watched nervously, but the reason for it all— Monokuma— merely cackled amused the more Kaito’s previously lucky streak started going down the drain. It hadn’t taken long at all, but he’d been down to his final coin, inserted without hesitating and losing it all just as quickly.

“Aww, poor thing!” Monokuma patronized. “How hard the mighty have fallen!”

“It’s all gone…” Kaito breathed, frozen with shock. “It was all within my grasp, and just slipped through my fingers…”

“Such is the price to pay for hubris,” Korekiyo noted. “Put too much of it in, and you lose what you could have left with.”

“What was I supposed to do? Back down from a tiny little challenge? Men don’t back down for anything!”

“It doesn’t look like it was worth it, now does it?” Rantaro wondered, fairly amused.

“Now, who’s next? Who’s up to bat for the betting?” Monokuma asked.

“I wager one Sluticus for every Monocoin I’ve got!” Ouma volunteered, shoving Miu forward. “And even if I don’t lose, you can keep her!”

“Ah, fuck yourself with that!” Miu barked. “I’m not a prize you can bet on!”

“You’re also not a prize period because people actually want those things.”

“O-Oi! Don’t say that…”

“I’ll play,” Kirumi said, stepping up with her Monocoins.

“You gamble, Toujou-san?” Shuichi asked.

“No, but I can still try if it gets Monokuma off our cases. He’s disrupting an otherwise peaceful time, and I won’t be letting that slide even if I lose it all.”

“Excellent!” Monokuma cheered. “Step right up and place your bets!”

“I’m not playing that machine. I’m playing that one.” Kirumi gestured to the slot machines, sitting at one of them gracefully.

“Be careful, Toujou-san!” Kaede encouraged. “He’s crafty, so don’t let it all go to your head like Momota-kun!”

“Hey, I didn’t—!” Kaito was about to argue until he’d gotten looks from the others. “...Oh, let me live it down. It wasn’t a big deal in the first place.”

Kirumi slipped in seven Monocoins, unlocking the MonoMono Slot’s lever and allowing her to pull it down. The bars turned, stopping one at a time and revealing one horizontal row to have gotten three Monotaro’s and two wild icons, earning her 16 more Monocoins. Without breaking face, she put in seven more, yanking the lever and watching the slots spin until they stopped at four wilds going diagonal into one Monodam. She received another 16 coins, sacrificing seven before playing another round.

“Man, Toujou isn’t bad,” Kaito commented, witnessing one result breaking the chain, but revived by the one after earning her 20 Monocoins for getting a row full of only Monokid’s face.

“Can she win it big, though? I’m only seeing some small potatoes!” Monokuma laughed, watching Kirumi get nothing two more rounds in a row.

“You’re breaking my concentration,” Kirumi told him without looking away, slipping in seven coins and spinning. She only got 16 coins from having two wilds and three Monosuke’s, convincing her to keep trying. “This time should be it.”

“She’s doing really well so far,” Tsumugi stated. “Not to be a plain old jinx or anything, but she needs to be hitting the big points.”

“The odds of that occurring are often—” Korekiyo was ready to say until Kirumi won 800 Monocoins by getting a pair of Monokuma icons and three wilds. “...More likely than usual, in this case.”

“That’s not all!” Kaede pointed out, seeing the five bonus games won by the presence of four scatters. “Now she can spin five more times without blowing her coins!”

“Looks like Toujou-chan’s got you beat after all,” Ouma taunted Monokuma, seeing Kirumi win coins a consistent four spins in a row. “She’s on fire! Are you sure you aren’t the Ultimate Gambler in disguise?”

“Nope,” Kirumi stated simply, paying only half attention as she spun again. Everyone watched with laser focus, the first three diagonal icons being matching Monokumas, then four, then…

_JACKPOT!_

“...I don’t believe it,” Monokuma gawked, watching on as slack-jawed as the others as 1000 Monocoins poured out of the machine. “I’ve just been beaten at my own game! Who’d have thunk it?”

“In your face!” Kaito taunted. “Hope you’ve got a clean bib, ‘cause you’re gonna start eating those words of yours for a nice lunch!”

“No thanks, I’m not hungry. I know when to throw the towel in, so I’ll let you off with gloating rights. There’s a whole bunch of other stuff ready to blow right up in your faces, so what’s a puny little casino? Later, all!”

Monokuma sprang out to Kaito’s satisfaction. “Yeah, you’d better run!” He turned again to Kirumi, who was still going and had just won 200 more Monocoins from getting all five Monokubs in a row. “Toujou, you can stop now. You beat him.”

“Mmm,” Kirumi muttered, mindlessly putting in coins and continuing with the slots.

“Didn’t you hear him? We’re good,” Shuichi spoke up.

“Yeah.”

“She’s completely sucked into that slot machine,” Tsumugi giggled, seeing more coins pour out from another win and others go in to play another round.

“Nnn.”

“Toujou-chan, is Iruma-chan an ugly sow that sweats rancid beef sauce?” Ouma asked, taking advantage of it.

“I-I’m a sweaty sow…?” Miu moaned, writhing delightfully at the insult.

“Uh-huh,” Kirumi answered without paying attention.

“Hey, don’t actually say so or not!”

“Yep.”

“She’s bound to tire herself out sooner or later,” Korekiyo said. “Until then, let’s see what other games this casino has for us to use.”

Everyone let Kirumi be, partaking in other activities to kill a bit of time (except for Kaito, who vehemently refused to gamble anymore even if he hadn’t run short on coins). A lot of them were closed outside of more slots and one game called Salmon Fishing, leaving not much to do to the students’ disappointment. It didn’t take much time for everyone to get bored, packing up and heading out save for Korekiyo, who went back to collect Kirumi still sitting at the MonoMono Slot machine.

“You’ve quite a pretty fortune on you, Toujou-san,” he spoke to her.

“Mmm,” Kirumi uttered, still paying no attention to anything that wasn’t the slots and pulling the lever down after giving up seven more coins.

“I understand you’re having fun over here, but we must get going.”

“Yeah.”

“Was that ‘yeah’ as in you heard me, or ‘yeah’ as in you didn’t?”

“Mm-huh.”

“I’ll take that as the second one. Let’s go.”

“Hmm.”

“ _Toujou-san_.”

“Very interesting.”

Sighing, Korekiyo lifted Kirumi up and pulled, the pianist grabbing onto the machine like a cat unwilling to visit the veterinarian. Before she could get anymore Monocoins in, she succumbed and was hauled away, held over a shoulder and carried off in a sprint despite her fighting. It took an extra distance, but Kirumi finally calmed down and regained her sense of reality, set down onto her feet once everyone was near the Nightspot’s gate, then went through it to greet the regular courtyard.

“I have no idea what’d gotten into me,” Kirumi said. “I was doing so well with the slot machine that I got…”

“Addicted?” Miu suggested. “It happens.”

“That must have been it. I’m deeply sorry, everyone.”

“Don’t cry over spilled milk! All those pretty colors and easy wins would draw anyone in,” Ouma reassured her.

“And, you did look like you were having fun,” Kaede said.

“Just be careful with that next time,” Rantaro advised. “Gambling seems like all fun and games, but getting a serious addiction is no joke. It ruins lots of lives and leaves you more broke than when you first went in.”

“Then now is a perfect good time for me to do something far safer,” Kirumi concluded. “I’ll be in my Lab, if anyone needs me.”

“Will you be practicing your music more?” Korekiyo wondered, interested.

“Yes. Alone.” Kirumi’s tone held no ill will, but it was very distant as she walked back inside the Academy.

“Don’t look so blue, Shinguuji-kun,” Rantaro comforted, seeing the guilty look on Kiyo’s face. “There’s still another spot to check out here. It’s actually over there.”

Following Rantaro’s finger, Korekiyo saw the blue dome roof of a new building from the distance he stood at. “Which marks our next destination. Who’s still interested in seeing it?” Only three didn’t raise their hands, those being Rantaro himself, Miu, and Kaito.

“I’ve got some things to clean off my plate, sorry. Tell me how it goes, though.”

“And I’m gonna be busy in my Lab,” Miu excused. “I could really stand paying it a visit or few.”

“Does that mean you’re going to yours, too, Momota-kun?” Shuichi asked.

“Is it open?” Kaito wondered.

“Yeah. We saw it on the third floor with Akamatsu-san’s.”

“Sweet! I’m definitely checking that out in a little bit! But, first…” Kaito already turned towards the school’s entrance. “There’s something else I gotta take care of, too. I’ll never forgive myself if I don’t.”

The three went their own ways, allowing the rest to head to the last new area. A row of dead leaves laid before the building, which had two dolphins breaching from over some small waves next to the word “Pool”. Some stone next to its door had some music notes carved into it, indicated the Ocarina had been responsible for unlocking the place. Going inside, it looked more akin to a tropical resort than a school pool. Reclining on two of the chairs were Tenko and Himiko, neither of which were dressed to swim.

“Oh, there you all are,” Tenko noted. “Isn’t this— GHZSSHZ, FBBZZZFT— pool room beautiful?! I feel like I’m on— KSSHZZZF— vacation just by laying here!”

“Did you guys go in?” Shuichi asked.

“No. I didn’t bring a bathing suit, and Tenko’s too heavy to float,” Himiko said.

“Why is Shinguuji-san standing all the way over there, anyway?” Tenko wondered, spotting Korekiyo still at the doorway. “Come join everybody else!”

“Sorry, but last time I was near water fully-clothed with my notes, I got knocked in and spent too much time drying them after,” Korekiyo said, making it no secret that he was leering at Shuichi. “I’m fine writing where I currently stand.”

“The water doesn’t even look that deep,” Kaede pointed out. “How could anyone swim in that? It’s lower than the shallow end!”

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the Monokubs rang, suddenly reclining on four other chairs.

“It looks that way, but it’s properly filled,” Monophanie corrected. “The pool itself just so happens to be really deep.”

“An odd choice, we know, but we like it, so suck it up!” Monotaro demanded.

“PAY-ATTENTION-TO-THE-POOL-RULES-YOU-SEE-OVER-THERE,” Monodam recommended, pointing to the sign on the wall. “FOLLOW-THEM-ACCORDINGLY.”

“‘Swimming is prohibited at nighttime’?” Tsumugi read. “Why?”

“Because drowning at night where no one could see you is a terribly embarrassing way to go!” Monophanie whimpered. “We’re only looking out for everyone’s safety!”

“Until youse guys die killing each other,” Monosuke clarified. “In fact, you can’t even touch the water after 10 pm. That’s how strict that we’re enforcing is!”

“CONSIDER-IT-ADDED-TO-YOUR-SCHOOL-HANDBOOK,” Monodam said, everyone’s Monopads updating and displaying the new rule. “ONE-TOE-DIP-IN-AND-YOU’LL-BE-PUNISHED.”

“Wow, he’s going above and beyond!” Monophanie praised. “Nice work, Monodam!”

“Shaping up to be our true leader,” Monotaro laughed. “I couldn’t think of anyone else fitter for the job!”

“Except literally anyone of us that ain’t a dirty brother killer,” Monosuke muttered. “Gimme one reason why I shouldn’t overthrow him for what he did to Monokid!”

“Because he’s dead and gone, who cares? He was a loudmouth that did nothing but bully Monodam, act rude, and generously tip his waiters at a restaurant!”

“You say that last part like it’s an insult…”

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs bid goodbye, taking their leave yet again.

“13 feet on each side, 8 feet for the left and right…” Korekiyo murmured, writing it all down. “Alright. Nothing looks too hazardous here.”

“What about this?” Ouma called from a blue metal door. “This looks like it’s worth looking at!”

“That’s just the storage room,” Himiko said. “You won’t find anything in there except for pool supplies. You name it: floating, boogie boards, water wings, barbells and pool noodles. It’s got it all.”

“Perfectly rational to have here,” Korekiyo noted. “However, I must be so bold as to point out the three windows.”

“Windows?” Shuichi asked.

“Yes. One resembling the kind available in the gymnasium where it must lead, and those two.” Kiyo pointed his fountain pen to the upper right, a pair of square windows out in the open just some feet apart from each other. “Where could they lead?”

“Hopefully not to somewhere a male could— PFFZZZTFZ, SHSK-FZSFTP— easily peep on the girls getting into their swimsuits!” Tenko exclaimed. “The littlest thing can awaken lewd thoughts in them. Be it wet T-shirts or— KSSHZZFFZ, FZZZFPTZ— a slender wetsuit that sticks right to the skin! Whatever gets them aroused and thinking distastefully of poor, unsuspecting young ladies!”

“You might be overthinking that,” Himiko stated.

“Don’t let your guard down when it seems safe, Himiko-chan! The cute, little ones such as yourself are always first to fall prey!”

“I’m not a field mouse or something…”

“Well, if that’s all to see around here, am I free to go now, ‘Warden’?” Kaede asked Korekiyo.

“That depends on what you plan to do,” Korekiyo said, raising a distrustful eyebrow.

“Go back to my room. Or is that sketchy to do, too?”

“No, it’s rather rational. Carry on if you’re doing what you say.”

“About time. I’m out of here.”

“Wait, Akamatsu-san—” Shuichi tried to say, ignored again by Kaede as she left without looking at anyone.

“Perhaps you should go check on her to see if she’s telling the truth,” Korekiyo suggested, wary.

“You’re sending Saihara-san to— PHZGGHSKZ— peep after a poor girl you’ve been giving nothing but heartache?!” Tenko barked. “That’s the typical, disgusting, stalkerish attitude only a degenerate male like yourself would even consider!”

“Let her go, anyways,” Himiko dismissed. “The less we’re around her, the less likely we’ll get dragged into any crap. Right, Saihara?” Shuichi glared at her, which made her feel unsettled. “What?”

“...Nothing. Just nothing,” Shuichi sneered, storming out. “If I bothered telling you guys anything, it’d just fall on deaf ears.” He turned to them at the doorway. “By the way, I’m not checking on Akamatsu-san. She wants some time to herself and I’m respecting that.”

Shuichi left, refusing anyone else’s words and going along his own path. He saw Kaede go to the Dormitory and slam the door behind her, his heart aching for what he imagined she must be feeling. He returned to inside the Academy, wanting his own alone time for clearing his head. The new discoveries were enjoyable, but the air of the killing game wasn’t in any way gone. More fear, more distrust, more things going sour for everyone involved…

Only a few steps in and someone had eagerly grabbed him. Shuichi’s instincts kicked in and controlled his body, grabbing the ambusher by their arm and throwing them into their back with a yell following a brief spin. Looking down, he grew sheepish, realizing who’d just fallen victim to an unfortunate combination of his mighty Aikido and unsteady nerves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I skipped showing Kaito's Lab because I wrote more than I was expecting at a whopping 32 pages. There was also supposed to be other, more personal conversations between pairs of characters, but I'll be saving that for next chapter for the same reason. In fact, this chapter was gonna have a LOT more stuff, but page constraints forbade me from doing so. This update was in no way expected to be as long as it wound up being, but the next one should be a little more reasonable on my end (I hope...)
> 
> On another note, Kiibo's Research Lab drew some inspiration from New Horizons' rendition of the museum's bug section (the first part you enter, anyways) and Miu's is more drawn from fancy, modern mansions/manors bc having it styled like the Victorian era didn't fit her character. All Research Labs will be personally designed by me to suit their new owners since they all have different tastes and personalities in spite of their new talents. (IE: Don't expect handcuffs or prison bars in Kaito's Lab when you do see it; he didn't go to jail like Hoshi did in canon and thus wouldn't make a lick of sense to have for him)
> 
> So, that'll do it for now. Things are looking pretty tense in-universe atm, but everything comes to a relatively good end eventually. I can guarantee you all that, at least. Thanks for tuning in, and I'll see you guys in the next update! 'Til then: stay freeeesh! ♥


	13. Episode XII: Daily Life 2.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not plot-wise, but page/word-wise we've got another long and juicy one ahead of you! The first part of it I'd have to be the most proud of, but later in the chapter took some more thinking and threw me a bit for a loop. Still, though, it came out pretty good, impo. It took less time than I was expecting, but it's out now, ain't it? I still had to move some stuff I was gonna write in this chapter to the next one coming, so they've been put off for another bit. You won't miss much though; just some extra interactions, nbd. The one's here are still plentiful, though!
> 
> Enjoy the update, guys! Happy Reading! ♥

“Whoo! That’s an unusual greeting!” Angie yelped, giggly despite being on her back like an immobilized turtle. “Your reflexes are full of vigor, I must say!”

“Ah, sorry, Yonaga-san,” Shuichi apologized, helping her onto her feet. “I don’t react well to being snuck up on. My Aikido goes all auto-pilot when I am.”

“There is no need to be regretful, Shuichi. Your martial arts are a blessing meant to keep you out of harm’s way.”

“Just be a little more careful when approaching me next time. I could have seriously broken something on you.”

“If it helps, I’ve broken far worse in the past. And, I still live on as well as ever, so no harm was done!”

 _‘She’s gotten more serious injuries before?! Dare I ask…?’_ Shuichi flexed his wrist back and forth, pausing when Angie put her hands on him again. “Hello! What are you doing?”

“Hmm, ha… mmm-hmm…?” Angie was prodding at his back, stomach, throat, head and chest thoroughly without going too hard. “Ah-ha! Just as I suspected! Now, what about down here…?”

Shuichi could sense where Angie’s hands were going, quickly smacking her hand away and backing off. “Whoa! Personal space, please! Do you mind telling me what that was all about?”

“Simple. You are not only troubled, but clogged.”

“Clogged? As in, backed up?”

“Not constipated, if that’s what you are referring to. Well, you are, but spiritually, not physically because you have a good fiber intake.”

“I’m spiritually constipated?”

“Yes! I’m sensing a great blockage within you because of all that’s pent up to this point. Follow me, please.”

Angie led Shuichi down the hallway, turning some corners and arriving at the empty gymnasium. She found a soft mat fit for two, rolling it out and sitting down while giving Shuichi permission to do the same. Things were silent for a few moments, Angie already in a meditative state and off in her own world of zen. Even clearing his throat did nothing to break her trance, so Shuichi was at a loss until he personally intervened.

“Yonaga-san!” Shuichi shouted, finally bringing her to reality again. “I don’t mean to interrupt your privacy, but I thought we were here because I’m troubled and spiritually blocked up?”

“Oh, yes, yes! I nearly forgot. Thank you, Shuichi,” Angie said. “Before we begin, would you care to tell me what ails you?”

“Honestly… lots. But, if I had to pick one, it’d have to do with Akamatsu-san. Everyone’s mad at her, and even though they have every right to be a little cautious, I feel like it’s going too far considering she didn’t actually get to do anything. And even though she’s accepting all of it, I can tell it’s starting to take a toll on her, too. I wanna help her out, but she also won’t talk to me anymore, and I really don’t know what else I can do.”

“Ah, yes, a simple concern for someone you hold so dearly. Atua believes Kaede needs to be taught a lesson, and a period of mistrust is the way to do it until she can earn back her former place. For although nothing was done, it doesn’t change how she still tried and could have succeeded had she not have simply been too late.”

“Yeah, I know that, but do the others really need to act like she’s really out for blood? I mean, just days ago, everyone recognized her as a great leader, and now it’s like that never happened! How can she get their trust back if they’re barely giving her a chance?”

“Don’t forget that for all of her mistakes, Kaede is a strong woman. From what you tell me, she’s wasted no time atoning because she has accepted her fate despite how she feels about it, and with the right choices, she will rise yet again. Now, make no mistake on this. Her plan was shameful and worthy of backlash, but by the end of it, Atua does not forget one thing.”

“Being?”

“That Kaede is ultimately a good person by virtue. Her actions were dangerous to try and execute, but her intentions were no less noble since her motive was freeing us all to stop an unspeakable evil. With that said, support her if you must, but give this the time it needs. All will be well for Kaede one way or another.”

“All I want is for her to not have to go through more than she should. I mean, she’s my friend. I can’t help but get worried.”

“Which is perfectly normal, but you mustn’t let it cloud your mind to the point where you are unable to find harmony beyond your woes. And that leads into why I’ve brought you here now that I know what’s going on.”

“Do you want me to meditate? I can do that just fine by myself.”

“Not just any old form of meditation. This is a method that was taught to me during my travels among the Hindus. You’ve heard of the human chakra system, haven’t you?”

“Chakra? Like—”

“—It has nothing to do with ninjas. Don’t make the same mistake as Himiko. No, these are similar only by involving the body’s inner energy, but I’m afraid they don’t give you superpowers or enhanced agility.”

“Oh. Then, what do they do?”

“Nothing much alone, but if you clear the pathways that are blocked, you’ll be able to experience a powerful flow of spiritual, mental, and emotional energy going through you. A nice cleanse can be just what the doctor ordered.”

“That’s nothing at all what Master taught me, but if you say it’ll help me connect better with my life energy and come to a peaceful state of mind, then I’m in. Aikido often requires having little internal stress if any, otherwise… well, you saw what happened.”

Angie nodded. “In total, there are seven chakras that must be opened in a specific order for a proper flow from the bottom going up. Our first one is Muladhara, but you may also refer to it as either the ‘root’ chakra, or the ‘earth’ chakra. It is located at the coccyx, and deals with the need for survival, but is blocked by fear. Tell me, Shuichi. What do you fear most?”

Shuichi concentrated, looking deep into himself and digging up what he finds frightening. First coming to mind was waking up in Classroom 1A without any sort of clue regarding his whereabouts, then being thrust directly into a killing game by Monokuma and his kin. One moment, things are relatively fine, and the next, someone may turn up dead with another following for causing it. Further behind that, images of his previous school life came to mind, the very steps he made into a place meant for education always turning into a nightmare by his peers taunting and grabbing at him before immediately making each day a Hell he'd been living for so long. His heart always pounded under his ribcage just thinking about his alarm clock blaring in the morning, knowing the terror of what was to come.

“Lots,” Shuichi gulped, sweat rolling down the side of his head. “Years ago, it felt like I was gonna live every day wondering if I’d make it to nighttime. And just when I thought I’d finally changed all of that, here I go again, but worse.”

“Yes. But, you no less took measures that helped you live to see the next day, and so forth afterwards,” Angie noted. “When I said your martial arts is a blessing, I meant it. Does it not help keep you safe and alive?”

“It does. It’s actually the reason I got into Aikido to begin with. To keep me safe every day in case I ran into danger.”

“And your primary means of survival is your strongest. Given our present situation, you’re well-trained in self-defense and are capable of tackling whatever might come your way.”

“Which gives me less things to be scared of because I no longer have to put up with scary issues and have no way of securing myself in case something goes wrong.” Shuichi smiled, feeling a tad less knotted realizing it.

“You have officially unblocked your root chakra. Excellent job. Now, the second one is Swadhisthana, the sacral or ‘water’ chakra. As such, it is located in the sacrum, and befittingly deals with pleasure.”

Shuichi flushed. “Ah. Yeah, that definitely makes the most sense all things considered. What blocks it?”

“Guilt. What’s a reason you’ve felt the most guilty?”

Going back inside himself, Shuichi went to a point in his life where he was beginning to learn the ropes of Aikido from his master. In gaining new skills, strengths, and discovering the strike techniques meant primarily as a teaching guide, he’d instead used them for something else far more cathartic at the time. By the end of his rampage, Shuichi recalled, he’d been made to face the dreadful results, bruised faces and missing teeth, and the slew of injuries on other people (some malicious, others turning out not to be) left behind in his wake. His stomach churned after he was done remembering, clenching painfully with remorse.

“I’d misused the gift I was taught for something bad,” Shuichi confessed, voice hollow. “People got hurt, and I got suspended. That’s all there is to say on it, and to this day, it’s awful to think about.”

“Which is given, but don’t forget to think about then versus now. You haven’t done any of those horrible things since, have you?”

“Never! Aikido is only meant for self-defense, and I’m never gonna make myself forget that for the rest of my life.”

“See? You have learned, and must come to a compromise. There is no undoing the past, but what you make of that is the game-changer. Consider forgiving yourself, and the war inside of you shall quel.”

“Learn from my mistakes, and do better from that point on. Look back, but don’t turn that way…” Shuichi inhaled quietly through his nose, exhaling the same way using his parted lips before looking up at Angie. “I think I’m ready to keep going.”

“You look so. Now, with your sacral chakra opened, we move onto one that’s similar, yet different, and that’s Manipura. Known also as the solar plexus— that’s your stomach— or ‘fire’ chakra, it deals with willpower, but is blocked by shame.”

“Doesn’t shame go hand-in-hand with guilt?”

“It can, but there is a difference between the two. Guilt says ‘I regret what I’ve done’, whilst shame says ‘I regret what I’ve become or who I am’. Are you able to differentiate them based on your experiences, Shuichi?”

He thought carefully again, only able to go back to his period of suspension after it’d come to light of what he’d done to his peers both deserving and not. For that long, he couldn’t bring himself to face anyone, especially not his master or family. And when he had to speak with the former, all he’d gotten was the expected displeasure and a light scolding, which still hit him harder than any martial artist could an opponent. Tears burned his closed eyelids the same way it had after looking at himself in the mirror when he’d done wrong, dripping out after opening.

“I was an animal,” Shuichi choked, using the side of his hand to clean his tears. “Master was so disappointed in me abusing his teachings, and my uncle was the same. They’re both the reason I’m still alive, and I failed them…!”

“Shhhh…” Angie shushed, carefully stroking Shuichi’s head to calm him. “That’s your shame talking. What you’d done was bad, and you acknowledge it. But, in doing so, you’d taken the path of redemption and improved from then on. How did your Master and uncle feel after?”

“They weren’t mad, but I kinda wish they were because that would have been less painful. Eventually, though, I got better and they noticed, so as long as I didn’t do it a second time, things worked out.”

“And you didn’t?”

“No. My suspension got lifted, and I started using my Aikido strictly for what it was meant for, and nothing else. No scaring people, no beating up those who just looked at me funny, none of that.”

“Which means after a time where you’d been a fallen angel, you quickly regained your wings and truly earned the right to be called the Ultimate Aikido Master. Because you went through the experience that wound up serving as a lesson, and you took it to heart to do better.”

“I… guess I did. Didn’t I?” Shuichi chuckled, his tears now gone. “I’m still a worthy martial artist, and I’m not losing that title anytime soon.”

“No, no you are not. Especially now that you’ve just opened your solar plexus chakra and are ready to take on the next.”

“Bring it! What’s number four?”

“Anahata, the heart or ‘air’ chakra. It is blocked by grief, but opens with love. Have you lost someone close to you?”

“Well, not _close_ to me, but…”

Shuichi thought of Gonta and Hoshi, one dead of poisonous fumes, and the other who’d perished of poisonous snakes as punishment for doing it. Both, gone far too soon because of Monokuma’s demented killing game, and there was no way of undoing either. His heart ached for the lives lost, wondering if there was something he could have done to prevent it, or a way to have saved them before it wound up being too late.

“...How many more are we gonna lose before this is all over?” Shuichi asked, glum. “There shouldn’t be any that have to die just to get us a happy ending. And yet, here we are. Pushed around by some evil teddy bear and forced to kill just to get out of here! I couldn’t stand the thought of losing anyone else…”

“This game is taking a toll on everybody and being coped with in different ways,” Angie stated. “For the two we’ve lost already, we can no longer do anything except mourn and remember. As long as we do that, and not forget those we wish to see on the other side, it should be motivation to find our escape route someday.”

“So, using our loved ones as encouragement?”

Angie folded her hands, bowing her head with her eyes shut. “Whoever lights your way in the dark brightest, they shall be the one keeping you going through even the toughest of trials. You may want to see them again, or already do. But, either way, you wish to keep them with you for all time.”

Shuichi felt warmed at the heart, thinking first of his master and his uncle being the ones to support him best through his struggles and make him the person he grew to be. In the middle of it, another came to mind, only visible by a flash of bright blonde hair and eyes like that of a freshly bloomed lilac with a smile just as beautiful. He snapped out of it, blinking confused while his cheeks pinkened unconsciously and his heart fluttered much quicker than he remembered.

“Are you okay?” Angie asked.

“Yeah, I dunno what happened,” Shuichi exhaled. “I thought I saw something, but I couldn’t piece it together completely.”

“The unknown visions usually make themselves clearer later when they make the most sense. For now, you’ve officially opened your heart chakra! Hooray!”

“Are the next ones any tougher?”

“Chakra five is a little more simple. Vishuddha is the throat or ‘sound’ chakra, dealing with truth, but is blocked by the lies we tell.”

Shuichi snorted. “I’m sure Ouma-kun would never get this one open, then.”

“Never say ‘never’, Shuichi. Now, think. What have you lied about before or continue to today?”

Pondering long and hard, the Aikido master came to the topic of his parents and whenever someone had come to him curious with questions about such a famous couple. Each time, he could only muster a false tale on how great they were to be around, how much they cared for him and were happy to have a son like him. In reality, he knew it to be the opposite, barely remembering either of their names let alone their faces. He did so even less when he moved to permanently live with his more present uncle and aunt, only being able to recall how little they’d been concerned and probably still weren’t to that very day.

“I don’t have some sob story to tell you on that one,” Shuichi insisted, smiling bitterly. “Just that the people I pretended were in my life really weren’t. Whether I said so to get everyone else off my back or act like it was true just to avoid feeling hurt, it probably doesn’t matter anymore.”

“And you eventually realized you could no longer keep up a story that was never honest,” Angie guessed. “Did it work out?”

“I think so. Because I went to live with people who actually had an impact in my life. I didn’t have to pretend anymore since I no longer needed to to feel better about myself.”

“Wonderful. Your throat chakra has now opened. Onto the next one! We will now be working with Ajna, the third-eye or ‘light’ chakra located in the forehead. This chakra deals with insight, and is blocked by illusion.”

“Uhh, I don’t think I’ve got any particular past experiences with either of those.”

“Nyahaha! No need. We’ll be focusing more on the general present this time. As a species, we as people tend to see ourselves as different as day and night for many reasons. Our homes, our lifestyles, the clothes on our backs, and even our overall appearances! But, from what I’ve come to learn as an anthropologist, those make us diverse, but not totally different.”

“Because even though no one looks or acts the same, we’re all still human?”

“Precisely! We are kept apart by such a grand illusion, that we fail to realize we are still one in the same as a whole. It may not seem that way so easily, but relatively, it is.”

“And that applies to here, too. Monokuma goes out of his way to make it seem like all of us are our own enemy, but that’s not it. Save for the Mastermind, we’re all on the same side and definitely capable of getting along and fighting against whatever he wants to throw our way, but we’re just being manipulated into believing the opposite and getting pushed to do something bad.”

“Now you’re understanding! And that, my friend, has just opened your third-eye chakra.”

“Can’t we just call it the forehead chakra?”

“Why? Where’s the fun in that?”

“Nevermind. Are we on the last one now?”

“Yes, but… if you struggle with fully opening this one, I won’t blame you. It’s a feat very few are capable of.”

“What is it?”

“Sahasrara, the crown chakra. It deals with pure cosmic energy, and is blocked by earthly attachments. To open this one, you must think of everything that has kept you chained to the comforts of your life, and release it to the wind. No matter what it might be.”

“Just— get rid of it? Forever?”

“Sort of. Basically, this chakra requires a very strong spiritual connection with the universe without anything else to cloud it too much. For instance, I am a child and the oracle of Atua. The things I am bade to do by His say, I do it without second thought. Our bond alone has bestowed me with spirituality to burn!”

“What about anthropology? And studying people? Doesn’t any of that matter to you?”

“Of course it does! It’s still very much a part of me, but getting too carried away with it would be detrimental. The chakra allows you to keep what you love, but don’t let it run your life and hinder your inner connection is what it asks if you.”

“I… don’t know if I’m following.”

“You must look beyond what you’re familiar with and have an open mind to many possibilities you think absurd. If you do not and choose to encase yourself within your comfort zone, your crown chakra shall never bloom.”

“Oh. So, I just need to open my mind to anything?”

“More or less. How are you feeling now?”

Shuichi contemplated, then smiled kindly. “Pretty good, actually. I got a good look inside myself and faced my inner demons a little. Thanks for taking the time to do this with me, Yonaga-san.”

“Anytime! And, if you’d like, feel free to share my wisdom with anyone else you think would need it most. Chakra paths are for all to open if they must. Bye-onara!”

While Angie rolled up the mat after it’d been cleared for being put away, Shuichi waved bye to her and left the gymnasium feeling more at peace with himself. Although he highly considered something whilst looking towards the school’s main entrance, it didn’t feel like a good idea yet and let it be until it felt right pulling it off. Crossing the corridors, he spotted Kaito heading outside, remembering he said earlier he needed to do something important. Letting his curiosity take him, Shuichi quietly followed and wound up being led to the Dormitory. He waited until the athlete went inside first, watching him go upstairs and left to Kiibo’s room while taking refuge near his own door to avoid being caught eavesdropping.

“Yes?” Kiibo asked from inside when he heard the knocks.

“It’s me,” Kaito said. “You know, Kaito.”

“Oh. Momota-kun, I wasn’t expecting you. What’s the problem?”

“We still need to talk, and you know it. Come on, I promise I won’t bite your head off this time. I’m here for the opposite.”

A visible hesitation created a pause between that and Kiibo opening the door partially, looking out at Kaito. “You really just want to talk? Why?”

“Because I need to get this off my chest for good. Can I come in?”

“...Sure.” Kiibo widened the gap between his door and the rectangular arch, gesturing inside for his guest to follow. “Right this way. Have a seat.”

Kaito obeyed without question, politely entering, then sitting at Kiibo’s desk chair before the door shut. “Just to be clear, you’ve got a clue on what I wanna talk to you about, don’t ya?”

“Let me guess. The trial and how I shouldn’t have been crying over someone I couldn’t protect. I know, I heard you before and I never forgot.”

“Pretty much. But, actually, it didn’t take me too much time after I said that to realize I’d stepped out of line doing that to you. I let myself get overly heated and acted without thinking to the point where Saihara felt he needed to step in. So… here it is.”

“Momota-kun, it’s okay. I know now that I could have done more, but didn’t. I’m fully willing to come to terms with—”

“—I’m sorry.”

“...What?”

“I said! I’m sorry. For yelling at you despite your wounds being fresh, and for pretty much blaming you for something that wasn’t even close to being your fault. You’re not the reason Gokuhara or Hoshi died, and it’s on me for making you think that way. There’s no justifying what I did, but I do wanna let you know how shitty I feel for acting… well, just like that.”

“You’re apologizing? I thought you said true men didn’t do that.”

“It’s only not manly to do it when it ain’t necessary, but it’s even less manly to pretend you didn’t do anything wrong when you did. Okay, I don’t mean _you_ -you, but— yeah. In general. Real men own up to their mistakes and do the right thing.”

“Wow. I’m… surprised. Really, I am. Of all the things to expect from you, this wasn’t one of them. But, you do realize how badly you really hurt me, don’t you? And how it didn’t do any good for either of us?”

“I do. That’s never gonna happen again, and I’m gonna make damn sure of it, too! Heroes learn and keep doing good for the people they protect from bad guys!”

“This is very forthright of you to do, Momota-kun. And for that, as long as you try not to do this again in the future like you say, I forgive you and accept your apology.”

“So, we’re cool? For real?”

“For real.” To show such, Kiibo extended his hand, which Kaito took and shook with him. “Thank you for taking the time to make things right. Sorry about breakfast, though.”

“Don’t be. You didn’t dump orange juice on me, Ouma did. Speaking of which, what the Hell was his problem? Was it because I nearly punched him at the trial?”

“I don’t think so. If what he said to me after is anything to believe, he… oh, I don’t wanna say it. You’ll find it silly.”

“No, tell me. It can’t be that bad. What’s on your mind?”

“Well, I think in his own way… Ouma-kun was standing up for me.” Kiibo held his palm up, stopping Kaito from cutting in as expected. “Hear me out! After you left, he said he did it because at the time, you and I had just come from a disagreement. He didn’t mention anything between you and him at all.”

“Then he’s probably just making up some excuse to give me shit! It’s all he does!”

“I’m not so sure. You weren’t at the memorial service this morning, but before I went in, he gave me some tissues and told me it was ‘okay to cry’ without you around. No offense!”

“No offense taken. I messed up and earned that.”

“Anyways. Why would he give me tissues and encourage me to cry at Gonta and Hoshi-kun’s memorial service before leaving, knowing fully well you weren’t there, just to cause you or anybody trouble?”

“I don’t know. Nobody knows what that kid’s thinking.”

“Very true, but Momota-kun, you believe there can be good in just about anyone, don’t you?”

“There sure can be! When you put enough of your mind to something, nothing’s impossible! That includes doing or being good, too.”

“Ouma-kun, too?”

“Huh? Uhh… maybe? I personally think he’s a chatty little nuisance and an outright punk, but if he were to somehow surprise me otherwise, then there you go. Why do you ask all this?”

“Because he might be hiding something underneath his… antics. Something I believe he doesn’t want anyone else here to know about because he’s afraid of getting hurt, one way or another. And if I’m right, I wanna help him get comfortable with showing it more so he can see there’s nothing wrong with it.”

“You really think you can fish some good out of that guy? Then you’ll have your work cut out for you, Iidabashi.”

“It wouldn’t be easy, but it could be possible. Nothing’s impossible, remember?”

“Damn right, it ain’t!” Kaito swallowed an oncoming cough, quickly popping the vial Maki gave him and drinking a bit of the potion. “Ah… hits the spot. I should be good for a while.”

“What’s that? Medicine?”

“Nope. This is actually possible to drink without my tastebuds wanting to vomit. A little tangy, but Harukawa made this for me in her Lab.”

“For what?”

“Something important! End of story.” Turning to Kiibo’s bag on his bed, he noticed an item was peering out. “Oh, your bag’s open. Lemme fix that.”

“Wait!” Kiibo watched nervously as Kaito pulled out the treasure chest flashlight, eyeing it cautiously.

“This just looks like a flashlight, what’s so bad about it? Did you get this from Amami?”

“No. It was in this chest near my Lab, and Saihara-kun wanted me to keep an eye on it until we showed everyone later.”

“Later’s too late! We gotta get this out now before Monokuma sees this first!” Kaito dragged Kiibo out messenger bag and all, spotting Shuichi trying to get away and stopping him. “Not so fast, Saihara! The jig’s up!”

“Jig?” Shuichi asked, playing coy until he saw the flashlight Kaito waved in front of him.

“On this thing! Iidabashi said you guys found it and were waiting to tell someone! Well, we’re gonna deal with that right here, right now!”

“But, not everybody’s in the Dormitory.”

“You know what I mean! We’ll gather everyone in the gym and spill the beans!”

“Starting here.” Shuichi strode across to the girls’ side of the rooms, knocking on one door and waiting for a response.

“Who is it?” Kaede’s weary voice from inside asked.

“It’s me. Saihara-kun.”

“Why are you here, then? If it’s to try and cheer me up, don’t bother. I’m fine.”

She definitely didn’t sound so, but Shuichi didn’t pry. “There’s something Iidabashi-kun and I found on the second floor, and we want everyone to see it. Including you.”

Kaede only opened the door enough to poke her head out of it. “What’d you find? Is it an escape tool?”

“We don’t know, but it really doesn’t look like it. Still, we know it’s important enough to look at.”

“It must be big.” She finally came out, unable to fully make eye contact with Shuichi. “Let’s get the others and tell them.”

“We’re all going together.” Shuichi pointed to Kiibo and Kaito behind him. “Everyone should be inside already.”

“Then, we don’t have time to waste! Lead the way, Saihara-kun.”

Again he was the leader? It was one thing for Korekiyo to do it, but now Kaede of all people? Shuichi didn’t know whether to feel flattered or concerned from that decision. He was never the leading type, so why put it on him today? Maybe it was due to half of the class being too wary of Kaede to consider her for the job still, but he’d really been the next best bet? Would he do half as good of a job? Aside from hanging around her often, it was an odd choice picking somebody like him…

Well, if that was how it’d have to be until further notice, so be it. Shuichi guided the other three to the main building of the Academy, starting small in hunting down the others for viewing what was found.

* * *

In her Research Lab, Kirumi had just finished her private session of piano practice with a simple rendition of Beethoven’s Für Elise. Her head never felt clearer after so much time spent dedicated to playing soothing melodies, though she frowned at the number of tally marks written on the sheet of paper she’d made from incorrect notes played, a row dedicated to each song she went through. Putting it on her piano’s stand, Kirumi left it for next time and exited the Lab, hearing a distinct commotion coming from further down the second floor.

“These ears of mine are bound to get me into trouble someday,” Kirumi lamented, “but curiosity kills none but cats. I’ll keep my guard up in case what I find is dangerous.”

Following her sensitive hearing, Kirumi wound up going through the new corridor, the noise at its loudest from behind the Ultimate Maid Lab. Only opening enough to peek, she saw from one eye Miu, frantically running around the place holding three silver cloches (two in her hands, the last on her head). Her already wild hair was noticeably in more disarray than usual, strands sticking out from her lacy headband. Placing the bell platters down before a few empty seats, she opened one at a time and spoke frantically to invisible clients.

“Today’s soup du jour— shit, that’s redundant, ignore that!” Miu pleaded. “The soup du jour is lobster bisque, served with a side of oyster crackers.” Off came the other cloche. “And for the main course, grilled tilapia glazed with pineapple and a sprig of thyme for garnish.” The last was pulled while Miu caught her breath. “And the final order, a nice tasty ribeye grilled medium rare in my second-finest sauce, with a helping of jasmine rice! ...Huh? What do you mean ‘well-done’?! That’s basically burnt— n-no, I’m sorry, ma’am. I’ll n-never talk back, I’ll take care of it right away! Forgive me…!”

 _‘There’s no food or people, and yet the poor girl’s running herself rampant,’_ Kirumi thought, feeling bad as Miu pressed the button on the stopwatch.

“Gah! That’s 80 seconds over the last time! I’d be behind in mopping if this were the real deal! Great…” Bucking up, Miu picked up the cloche platters. “One more time! I’ll get it as perfect as my jugs for sure!”

“Excuse me. Iruma-san?”

“Toujou, just in time! Now I finally got someone to practice on. Sit your ass down and watch me!”

“Oh, I’m not here for—” Too late. Kirumi was stolen and seated by Miu, who pushed in her chair, then tied a napkin around the musician’s neck. “Oh my. Thank you?”

“Don’t thank me yet, I haven’t done a thing worthwhile. Now, what can I get you to eat? Any dish you have in mind, and I’ll get it ready, then get started on mopping and laundry.”

“I’m not very hungry right now. I actually came to see what was going on in here.”

“Ain’t it obvious? I’m buffing out the scratches in my talent! I can’t be the _Ultimate_ Maid if I’m not my usual golden self! Now, tell me what you want. Whatcha really, really want!”

“...I want for you to not blow a gasket. Does that count? Why don’t you come to my Lab and I’ll play you some soothing music?”

“I don’t want your off-key keyboard fingering! Hurry up and tell me what to cook so I don’t fall behind on my work! I actually depend on you bossing me around!”

“Iruma-san, really. I don’t need—”

“—What? Me?! That’s what you were gonna say, ain’t it?! You don’t need some useless so-called ‘bimbo’ like me screwing things up for you, and you wanna tell me to hit the road because I’m that worthless to you? Then you’ll hire a better, less hot maid to do everything I tried just to make sure I don’t come back and bug you?! That’s gotta be it!”

Kirumi was stunned, barely finding her words. “Good Lord, where is all of this coming from?”

“The fact that I need to do my job to be a functioning human being? Like anyone else on the planet? And that if I don’t have at least one client to wait hand and foot on, I’m virtually non-existent? Just a suggestion!”

“But, I’m really okay. It isn’t as though you aren’t needed overall, you simply asked someone who is already satisfied.”

Miu’s shoulders sunk, putting the cloche down. “Nah. It’s fine, Hoejou. You don’t have to spare me the truth. I get it.”

“Get what?”

“You know what! How… how I’m pretty much useless here with no one depending on me. Harucaca said so at the trial and this morning. The suckiest part is, she’s right. Ever since I got here, I’ve had to make the first move in serving this lot. Not a single request except to fuck off and shut my trap.” Miu stared depressed at her heeled ankle boots, a listless laugh escaping her. “What a fuckin’ joke. The Ultimate Maid can’t even be depended on to the point where she’s… nothing. Good for absolutely nothing.”

Kirumi stayed silent for a good while, truly surprised to see this side of Miu outside of her normal sensitivity. Getting up, she pulled out a chair from next to hers and offered it to Miu. “Could I trouble you for a short sit?”

“Wh-Why? What are you planning on doing to me, eh? Gonna tie me to it and teach me a hard lesson about being shit at my job and whining instead of doing better? Go ahead! I’ve taken lots and lived to tell the tale!”

“Please. Sit down. I want to talk.”

“...That’s it? Just talk?” Kirumi nodded, so Miu meekly sat with unusually good posture. “O-Okay. Shoot. I won’t cut you off.”

“Thank you. Now, it’s easy to see you’ve been through a lot, and none of it’s been very kind to you. Made worse by feeling like you have no one to make happy here since… well, it makes you feel like a failure. Doesn’t it?”

“Mmm.” Miu nodded, Kirumi having the same somber air to her, but persevering.

“Exactly. I do want you to know that your happiness or self-worth shouldn’t be based on another person’s. It needs to come from yourself.”

“You’re one to talk! You get all bummed out if nobody likes your music!”

“This isn’t about me, and if it somehow were, that’s different. My piano playing caters to only mood and audience reception, not somebody’s basic daily needs. That to me sounds far more strenuous and stressful to keep up with, even more so when it comes up dry and you have nothing to work with.”

“Better than goin’ in dry, if you ask me, am I right?”

“And that leads me to your other problem. While I won’t try and change who you are as a person, I do strongly advise you tone it down with the inappropriate comments. That and your frequent insults are the biggest culprits to everyone avoiding asking you for favors.”

“Fuck that! If they can’t take me whole, then they don’t take me at all!”

“It’s either you consider it, or you’re put out of a job. Even without that, few will want anything to do with you as a person, and you’ll have next to no one to cherish you.”

“People already do! I’m the golden girl maid herself! Who doesn’t love me?”

“Those that only ask you to stop talking or go away, perhaps? None of that feels like adoration to me.”

Miu prepared to argue, failing to do so after realizing Kirumi had a point. “...Shit. Well, what do you want from me? I can’t just suddenly turn into a nun and go curse or sex joke free! That’d be even weirder for everyone!”

“I’m not saying go cold turkey or flip yourself into an unrecognizable person, only that you use vulgarity sparingly and not every last second of the day. That’d be bound to get people less hesitant to request your servitude.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“Don’t take it too personally. Not everyone is entirely helpless without another beside them. Self-sufficiency is a sign we’re not going under as a species, not a deliberate dig at your job. Everybody needs help on occasion, but not 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Okay?”

“Yeah… I guess. If I’m hearing you right, I don’t gotta get on my knees and beg doggy style for people to boss me around?”

“That, and limit the uncouth humor whenever possible.”

“If you’re this up my a— I mean, on my hide about it, I guess I could give it a shot.” Miu appeared considerably happier than she had been prior to Kirumi visiting. “Just don’t wuss out of asking me for favors, ‘k? Even if I can’t always cater to you people, I’m still a damn good maid through and through. It’d be my treat.”

Kirumi smiled back, happy she’d lifted Miu’s spirits. “You have my word.”

“Gotta say, you really do have this soothing aura hovering over ya. What’s your secret?”

“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret anymore. Although, I’m not quite sure there is one in the first place.”

“Well, whatever it is, it’s working. Just don’t burn out trying to do it to everyone. If I can’t drain myself, then you can’t either!”

Kirumi paused, blinking at Miu and secretly dismissing what she said behind a vague response. “You could use a nice break. Why don’t we go out and see something other than the second floor?”

“I’m game.” Right when Kirumi and Miu got up, Shuichi came through the door with his small group. “Gah! Knock much?!”

“Come to the gym pronto. It’s important,” Shuichi said. “We have something everyone will wanna see.”

“Is it bad?” Kirumi asked.

“None of us know yet, but we’ll find out. See you in a few minutes.”

Shuichi left, Miu and Kirumi now exchanging looks before agreeing to go ahead and follow. Across the school, word got around of the new item and sent students headed for the gymnasium to see what it was in private. It’d taken a bit since not everybody was inside the main Academy (or wanted to come out of their Lab, if your name was Maki or Rantaro, but at least one was easier reasoning with), but everyone was gathered all in one spot. Kiibo felt nervous, but Shuichi’s presence beside him at least let him know he had sufficient backup in case fingers started getting pointed.

“Could I have everybody’s attention?” Shuichi asked, eyes on him and Kiibo. “Thank you. Now, you’re all probably wondering what it is Iidabashi-kun and I found.”

“And to answer your question, it’s this,” Kiibo said, holding up the flashlight from his messenger bag. “It was in this treasure chest outside of my Research Lab, and we thought it’d be appropriate for all to see.”

“You dragged us all the way out here for a flashlight?” Maki questioned. “You could have just told us this first instead of building up unneeded suspense.”

“That’s just it, Harukawa-san. It doesn’t look to be any ordinary flashlight.”

“It’s definitely not,” Rantaro spoke up, examining the device. “This thing is clearly wired to project more than just a simple old light, as you can see on its handle.”

“What’s it do, then?” Ouma wondered. “Are you gonna take it apart and tinker with it to see what makes it tick?”

“Normally, I would, but my tools are back at my Lab. I won’t be carrying them on me anymore due to… recent events, so it’s better safe than sorry.”

“Then just take this bad boy to your Lab and see what all those wires are connected to! If your tools can’t come to you, then come to your tools!”

“Would taking it apart be such a good idea? I could set off a surprise reaction with one wrong twist…”

“Hold it! Stop, stop, stop!” Monokuma intervened, jumping into the scene alarmed. “Don’t take that apart! That’s a few-of-a-kind Flashback Light you’ve got there!”

“Flashback Light?” Kaede inquired, fists on her hips skeptically. “Is that some kind of code for something meant to put us further in the rut?”

“Not anymore than you have, no. But, since you’re all so curious, this bad boy is meant to restore s’more of your lost memories! It may not shed any light on a dark, scary room, but it will shed light on some dark, scary minds!”

“An instantaneous flash of regaining memories?” Korekiyo quizzed, raising an eyebrow. “Is this true?”

“Of course it ain’t!” Miu snapped. “There’s no such thing as flashlights that can cure amnesia! If there were, Ho-shit would’ve remembered he was a crook sooner!”

“This isn’t exactly a normal school, though,” Tsumugi stated. “As we’ve learned so far, anything and everything that couldn’t happen can and will.”

“I figured you were all concerned with how you got into this school, so I wanted to leave something to answer that question,” Monokuma said. “Are you just not curious anymore? Because you’re _scared_?”

“We’re not scared of you!” Kaito barked. “But, how do we know this isn’t some kind of trick?”

“Yeah, for all we know, the light could make us sterile or something,” Ouma quipped, then pretending to be scared. “Or worse! Cause serious blindness from how bright the flash is! I can’t see outer space without working eyes!”

“Cool your jets! I can guarantee this is harmless!” Monokuma silenced. “The worst it’ll do is cause you guys shock from the sudden recollection, but it won’t have any aftereffects outside your little pea-minds!”

“If you say that it will offer us more insight… perhaps it might be wise to take the risk,” Korekiyo considered.

“You’re going for it?” Himiko wondered.

“This might be our only chance to find out what we’re all missing. I’m not saying it’s a guarantee to be safe, but deciding against regaining lost knowledge would be detrimental.”

“Always gotta sniff the truth out like a basset hound, I see. In that case, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to try it.”

“If the choice is backing down or doing it, then I’m doing it!” Kaito agreed. “Shinguuji’s right. We shouldn’t be hesitant if it’ll wind up helping us! Sometimes in life, you gotta take a leap and break your fall towards the bottom! If you just don’t go, then you’ll never know what’ll really happen.”

“And as easy as it might sound to run and hide, that doesn’t make the issue go away,” Korekiyo included. “Use discretion without putting yourself in unnecessary peril, but the only solution is facing it.”

“Yeah! Now you’re finally speaking my language! Good job.”

“Regaining our lost memories…” Tenko pondered, spasming for a full five seconds. “I’d hate to agree with Momota-san or Shinguuji-san, but they do make a convincing argument, I’ll— FSZZZHTSH— admit.”

“I guess we’re doing it, then,” Himiko decided.

“What do you think, Saihara-kun?” Kiibo asked.

“Me? Well, I just figured we already came to a majority vote,” Shuichi guessed. “But, if it’s alright with everyone, then why not? Akamatsu-san?”

“Don’t ask me on what to do. I don’t have a say in this,” Kaede said, chilled.

“Your voice is just as important as the rest of us. Normally, you’d be the one encouraging us with Momota-kun.”

“Well, those days are over until I can get that right back. For now, it’s up to you.”

“So? Have we all reached a decision?” Monokuma asked.

“Yes,” Shuichi spoke up. “We’re using the Flashback Light to get our answers. It’s bound to be risky coming from you, but not every risk isn’t worth taking if it helps us later.”

“I guess that’s my cue to turn it on,” Kiibo said. “Ready, everyone?”

“Oooh, I’ll be outside!” Monokuma shrieked, bolting out of there quickly.

Kiibo flicked the switch before everybody’s eyes, unleashing a flash, but one that sunk into their collective minds rather than fill the room with a shine. The world shook, images and words overcoming their beings and wriggling upwards. Within moments, the realization struck them all, feeling as though something had been pulled out and opened like a cap off a freshly irritated drink bottle now bursting and fizzing uncontrollably. The images cleared, now depicting the respective person fleeing from the angry mob after them, any steps slower sure to lead to their doom once caught and captured.

“It’s… it’s all coming back to me,” Shuichi breathed. “The Ultimate Hunt. How could I have forgotten that?! I threw everything away just to be normal and safe from everything else…”

“You too?” Kaede asked, recalling her mind hooked up to a helmeted device stripping her subconscious of everything related to who she was as an Ultimate. “Hunted like fresh meat with no way out except forgetting my talent. If I didn’t remember I was what they were looking for, then there’d be no reason to search.”

“Well, maybe it wasn’t so much throwing everything away, but more like…”

“Putting it to sleep?”

“Yeah! Until things felt safer.”

“So, you guys remember what you should now, do ya?” Rantaro asked everyone. “The Ultimate Hunt’s finally all inside your heads?”

“Of course it is! I was running for my life for what had to have been ages!” Miu cried, everyone nodding to agree. “How could I have forgotten all that bullshit?!”

“Wait, how do you know about it?” Maki asked Rantaro. “You sound like you never forgot.”

“Dunno,” Rantaro shrugged. “Until now, I was under the assumption everyone knew about it still. Guess not.”

“Why did you only get some of your memories wiped, but we missed all of it?!” Kaito complained. “Anything else you wanna go and rub in our faces, pretty boy?!”

“Hmm… no, I don’t think so. That’s it. Unless you guys know the rest?”

“No, actually,” Kiibo said. “I didn’t see anything else past the Ultimate Hunt.”

 _I want to die with everyone else…_ “Huh?” Shuichi wondered. _‘Did I really just think that? It sounds so familiar, but if I said it… why?’_

“What a rip off!” Miu griped. “A Flashback Light that doesn’t even tell us the whole tale?!”

“Don’t think that’s the end of it, now!” Monokuma warned, popping back into the gymnasium. “You all just used _one_ Flashback Light. There’s plenty more to come, and over time, you’ll find everything you’ve lost. Well, some of you, at least. The rest simply won’t live to!”

“You know something,” Maki realized. “What do you know about the Ultimate Hunt that we don’t?”

“Can’t say. That’d ruin the surprise before you all see for yourselves! Besides, what’s it matter? I only care about you all participating in my favorite game in the world! Not some stupid scavenger Ultimate Hunt! Who cares?!”

“We do, and you’re involved in some way,” Korekiyo accused. “Think about it. We were all running for our lives, but at some point, we ended up here instead, now fully remembering our talents despite having gotten rid of them. Doesn’t anyone think that’s a tad strange?”

“That means we couldn’t get away and got captured,” Rantaro stated, leering to the side inquisitively. “As part of the Ultimate Hunt…”

“Is that an educated guess? Or does someone know more than they let on?” Ouma teased, onto him.

“Blah, blah, blah, who! Cares?!” Monokuma interrupted. “Hey, remember that killing game I want you all to participate in? Yeah, still on! Get on with it, you chatter-bastards! Geez!” Fed up, he left the gymnasium and let everyone else be.

“Just when things couldn’t get any worse, it always leads right back to that,” Shuichi sighed. “But, we all need to remember one thing if we wanna beat that, which is working together to accomplish our biggest mission!”

“Words of wisdom from the first now carried onto another,” Kaito said to also praise Kaede, who only looked away guilty.

“I know what I said,” Kaede sighed. “It’s still as true as can be, but don’t point the spotlight over here right now.”

“It’s still worth giving you credit,” Shuichi replied. “If it weren’t for you, we’d have never gotten the idea to keep our heads steady.”

“Or know who’s the biggest hypocrite in this place,” Ouma cut in, again earning the rest’s ire. “You’re really gonna reiterate the advice of someone who can’t even take their own? She went behind our backs plotting to commit murder!”

“Which is why Saihara’s gonna do it better,” Himiko argued, Kaede flashing hurt. “He’s not too much like Akamatsu.”

“There shan’t be anyone handling more than they can, but simple cooperation should be easy for anyone,” Korekiyo said.

“Man, you guys just don’t get it, do you?” Ouma scoffed. “Your microscopic Earthling brains are getting eaten up like candy by Monokuma, and none of you seem to care or realize that. If cooperating didn’t work the first time, what makes you all think it’s going to work now?”

“Because we’re not gonna let scumbags named Kokichi Ouma getting in the way of us surviving!” Kaito declared. “No one cares about a damn thing you think, so don’t bother trying to turn our heads upside down!”

Ouma shook his head. “The one time I try to help, and this is the thanks I get… do you just choose to ignore the fact that more cooperation means more schtick Monokuma’s gonna pull to pit that against us? He _knows_ all of you are gonna team up to beat him, so he’s turning the tables and making that harder.”

“Which is why we aren’t falling for it this time,” Shuichi clarified. “Our insight may not have been good before, but it’ll get better. We just need to see past Monokuma’s illusion.”

“Yeah, totally! Because people actually learn and live better, don’t they?” Ouma’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “I guess nothing I say matters in the end since you’ll all get yourselves killed anyway, but I’d at least appreciate it if you didn’t make it too easy to die, so I’ll say it again: the more you cooperate and trust each other like the idiot humans you are, the harder Monokuma’s gonna hit. And really, what makes you think no one’s gonna skew off and do their own thing to make it out even if he doesn’t? Hoshi-chan and Akamatsu-chan already got a head start, but one of them actually did it. And failed. The other? Well, she’s just standing there like a typical half-wit from this planet and can’t get it into her thick head that nothing she’s tried would ever work.”

“Little shit! How about I knock out those teeth of yours so you can’t keep talking big?!” Kaito roared, holding up his fist and charging at Ouma until Kiibo jumped in front of him.

“No! Don’t fight him,” Kiibo pleaded, Kaito instantly lowering his fist. “That won’t help, remember?”

“Why are you always defending him? He’s the main reason we’ve got trouble around this place! All he deserves is a mouthful of fist to the face, if that’s what it’ll take to shut him up!”

“He said cut it out,” Shuichi enforced, holding up his fingers close together and reminding Kaito of what he did last time he tried starting a fight, which quickly got him to give up on punching Ouma. “As for you, we don’t know what your problem is, but you need to knock it off. Otherwise, you’re gonna be dealing with me and _wish_ I’d let Momota-kun get his way.”

“Problem? Me? No!” Ouma said. “Well, besides how much I loathe you all as a species, if I don’t at least throw my hat into the ring and intervene, you’ll all kill yourselves before I have the chance to blow everyone up fairly! So bogus!”

“And you really believe not cooperating is the way to go?” Korekiyo pressed. “That’s bound to do us more harm than good.”

“No, not really. The less we trust each other, the less Monokuma will act and the higher our guards will be up. And if our guards are up more, we’ll be safer than just leaving ourselves open targets to hidden killers. What’s so bad about any of what I’m saying there?”

“So, don’t trust people blindly, or you’ll get killed by believing in the wrong people?” Rantaro wondered. “Is that it?”

Ouma gasped. “Can this be? Someone actually gets it for once?! Oh, Lordy, it’s a Christmas miracle! Bravo, Ran-chan, bravo! Except… you won’t wanna take _any_ chances in a killing game. So, not only should you not trust blindly, but just don’t do it period. Everyone here is a murderer, or at least will be in some way once given the right reason.”

“But, don’t you think that’s exactly what Monokuma wants?” Shuichi pressed. “I never took you for someone to just give into anyone else, nevermind him.”

“...Run that by me again?”

“No. You heard exactly what I just said. Don’t pretend you didn’t. Trusting everyone you know here without being careful is gonna get us killed given the Mastermind being one of us in disguise. That’s what Monokuma wants. But, he also wants us not to trust anybody and get so paranoid we do the wrong thing, because that’s the other surefire way of getting ourselves killed. We either die from being too certain, or we die from being too doubtful. You may think going to the opposite side is the right choice, but really, both are the wrong thing to do here.”

“Then what would we do? Pick a balance in-between? All you’re accomplishing there is sampling both no-no’s at the same time because you couldn’t pick.”

“You’re wrong. Being open to getting help from others while keeping your judgement solid is the only way out of here. Always relying on someone at every second might not be good, but neither is tackling anything solo. I’ll at least agree with you in Monokuma being likely to retaliate if we start working together, but personally, I’ll choose bracing myself and fighting back any day over giving in and playing along with what a tyrant wants.”

“I taught him that,” Kaito uttered to Kaede, proud.

“No, you didn’t. I did!” Kaede argued in a whisper. “You even said you got all that motivation from me!”

“That doesn’t mean it doesn’t come from my heart in some way!”

“Kaito, Kaede, please,” Angie intervened, hands on their shoulders. “...I taught him that.”

“So, you know what, Ouma-kun? You’re free to do whatever you want and not accept what anyone else but yourself says or thinks, but we’ll be doing it a little differently,” Shuichi declared. “If someday you actually wanna change your mind, go ahead, but I won’t expect it.”

“...Then don’t,” Ouma said, blank-faced with slightly furrowed brows. “If this didn’t get through to any of you, nothing will.” He put on an arrogant smile of declaration. “But, hey! Maybe I’m wrong. When this goes wrong and _you_ wanna change your mind on not dying miserably, feel free to gimme a ring. I’ll still be meddling and playing damage control, but only on a smaller scale before the inevitable. You’re all on your own for the rest of it.”

“And good riddance, you degenerate male!” Tenko shouted after Ouma departing. “Hmph!”

“Nice job shooing the brat off, man!” Kaito praised, playfully slapping Shuichi on the back. “You really handed it to him!”

“And a very worthy speech give to us all in the process,” Kirumi commended. “You’re really settling into the role of a second leader quite well.”

“I really don’t know where most of it came from,” Shuichi admitted. “I feel like some of it just… came out.”

“That still doesn’t negate how well you spoke your words,” Korekiyo stated. “Very strong, very blunt, and in a way coming from inside. Well done.”

“Now, if only Ouma-kun wasn’t here to spoil it,” Tsumugi sighed. “We’d have gotten to Saihara-kun’s point a lot faster without that guy.”

“Why did you guys invite him here, anyways?” Himiko wondered. “You should have flashed the Flashback Light in his face and then told him to scram. That’s what I’d have done.”

“I don’t know, but I’m not dealing with it,” Shuichi vowed. “Ouma-kun’s already teetering on ‘lost cause’ territory, and you can’t get a firm enough grip to pull him back from the edge. He’s better off left alone if he’s so insistent on being this way.”

“...I disagree,” Kiibo said. “We shouldn’t leave him alone.”

“Why? Because you think he’s actually a threat?” Maki questioned. “He’s just a pest and doesn’t deserve the attention.”

“No. Call me crazy on this, but leaving Ouma-kun to be by himself forever… he might be fine with it, but it won’t help him. It’s far more likely to make him worse and burrow deeper into whatever awful thing he’s clearly been dealing with for a while.”

“Then leave him. It’s not our problem.”

Kiibo glared at her. “And it’s an attitude like yours is why there are people in the world crying for help, but having no one and thus never getting the chance to get better. I’d act no differently than a stupid bystander if I just did nothing when I could.”

“Could you even make someone like that better?” Tsumugi inquired.

“Trying wouldn’t hurt. I don’t know how well it’d end, but I also don’t wanna make assumptions without attempting a thing. Like Saihara-kun said, doing everything alone is seldom a good idea, and I wanna make sure no one here has to think that’s all they’ve got for an option.”

“You’ve got guts, Kiibo,” Kaito commented. “Real guts.”

“I say he’s wasting his time,” Tenko argued, glitching out again. “Ouma-san is and always will be a degenerate male. There’s no swaying bad people into good.”

“Who said I was?” Kiibo questioned. “The only bad person here is Monokuma, and by extension, the Mastermind.”

“It could be him for all we know,” Tsumugi denounced. “It’s always the misanthrope type that wants us all destroyed.”

“Do you really wanna take that risk?” Himiko asked. “He could kill you.”

“Somehow, I don’t think so,” Kiibo disagreed. “I really don’t.”

“Your funeral,” Maki said. “Saihara, are we good now?”

“Uh-huh,” Shuichi answered. “The Flashback Light was all we needed to see. Thanks for coming, everyone.”

The Ultimates dispersed, plenty on their minds as they exited the gymnasium and went their own ways. Kaede lingered the most behind everyone, not that most of them noticed or cared regardless, but was stopped by one other who went at their own pace. She turned, only to grown disdained after seeing the person was Maki. _This oughta end well_ , Kaede thought, knowing fully well the magician rarely had anything nice to say about someone else, if ever. A bout of silence froze the air around them, the ice broken by the first question to be spoken up.

“What do you want?” Kaede demanded.

“For you to finally get a grip,” Maki answered. “As much as the guy annoys me, Ouma was onto something.”

“On how you can’t trust anyone? I get you have just as big of a problem with that, but weren’t you listening to Saihara-kun?”

“Every word, but I was more referring to how you screwed up and went back on your own big words. At least Saihara can learn from your mistake, but now begs the question of if you can or not.”

“What makes you think I can’t?”

“For starters? How everyone has yet to start trusting you again. If you want that so badly, you’d better get a good, hard look on yourself as a so-called leader, because it’s clear everything you were doing before didn’t work.”

“I know that. Don’t rub it in…”

“I have to, otherwise you won’t get it and see a different perspective outside of your own la-la land. Improving and regaining the trust you lost means you need to try something else after Plan A fails.”

“Why are you telling me all of this? I thought you hated me.”

“‘Hate’ would imply I know enough about you to care. I don’t plan on doing that for anybody lest it backfire on my end. My life is my own, nobody else’s to manhandle.”

“Then how come you gave me nothing but lip at the trial if you don’t hate me?”

“Easy. Like most of the others, I don’t trust you. Also, before we knew it was Hoshi, the killer could have been anyone. Including you.”

“Okay, fair point. If I have to ask, what would you suggest I do to improve as a leader so I can earn everyone’s trust back?”

“My advice? Put that brain of yours to good use and be smart, not pushy and flighty. Nobody’s you, so don’t pretend they are and actually understand that everyone’s got limits. Being forceful and making them go further than they can or want to does nothing good.”

“How couldn’t it? With enough encouragement—”

“—You can encourage people all you want, but it doesn’t change what they really can’t do. There’s being optimistic, but then there’s just being ignorant. Don’t be the second one, or you’ll be looking to be a really, really pathetic leader.”

Maki finally left, Kaede departing on her own time so she could properly think. Ignorant? Her? Was that true? Ouma had told her such after the trial, but now it was coming from a second mouth. Perhaps she did act a little too forceful with everyone before, the underground tunnel was proof of it. There was no getting rid of her optimism so quickly, but maybe there was a means to take it easy on the encouragement while still getting it across to those who need it. She really needed to consider her options, if possible…

* * *

Night Time hadn’t arrived yet, but still had another hour to go until the announcement rang. Shuichi was on the second floor, receiving some fresh laundry from Miu’s Lab after she’d gotten a good bunch done. How the clothes were washed before was a mystery to him, but the absence of stains on the spare outfit identical to the one on his body ceased any possibility of a complaint. Along the way downstairs, he felt somebody’s finger poke him hard in the back, activating his instincts and turning him to grab them. When he’d flipped that person like he did Angie before with a highly aggressive yell, Shuichi discovered the culprit’s identity after they hit the floor.

“Hiya, Saihara-chan!” Ouma greeted, cheerful despite being on his back and under Shuichi’s foot.

“Great…” Shuichi groaned, helping the smaller boy up while gathering his fallen laundry. “Don’t poke me like that, Ouma-kun. I could have—”

“—Seriously hurt me, yadda yadda, I know. Spare me the theater talk, I know you don’t really care.”

“I never said I didn’t—”

“—Anyways! Fancy seein’ you around these parts. What brings you here, Shifu?”

“Laundry. Iruma-san just washed one of my outfits and I came to pick it up. She was very delicate with it and even ironed it for me. I know she’s the Ultimate Maid and all, but I’m impressed.”

“Wow, the Rockafeller Skank is actually good at her job. I’m impressed, too.”

“Ouma-kun, it’s not that she’s bad at it. She isn’t, but…”

“She has the personality of rotting sauerkraut that’s been scooped into a foot sandwich and pecked at by desperate buzzards.”

“...There’s a simpler and maybe nicer way of putting it, but yeah. But, oddly, Iruma-san didn’t make as much dirty banter when I got my laundry as I was expecting.”

“She probably got too intimidated by your Aikido to say the wrong thing. That girl’s all talk, but the minute someone snaps at her, she wrinkles like notebook paper.” Ouma got into a fake fighting position, kicking and swatting the air. “I’d bet you would have given her a good old— WHOA-CHA-WUCHA, then a KEY-YAUGH, HOO-HOI! HIYA! Some of those and teach her a lesson.”

“That’s not what Aikido is meant for. If Master caught me using it to just beat people up for no reason, I’d lose my right to be called his star pupil. Then, I’d be no better than you in bullying everyone.”

“Again with this? I’m not hurting anybody, so what’s the big deal? Everyone just gets mad, yells at me for a bit, and moves on. Same old, same old.”

“They do that because what you’re doing is wrong. And maybe you think you’re not hurting someone, but you’re definitely bound to one of these days.”

Ouma dismissed him easily. “Sure, sure. Even though ‘no one cares what I think’, remember? Momota-chan said so. Besides, nothing I do will ever hold a candle to the actual monsters out there. The ones you’d probably use your Aikido on.”

“There may be worse people out there, but that doesn’t make what you’re doing any less bad. And your stunt today doesn’t help, either.”

“Because I for once spoke the truth despite being known to lie? Sue me! You may think I’m playing into Monokuma’s paw, but I’m not. No trust means no opening to kill means no killing game. Like adding 1 plus 1 to get 2.”

“You can’t seriously think that bear’s just gonna give up and let us out if nothing happens, do you? All he’ll do is keep trying to break us and eventually will if we just sit there and pretend it’s not happening.”

“Nobody’s pretending. They’re just less likely to be around people who are gonna try and kill them because they won’t let them in.”

“But, you have no way of telling who’s gonna do that or not.”

“Ex-actly!” Ouma tapped his temple, smiling. “Safety first.”

“Safety, or paranoia?”

“Yes, but at this point, they’re kinda the same thing, aren’t they? No one to hold me back or disappoint me, and no one to sneak up and end me, either.”

“Except yourself.”

“Here we go! All this talk on how I’ll wind up my worst enemy or something I was hardly listening to. I’m the only person in this world that I can trust! It’s not like I’ll betray myself.”

“Do you really think that’ll get you very far? Just counting on yourself and only you? You can’t do everything, Ouma-kun.”

“I can do more than anybody ever could. Humans can’t be counted on for nothin’. If I wanted to purposely screw myself in the rear and crash and burn, then yes, I’d gladly let a bunch of screwballs lend a hand doing something so simple like staying alive.”

Hearing this, Shuichi felt more concerned than mad like he’d been expecting himself to, only taken aback when looking at Ouma. _‘What… happened to this guy before all of this? Nobody’s this bitter without something really getting to them…’_

“In other words, you do your thing, I’ll do mine. What works for me… well, works. Period.”

“There’s no one way in accomplishing something, you know. Others exist.”

“For you, mayhaps, but I’m not you. Equally easy on the eyes, but that’s where it stops.”

“Ouma-kun, please listen to me.” Shuichi had a sincerity to him he’d only given Ouma once, turning his head down to meet his eyes fully. “I know you think no other way exists but the hard one, but nothing in life just has one solution. Others exist, and you can use them.”

“Why are you running your mouth to me, again?”

“Because I don’t wanna think of you as my enemy. I don’t wanna think of anyone like that except Monokuma. My insight has to be better than that illusion if it means getting the rest of us to safety where we deserve.”

“The only thing you Earthlings deserve is—”

“—Yeah, I know, to get blown up. You’ve said it plenty. But, no, I don’t agree with you. Everyone forced into playing this game deserves to get out and away from it. And just because you act like a spoiled, human-hating brat who picks on people for whatever reason he’s hiding from the world, you’re not getting left out. You got that?”

“...Wow. I think I get it now.”

“You do?”

Ouma nodded. “Yeah, yeah! All this time, with all the weird crap you’ve been saying about me doing something different… you just wanted to be my bodyguard, didn’t you?”

“...What. How did you come anywhere close to that conclusion?!”

“Think about it. You’re proficient in martial arts, you used that to protect me from getting beaten up, you picked up on Akamatsu-chan’s attitude with protecting people, and here you are talking to me specially even after what happened today! It all makes sense!” Ouma put both arms behind his head, grinning. “For a second there, you had me worried. But, now I know you were just pretending to be worried about me just to get into character for the job! It all makes sense, but you can go ahead and drop the act now. You’re hired!”

“I-I… I wasn’t. Doing that. At all.”

“Nishishi! Shumai, baby, it’s okay. There’s no need to pretend around me anymore.”

“I’m not—! …‘Shumai’?”

“Yep! That’s your nickname now. Or would you prefer ‘Shifuichi’ instead? I could do both.”

“Please, don’t. I don’t wanna be your bodyguard. I just don’t want you causing trouble or getting yourself into it to the point where something bad happens.”

“The perfect bodyguard motto! Stop with the showboating, I already said you’ve got the job.”

“You know what? I’m not dealing with this. I’ve said what I needed to, and I’m tired just by having this conversation. The best I can do right now is hope you make a better choice, but I don’t know if I should hold my breath for too long.”

“Leaving already? You can’t without your laundry.”

“But, I have my—” Ouma snatched Shuichi’s clothes, ensuing a chase through the hallway. “Hey! Ouma-kun, those don’t belong to you!”

“Gotta catch me if you really want ‘em! Let’s put those fighting feet to the test!”

Shuichi ran after Ouma trying to grab at his clothes, nowhere near in the mood to be playing any games with him. He wound up near the Ultimate Entomologist Lab, almost having him in his grasp when he got a faceful of slammed door. Rubbing his forehead and regaining balance, Shuichi saw Ouma had jumped inside and held his clothes hostage, pulling on the door and demanding he open it. The only response he got was the sound of the door locking from inside, getting the martial artist to pull harder and angrier.

“You have until the count of three to open this door and give my clothes back!” Shuichi demanded. “One! Two—!”

“—Ugh, you’re such a baby,” Ouma grumbled, but not facing Shuichi when he said so. He turned to him, but only to toss his laundry back into his hands. “Take it. Iidabashi-chan’s being a naggy pants.”

“He’s in there?” Looking inside, Shuichi saw Kiibo waiting atop the steps connecting the first floor and second, folding his arms and tapping his foot disapprovingly at Ouma. “Thanks, Kiibo-kun!”

“Anytime,” Kiibo sighed.

“Nighty-night, bodyguard!” Ouma chirped, shutting the door again and walking back inside.

“Hey!” Shuichi yelped. _‘This isn’t even his Lab. I’d better make sure he’s not giving Kiibo-kun too much grief. Knowing him, he’s bound to.’_ When he slipped inside the Research Lab, he snuck by and quietly crawled up one of the trees for a lookout, noticing Ouma and Kiibo talking on the deck above.

“How can you stay in here cooped up with a bunch of icky, dingy little Earth bugs?” Ouma questioned. “There are better creatures worth studying than them. Like aliens!”

“Aliens don’t exist, that’s why,” Kiibo answered, writing down some notes based on his giant ant farm wearing his lab coat and goggles.

“Oh, I’m sorry, have you seen an alien? No? Then you can’t say if they exist or not with a feeble Earth brain as big as those gnats of yours.”

“Right, my brain’s the tiny one, alright. And not yours, the one that foregoes science for science-fiction.”

“Exactly! Thanks for agreeing with me.”

“I was being sarcastic!”

“No, you’re being stupid.” Kiibo growled at Ouma angrily, but got mimicked back.

“Stop that! That was very rude.”

“‘Gyehhh, stop that! That was very rude’!”

“Ouma-kun!”

The astronaut only kept up his childish, mimicking tone. “‘Ouma-kun’!”

“Hmph!” Kiibo gave up, turning away with his arms folded despite still holding the pen and clipboard with the paper on it. Ouma walked forward, lightly poking him in the side and making him jump. “Ghu! Don’t do that.”

“Do what?” Ouma poked him again, eliciting a tiny laugh from Kiibo.

“Th— HAT!” Kiibo tried to stay strong, but more pokes got him laughing harder. “Stop it! Ouma-kun, I’m ticklish!”

“Stop ignoring me, then.”

“No-hoho! You’re b-bullying meee—! Hee-hee-hee-hoo-haha!” A grab of Ouma’s hand and putting it down ceased the tickled pokes. “Enough! I’m serious.”

“You can’t prove I was bullying you.”

“The mimicry?”

“Didn’t happen.”

“It did so!”

“Nuh-uh!”

“Yeah-huh!”

“Nuh-uh!”

“Yeah-huh!”

 _‘Seems Ouma-kun’s not the only one that acts like a little kid sometimes,’_ Shuichi thought, watching the two go back and forth at the same time. _‘He definitely brings that out in people really easily.’_

“You’re mean!”

“And you’re stupid. ...I like that in a man.” Ouma winked, getting Kiibo flustered.

“Wha-huh?”

“HAHAHAHAHA! The look on your face! I wish I had a camera!”

“Oh, quiet, you.”

“Nah, don’t think I will.” Ouma resumed poking Kiibo, who smacked his hand away and back up.

“Just sit down and be quiet if you’re gonna do that! All you seem to like doing is harassing your peers non-stop!”

“...So?”

“So! That’s not how you make friends.”

“Why would I want to? I’m surrounded by good-for-nothing Earthlings that are just gonna try and kill me later because they can’t get it in their heads that Monokuma can and does play them without even lifting a claw. Of all the places you could pick to make ‘friends’, a killing game shouldn’t be on the list.”

“Didn’t you barge in here because your ‘bodyguard’ Shuichi-kun was chasing you for his laundry? Why would you appoint someone whose company you didn’t enjoy to protect you?”

“It’s a professional relationship. Like two co-workers on the job.”

 _‘I’m not his bodyguard!’_ Shuichi objected internally.

“That doesn’t change how you seemed to enjoy playing along with him, even if it was one-sided. Also, you don’t seem to mind Shinguuji-kun. I have yet to see you say anything bad about him outside of unfairly generalizing the class.”

“Big whoop! I’m just evaluating him like all the rest. He just so happens to be leaning more towards the passing zone is all.”

“Are you ready to tell me what your ‘evaluation’ is now?”

“I guess. It won’t matter in the end after I get into space and this planet’s as good as Pluto, anywho. Before I do, I wanna see if any of you Earthlings can miraculously prove me wrong and turn out to tickle my fancy enough to make me spare you. Whoever passes lives, and the ones that don’t is getting blown to smithereens with the rest of the carbon-based scum walking on this useless, mossy space rock.”

Kiibo frowned. “Not everybody can be that bad.”

“Don’t be daft, Bug Boy. Next I suppose you’re gonna tell me there are ‘good’ humans that can be ‘kind’ and ‘sweet’. It’s all a front, and you’re falling for it hard!”

“That’s… not a healthy mindset. At all.”

“Are you the Ultimate Therapist? Unless I’m secretly a bug, don’t tell me anything about my head.”

“I’m not, but it doesn’t take one to know that stamping everyone as deceitful and hurtful without even truly meeting them isn’t helpful.”

“Who needs to? I’m not about to blindly let in anyone that’s ready to kill me here, which is just about everybody! You can count me out and proudly!”

“Ouma-kun, you know that’s not what I meant. I admit, yes, there are people that can be like that. That put up a kind face, but wind up being anything but on the inside, or keep other stuff a secret from the rest. But, it’s not always that deep with people. I myself never had too many human friends, but I at least know one thing.”

“And what’s that?”

“That if you keep your guard up too much, you’ll be keeping out the bad people, but the good people with them. Every living thing needs support, like ants in a colony.” Kiibo gestured to the ant farm, happily watching the bugs collaborate and create their home.

Oh, great, exactly what Ouma didn’t need. Another Shuichi. “No, people need to be sprayed and squished like ants in a colony. I’ll only lower my guard for a better species. Like aliens!”

“Do you realize how strange you sound? More than usual? You’re human, too!”

“As far as either of us know. I could be half-alien and my entire existence proves you wrong on so many levels! And, it’d make me smarter than you because your human brain definitely no match for mine!”

“If you say so.”

“I know so.” Kiibo stuck his tongue out at Ouma, who pinched it hard.

“Augh! ‘Ey, eggo!”

Ouma jerked the tongue back and forth. “‘Eggo’? No thanks, I just ate.”

“Yowch! Oww!”

“What’s wrong? Spaceman got your tongue?” Ouma finally let go, snickering at Kiibo massaging his tongue. “I guess someone never learned how to stand up to the class ‘bully’.”

“Believe me. I know from experience that only makes it worse. I’ve learned my lesson the hard way.”

“Smart boy. You at least get props for not making ‘Common Earth mistake numero uno’.”

Kiibo lowered his hand, simply going back to writing his ant notes somberly. “If you really do just wish to harass me deep down, then I think you should go. I’ve had more than enough of my fill of your type, and I’m politely asking for you to not make the list any longer.”

“Huh? What’s gotten you so blue?”

“People that toy around with those weaker than them because they think it’s funny. It’s not. Now, please leave so I don’t have an unpleasant blast from the past.”

Kiibo wasn’t facing him anymore, but Ouma didn’t need him to to see how he was feeling. It wasn’t anger, nor quite annoyance or scorn like the normal reactions his antics brought on. No yelling, no fighting or irritation. He was just… sad. And hurt, all because of Ouma. There hadn’t been a trace of humor to derive from it, only disheartenment. The drag and lift from Kiibo’s pen was the only sound available for a moment, Ouma no longer smiling, instead overcome with a feeling he wasn’t fond of recognizing that made him feel rather bad inside from Kiibo’s forlorn response.

“...Are you still here?” Kiibo asked, no effort made to turn around or cheer his voice up.

“Yeah. ...I am,” Ouma got out, shy with his words before taking Kiibo’s seat and slouching casually. “I was getting bored doing the same old schtick anyways. Why mess with you if you aren’t gonna scream at me?” Still nothing, so Ouma kept going. “...You know. I don’t really care for things from this dumb planet. But, when I think about it, bugs aren’t people. They deserve a little recognition for that accomplishment, don’t they?”

Now Kiibo was listening, turning his head with eyes of intrigue. “You really think so?”

“Meh. They’re gross, crunchy, and creepy-crawly. But, hey, at least they aren’t people. That’d be worse than anything a bug could pull off.”

“So, you do find them interesting in some way!” Kiibo fully turned around, back to his happier self. “Okay, maybe you don’t particularly like them, but you still said something kinda nice! Tell me, if you had to pick, what would your favorite be?”

“I don’t know! Tell me some of the ones you like. You’re the bug expert, not me.”

“Well, I never could pick just one since they’re all so unique! If I did have one I lean towards, it’d be bees. They do so much for the environment, but their numbers are starting to dwindle, sadly, because people are scared of being stung.”

“I’m more surprised that they can get their fat little bodies off the ground with its little wings. But, the bee doesn’t really care what most think is impossible, do they?”

Kiibo laughed, giving Ouma a very light swat on the shoulder. “Yeah, yeah, you’re not the first to make that joke.”

“Okay, now here’s another question I have. Since you’re the Ultimate Entomologist, can you breed a stick bug and a leaf bug together to make a twig bug? Or a branch bug?”

“I… don’t believe that’s how genetics works.”

“Have you tried it?”

“Well, no, but—”

“—Then you don’t know if it’ll work or not! Always the assumptions with you.”

“You still shouldn’t crossbreed just for laughs and giggles! Consider the effect it has on the environment, whether it’d be invasive, or even healthy to begin with. There’s a lot of factors you aren’t thinking of.”

“‘Invasive’? All the more reason to create it! Like Frankenstein’s monster!”

“Oh-ho no! I refuse to create anything that would help you in a terranean conquest.”

“Pity. You’d actually be doing cool stuff with science.”

“Science is cool! And so is entomology on its own!”

“It’d be cooler if I had an army of invasive, super deadly branch bugs at my disposal.”

“Your imagination is… overactive. Have you been reading too much manga?”

“No! ...Not that much. Do I look like Yumeno-chan to you?”

“Of course you don’t. How could I confused purple-ish black hair with red hair in a witch’s hat?”

“By being literal-minded, for starters.”

“...Oh.” Now Kiibo felt a little dumb, laughing at the blunder.

Ouma petted him on the head. “It’s okay, Idiotbashi. I know you’re dumb.”

“Don’t call me that. I’m not dumb. In fact, lots say my intellect is quite advanced.”

“Yeah, I know. You’re just a tad literal. If you were actually numb in the skull, I wouldn’t be having this conversation with you.”

“Even though you repeatedly call everyone stupid humans?”

“Stupid by instinct and nature, not really brains because there are some real geniuses out there when it comes to books.”

“I guess that makes sense…”

“Oooh! What’s that over there?” Ouma ran over to the second coat rack, pulling off a protective suit and veil hat, then putting them on his body. “Neat! Is this what you were gonna wear to get married to your bugs? It’s almost like a real spacesuit!”

“Have you never worn a beekeeper suit before? I can see the similarities to a spacesuit, but this would not protect you on the Moon.”

Ouma moseyed to Kiibo’s wooden beehive, opening it up. “Bees! I am now your leader! Listen to me and give me all the honey I want!”

“Stop it! There’s a certain procedure to be done lest you upset them! That would be detrimental for you and them both!”

“Is that so? It’d be a shame if they got mad, then.” Unaware of what he was risking, Ouma leaned close and shouted. “I hate you, bees! I hate you, bees! I hate you, bees! I hate you, bees—!”

“—NO!” Kiibo closed the hive shut, leaning over it protectively. “You can’t tell them that, that’s not nice!”

“Hahahaha! You’re so defensive! Maybe you’re already useful for when I take over the galaxy! No evaluation necessary!” Ouma laughed so hard he doubled over, falling and unable to get up with the bulky beekeeper suit on. He wriggled like a turtle on its back, but couldn’t fix himself. “Gah! Help me, Biibo! I’m stuck!”

Now it was Kiibo’s turn to laugh, letting Ouma stay down. “Okay, that was funny.”

“Was not! You jerk!”

“Look, Ouma-kun, I’ll tell you what. You give back my suit, and I’ll give you some honeycomb tomorrow without the risk of being stung. Sound good?”

“How do I know you’ll keep your word? You might just be saying this to get your not-spacesuit back.”

“I insist! I promise I’m not lying to you.”

Ouma squinted, examining Kiibo’s facial features and quirks carefully. He softened after a few seconds, realizing it was the truth. “...Alright. I’ll hold you to keeping your word.”

“ _Bee_ keeping it?”

“Oh, buzz off with that.” Despite that, Ouma laughed with Kiibo as he slithered out of the suit and returned it. “Phew! I’ll stick to real spacesuits, thank you. You can do whatever you want with this one. Burn it for all I care.”

“I can’t. I need this, remember?”

“Then do it when you don’t. I won’t tell.”

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“...OFFICIAL-ANNOUNCEMENT-FROM-THE-ULTIMATE-ACADEMY,” Monodam spoke, his siblings nowhere on the sofa. “IT-IS-NOW-10-P.M. ...EVERYONE-IS-OUT-NOW, WORK-DUTY. ...BEDTIME-URSINE.”

“That was awkward,” Kiibo commented. “Doing it all by himself.”

“Eh, he’s a big boy,” Ouma replied, shrugging. “But, since it’s bedtime, I’d better skedaddle. Don’t wanna keep you up, too.”

“A good night’s rest should do well for everyone. Oh, but before you go?”

“Yeah?”

“All things considered, Ouma-kun… I’m glad I spent some time with you tonight.”

Ouma’s back was turned when he sputtered, not expecting it at all. Facing Kiibo again, he cleared his throat to play it cool and forced eye contact upon himself. “Well, of course you did! Some people get on their knees to spend time with me. You just got lucky.”

“...Would I be lucky enough another time, too?”

“Come again?”

“If you want, we could hang out again.” Kiibo scratched his cheek, which turned pink like its twin and turned up to a timid smile. “I could get you more honeycomb after that, too, if you turn out to like it.”

“Ha! As if it’d be that easy. I charge by the hour, you know. Just like Iruma-chan.”

“Is honeycomb not a sufficient payment? We don’t exactly have normal currency in this place.”

“If that’s what you’re paying with, then I’ll accept it. Another evaluation for you wouldn’t hurt, I guess.”

“Really?! You mean that?”

Kiibo’s bright smile sent a wriggly warm feeling to Ouma’s stomach, but he tried paying no mind to it despite its persistence. “Sure, why not? I just might pick up on how to make my own branch bugs.”

“Not happening.”

“Yet.”

“Good night, Ouma-kun.”

“Sleep tight. I can’t wait for our next date~.”

“Date?! Since when was this a date?!”

“Nishishi! Just a joke.”

“Ah…” Kiibo’s blush grew deeper, smiling amused. “See you in the morning, then.”

“I’ll be there!” Ouma skipped down the stairs, exiting through the door and walking away now befuddled. “Dummy’s gonna get himself killed at this rate if he keeps acting so open and goody-goody. I’ll take the free honeycomb, but what’s with that guy? I’m watching you like a hawk, Kiibo Iidabashi…” He leered at where he’d come from, continuing to the first floor where the exit was.

“Momota-kun wasn’t kidding when he said I’d have my work cut out for me,” Kiibo said to himself, hanging up his gear. “But, I know what I’m doing. Ouma-kun may not trust me or anyone yet, but I know I can help him come out of his shell some. Even with the mixed signals, I can’t let him get too much under my skin!” Walking down, he turned to one of his trees knowingly. “You’d better come down from there, Shuichi-kun. It’s late.”

“WHOA!” Shuichi yelped, falling from the branch and onto the floor. “Ouch… how did you know I was up there?”

“The tree was moving far too much for it to be a bug. And you’re the only other one up here, so it couldn’t be anybody else.”

“So, you’re really bent on befriending Ouma-kun, huh?”

Kiibo nodded. “If it’ll help him, I’ll stand whatever test he gives me. Maybe there’s no guarantee of it ending well, but the first rule of science is not knowing until you try! I really think he has some seriously repressed good in him; he just needs some help bringing it out willingly.”

“I wish you the best of luck, then. He’s definitely got things going on inside, but it’ll take lots of work to figure him out exactly. Don’t wear yourself too thin if it starts to not seem worth it.”

“Trust me. It does and will.”

Shuichi and Kiibo went down the stairs together, heading to the main entrance and towards the Dormitory for a good night’s rest. The former of the two still didn’t quite know what to make of Ouma, other than confusion. It felt so easy to just see him as a troublemaking bully, but his encounter with him left him thinking it wasn’t exactly the full picture. Part of it, though no further than the surface. Whatever conclusion he did come to, Shuichi knew he wanted Ouma to stop his constant harassment every time. That would never be acceptable no matter what had happened to him before the killing game.

Yawning, Shuichi leaned against his pillow inside his bed. Another day awaited him and everyone, but sure to be full of new obstacles to leap over, he could figure. Exhaustion took minutes to lull him into his next slumber, the night’s hours passing him by without a care in the universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Kiibouma interaction was another scene derived from an RP a friend (yes, that one you're prolly thinking of) and I did together. I did say some of those would come up in the first three chapters, didn't I? They were just too juicy to not include! I had to pick and pack some parts to make it work, but it came out dandy.
> 
> Since it is getting late and I owe myself a trip to bed, I'll be signing off for now and leaving y'all with a bedtime story (or-- good morning story if you don't live in the same timezone as me ':3). I much appreciate you all hanging in there, so stay safe and I'll be very glad to see you guys next time with the next update! Until then, my friends!


	14. Episode XIII: Daily Life 2.3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, wow, it's been a week since I last updated, hasn't it? Well, I'm glad I finally got to get this done at long last. It was a bit trick to write, but here it is! Things have been a tad stressful IRL, but it's not something y'ought to worry about. Just typical life stuff (plus getting the hang of driving, which is NOT good for my anxiety, lemme tell ya,,,,,,) within a quarantine, you know how it goes =w="
> 
> Still, here's the update for my lovely readers and audience. This might also be the last update before I get my new laptop since my old one's battery is on the verge of shitting the bed (literally a full charge only lasts for 30 fugging minutes; yeah, upgrade time, sorry Lily). I've already ordered it last night and it'll be here by the end of the month, so I'm stoked af :3
> 
> Without further ado, here's the new chapter! Enjoy, guys! ^w^

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the Monokubs all greeted on the monitor.

“THIS-IS-AN-OFFICIAL-ANNOUNCEMENT,” Monodam spoke first. “IT-IS-NOW-8-AM. HAVE-A-WONDERFUL-KILLING-SCHOOL-SEMESTER-TODAY.”

“Nice! Pretty nice, Monodam!” Monotaro commended. “Your first morning announcement and everything!”

“Getting things on the first try. Pride’s not the word I’m looking for!” Monophanie sniffled joyfully.

“What a coincidence, it ain’t the one I’m looking for, either,” Monosuke grumbled, likely to roll his eyes if he was able. “I’d say more along the lines of—”

“—HAVE-A-WONDERFUL-KILLING-SCHOOL-SEMESTER-TODAY,” Monodam cut off. “BE-FRIENDS-AND-DON’T-CAUSE-TROUBLE.”

The monitor shut down, leaving Shuichi to get ready for his morning. Stretching out his joints and weary limbs to get the blood flowing more steadily. Freshening up in the bathroom, he brushed his teeth and fixed his messy hair, the antennae pointing toward the back, but less bent than it had been as a result of the full night of slumber. Now set to greet the day with a clean outfit, Shuichi departed from his bedroom and locked it behind him. He spotted emerging from the room on the other side of the foyer Kaede, who didn’t turn to look his way and instead left on her own.

“Akamatsu-san!” Shuichi called after, running to catch up and waving meekly. “...Good morning?”

“Morning,” Kaede said distantly, her feet not stopping nor her eyes making contact. Shuichi still caught up, but no improvement was made. “I said good morning. What do you want from me?”

“To talk. Outside of the whole Ultimate Hunt realization, I mean.”

“We don’t have anything to say to each other. I just wanna get to breakfast and get the day over with.” Shuichi still didn’t leave despite Kaede picking up speed, now starting to become irritated. “Knock it off! You’re in my way!”

“You know why that is.”

“I do, but don’t bother. I messed up, and if fixing it means I have to do it by myself, then that’s fine. That at least spares you from getting dragged down with me if something goes wrong again.”

“But, we’re friends. Not just that, but partners, remember? How can I be there for you every step of the way if you keep telling me to get lost?”

“Maybe take it as a sign that this isn’t your battle right now. You’re not the fallen leader, I am. Don’t get involved, Saihara-kun. Now, have a nice day.”

“You don’t have to do this by yourself!” Shuichi shouted after Kaede, who finally stopped in her tracks. “If there’s a choice involved, then take the one that lets you have the support you need to do better. It won’t make it any less meaningful, but it will make it a whole lot easier. Don’t feel like you have to keep beating yourself up from your mistakes! You don’t!”

“...Yes. I do. It’s not just a mistake I made recently, either. If I don’t make up for what I tried to do, I can’t get past what I’ve already done before.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not telling you.”

“Akamatsu-san—!” Shuichi tried to stop her, but Kaede already ran off without turning back. “Just great. Way to go with that one, Shuichi…”

“What’s gotten you in such a fuss?” Rantaro asked, approaching him.

“Girl trouble. I don’t get it, Akamatsu-san just won’t talk to me no matter what I try. I haven’t been giving her a hard time like some of the others.”

“Hey, man, when girls don’t wanna be bugged, they’ll let you know and stick to their guns until they’re ready. You can’t force ‘em out of it no matter your intentions. When she’s ready to talk, she will be.”

“But, how do I know if she’ll ever be? I get she doesn’t wanna see me get dragged into trouble or anything, but I don’t think that’s an issue with her!”

“She may not feel that way. Akamatsu-san’s obviously still kicking her own heiney from initially planning to kill the Mastermind, yeah? And you remember you were almost dragged into that? Well, given how much you two care about each other, she’s bound to be fervent on making sure you’re safe and don’t get pulled into what she’s dealing with in the event of more backlash. It’s like her way of… protecting you, actually.”

“I don’t need to be protected, I need to make sure she’s alright. Why should I be pushed away from the blowbacks when she takes it all? That’s not fair!”

“Because this is her fight, not yours. Don’t leave her in the dust, but give her space and she’ll feel better.”

“That’s exactly what Yonaga-san said…”

“She was onto something, then. Akamatsu-san needs to figure out her own mistakes, but don’t make them yours just because you care about her.”

“Can you at least say something to her, then? Maybe you have some words of big brotherly wisdom to spare.”

Rantaro glanced with interest. “Big brotherly…? Hmm. I guess that wouldn’t hurt to do. If there’s one thing I’ve got, it’s experience with talking to girls.”

“You’ll do it?”

“Sure, but I can’t talk for too long. After breakfast, someone’s meeting me for an appointment in my Lab.”

“That’s fine, it’s better than nothing. Thanks, Amami-kun.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Shuichi saw Rantaro go right to Kaede, quickly going the other way to give them some privacy. The last he was able to catch of them, there was less of a distant response, and more of a bewildered one on Kaede’s end. He was a tad jealous, but the reasoning behind it had been a bit understandable. Both of them stopped just outside the public bathrooms, Kaede shimmying away from the girls’ and refusing to look its way so she could talk with Rantaro.

“Go on,” Kaede told him. “Say what you need to. I’m listening.”

“I’ll get right to the point then,” Rantaro began. “You plotted to do the right thing for us all in the long run, but it would have been something that caused more trouble if it’d gone any way like Hoshi-kun’s version had. But, because it was being done behind everyone’s backs, it’s knocked off a lot of trust points for you.”

“Great reminder, Captain Obvious. Why do you think I’m trying to deal with the consequences so nothing else unravels for anyone else?”

“I know that, and I’m proud of you for taking it so well. Accepting the results means you care what everyone’s saying, and I trust that means you’re trying to do better?”

“What other option do I have? Harukawa-san said if I don’t clean up my act, I can kiss my chances of helping everybody goodbye. She… surprisingly gave me some really good advice, but what else do I do? I’ve been trying to figure it out by myself, but nothing’s come up.”

“Depends. What did she tell you?”

“The same thing… someone else did. That I should still stay positive, but don’t be pushy when it comes to other people’s limits. Nobody has the same breaking point as me, and ignoring that was one of my first mistakes along.”

“Good. Very good, Akamatsu-san. You’re taking good advice and using it to change. Now, if I had to throw two cents of my own onto the table, I’d say that as a leader, you can’t be sneaky and overly-secretive. That’s another big reason you got into so much trouble with everyone. It’s really hard relying on someone when you can’t guess what they’re gonna do next.”

“Yeah, I guess it did seem pretty snaky of me to do that back there. I thought if I did something with as few people knowing as about it as possible, I wouldn’t have to push that big of a burden onto them. No, that doesn’t excuse it, but you can at least see why I couldn’t tell anyone.”

“Definitely. You can’t just share such a huge move on trying to kill the Mastermind with too many people, especially with your target infiltrating. But, even if they weren’t, that’d cause a whole bunch of panic you were trying to prevent. You don’t know who you can trust with all that info, if anybody at all.”

“Nope. But, if I can’t randomly pick who to trust, how could I be more honest with my intentions? The Mastermind could listen in and use that against me.”

“Easy. You stop it with the sneaky schemes and go back to more practical ideas. If you try and creep around in the shadows, there’s bound to be someone else caught in the web and suffering for it. For someone preaching about teamwork, you sure were ready to not use it.”

Kaede’s head sunk, guilt overcoming her. “I know… Ouma-kun was right to say that. I went back on my own words like a huge hypocrite.”

“Hey, I wouldn’t call you that. I understand desperate times call for desperate measures, just not… _that_ desperate is all I ask.” Rantaro put a hand on Kaede’s shoulder, smiling at her comfortingly. “Being more upfront with people and listening to their input is bound to get you back on the right track, okay?”

“...Okay.” Kaede nodded, finally looking back up at Rantaro.

“Atta girl. You’ll do great. That’s all I really had to say to you, so thanks for listening.”

“Thanks for coming to me. I feel like I needed some more advice, and the kind you gave me was perfect.”

“I don’t consider myself the guru type. Like you, I’m just trying to help as best as I can.”

“Keep up the good work. People will appreciate it.”

Rantaro waved to Kaede as she left for the dining hall, turning for a bit to look towards where the basement stairs lied. _‘In a way, Akamatsu-san, you scared me into not acting too soon. You’re far from being the only one who’s figured out what’s going on…’_

At breakfast, everybody enjoyed their morning meal in relative peace, if a bit shaken from just remembering the Ultimate Hunt. Miu was taking orders as usual, but left most of the others feeling bewildered as opposed to annoyed after she left to cook them. There were some head scratches, but outside of that, it wasn’t given much thought and simply left her to her own devices. On his way in, Shuichi considered sitting near Kaede, but remembered she still needed some space and wound up leaving her be, picking Kaito to take a seat with and instead grabbing Rantaro’s attention as soon as he’d sat down.

“How’d it go?” Shuichi asked.

“Pretty well,” Rantaro said. “I gave Akamatsu-san some good pointers to help get her in the right direction, and she’s deeply considering them.”

“That’s great news! Once people see how much she’s improved, they’re bound to start trusting her again.”

“Maybe not right on the spot. Sometimes, people don’t see progress right away and thus remain skeptical.”

“You’re right. But, it’d still help to at least give her a chance. Without that, you can only do so well if no one even considers your efforts and still insists on being way too harsh. That’s bound to put her in an even worse mood.”

“I might have what Akamatsu needs,” Kaito stated.

“You do?” Rantaro asked.

“Uh-huh! The lady’s got a lot pent up in her, and what better way to get it out than gettin’ physical and sweaty?”

“What?!” Shuichi blurted out.

“Oh! No, not like that! I mean with hard exercise. Geez, man, I wouldn’t do that to you…” Kaito cleared his throat. “Moving on, I’ll see if she can stop by my Lab for some warmups, a few rounds of tennis, and as much as it takes to get her pumped up! Nothing can go wrong!”

“Are you sure tennis is the way to go about it?” Rantaro wondered.

“It sure is! It’ll also help build her endurance in case no one believes she’s stepping up better right away. The more Akamatsu gets put to work, the stronger she’ll be against anything!”

“That doesn’t sound too off-base,” Shuichi agreed. “It would also be a great distraction from all the craziness going on. If you can get her to play, there might be a chance.”

“Not might. _Will_.”

“There’s no such thing as possibilities with you, Momota-kun,” Rantaro chuckled. “Just guarantees.”

“If you three have enough flap to yap, then you can spare some to tell me what you want for breakfast,” Miu said firmly. “There’s a fresh stock in the kitchen, so I’m open to anything and everything! Go on, spill it.”

“Bacon and sunny-side up eggs with two pieces of toast for me,” Rantaro requested. “And a bit of cheese, if you don’t mind?”

“Sure thing. And you two?”

“Umm… are you feeling okay, Iruma?” Kaito asked. “This is the longest you’ve gone without saying something perverted.”

“I can say whatever the fuck I want! I just— don’t feel like whipping out my normal humor right now. It’s still early and I’m in ‘Maid Mode’ prepping breakfast.”

“That hasn’t stopped you before,” Shuichi pointed out.

“Big whoop! Take it or leave it. Now, lemme ask again. What do you and Momota wanna stuff your faces with? Anything goes as long as it’s edible.”

“O… kay,” Kaito got out. “Just some omurice for me, thanks. And a cup of coffee?”

“Taken how?”

“Black! Gotta keep myself up and running the old fashioned way!” Kaito leaned to Miu, whispering so Rantaro and Shuichi couldn’t hear. “Actually, just a decent amount of cream so it’s not too bitter. Still no sugar, though.”

“Comin’ up. What about you, Saihara?”

“Something simple. I’ll just take some rice and nattō, thanks,” Shuichi requested.

“It’ll be out in a hot second! Better prepare your taste buds to be screaming about this food for hours on end, ‘cause that’s how good it’ll come out. Not that you’ll find much surprise there.”

“Thanks, Iruma-san,” Rantaro said. “Breakfast definitely wouldn’t be the same without you.”

“Eh? Well, duh! I know that! You think I don’t? I don’t just bring flavor to a good meal!” Miu scampered off, flustered from the small praise.

 _‘I guess the laundry wasn’t just a one-time thing,’_ Shuichi thought. _‘I’m not looking forward to her being out of “Maid Mode”, though, if she’s only setting it aside for chores…’_

At another seat, Ouma was focusing more on chattering next to Korekiyo when sitting beside him holding a plastic food container turned out to be Kiibo, who was smiling amicably his way. “Oh, it’s you,” Ouma said. “What do you want, Larvae Boy?”

“Good morning, Ouma-kun,” Kiibo greeted, opening the container and revealing small stacks of sticky honeycomb. “I brought my ‘payment’, just as you wanted.”

“Huh? Wait, you— actually remembered?”

“Why would I forget? I said I’d bring you some honeycomb harvested first thing in the morning, and I did! Fresh out the hive for us to share.”

Ouma picked up one piece and put it on his plate, examining it warily. “Uh-huh. And this is _real_ honeycomb right from the bee box?”

“Mmm-hmm! Try some! It’s waxy, but good.”

“...Right. Why don’t you try it first? Just to gimme a glimpse of what I need to expect. Unless, there’s a reason you can’t. Is there?” Ouma eyed Kiibo, his mouth smiling, but his eyes screaming “hard interrogation”.

“No? It’s honeycomb.”

“It sure is! Take a bite. I insist.”

Kiibo shrugged. “Okay.” And then he did, chewing the wax like gum and swallowing it with the liquid gold. “It’s really good! I don’t wanna fill up on it since I’m saving room for breakfast, but you really need to try some! I think you’d like it.”

“So… this is just plain old honeycomb? You’re sure now?”

“Just eat it, Ouma-kun, he’s not trying to poison you,” Korekiyo piped in, not looking up from his green tea and food. “It’s actually quite nutritious, which I’m sure you could stand to have in your diet.”

“And at the same time, it’ll soothe your sweet tooth,” Kiibo included. “Please?”

Ouma was hesitant, but stabbed the honeycomb with a fork. Bringing it to his lips, he took the smallest bite, chewing slowly and beginning to gasp and sputter. “Oh no, here we go again! Now from honeycomb…!”

“Are you okay?! Are you choking?! Do I need to do the Heimlich?”

“No, it’s—! It’s…!” Ouma simmered down, taking a bigger bite of honeycomb and eating it. “It’s delicious. Kinda weird in the chewy parts, but delicious. Thanks, Kiiboi.”

“Then why didn’t you pretend you were— ...what did you call me?”

“‘Kiiboi’. Because it sounds like—”

“—I know, it sounds like my nickname. It’s a little weird giving me a nick-nickname, don’t you think?”

“No.”

“Figured you’d say that. Do you really like the honeycomb?”

Ouma took some more pieces and put them on his plate, leaving the rest for Kiibo. “Make your own guess from it. You’re the scientist.”

“It doesn’t take that for me to know.” Kiibo smiled gleefully, taking off to talk with Miu after she asked for his breakfast order.

“Seems you’ve made a friend,” Korekiyo commented, smirking into his cup.

“What are you on? I’m not friends with him,” Ouma bit, finishing off the first honeycomb square. “I just scored some free beeswax brittle.”

“That doesn’t change how happy you’ve just made Iidabashi-kun. Look at him.” Kiyo gestured to the clear good mood Kiibo was now in after sharing his bees’ product. “Dare I say he’s ‘over the moon’ because of you.”

“If anyone’s going over the moon in the future, it’s me. Besides, I don’t live to make you Earthlings happy. All I do is make you suffer like the dirt-covered rainworms you are.”

“Why didn’t you reject Iidabashi-kun’s honeycomb, then? Doing so would have certainly put a damper on his day from how much he wanted to share with you.”

“The end result benefited me. Hello? Free honeycomb for breakfast?” Ouma took another bite of a second square, ingesting more and getting the stickiness all over his face. “So good… I can see why it doesn’t come from humans.”

Korekiyo picked up a few napkins and cleaned off the honey, Ouma fussing the whole time but helpless to stop it. “I’m certain it’s not impossible for you to make others happy. You just choose to do the opposite instead.”

“Big whoop. Seeing them get all mad at me is pretty funny!”

“You could still stand to be a little nicer. Compassion doesn’t hurt anyone.”

“Except the one showing it to a species that not only never deserves it, but uses it to make the other person look like a dummy after. And I especially won’t be nice to a bunch of people I refuse to trust.”

“But, you don’t trust anybody is the issue. Are you like this with your crewmates back at your training station?”

“Oh, pish! They’re just people I’m stuck with until I’m a full-fledged moonman! After that, they’re hitting the road and I’m never seeing them again.”

Korekiyo turned to him serious, now finished drinking his tea. “Ouma-kun. If you keep acting so distant and skeptical of everyone indiscriminately, it’s guaranteed to come back and bite you in the rear someday.”

“Not me! I’ve got cheeks of steel! And no, I don’t mean my cute little baby cheeks, either.”

“Then in that case… maybe I’m to assume you’ve got a head of steel, too. Nothing seems to get through no matter what anybody says.”

“What can I say? I’m one adamant S-O-B.”

“You’ve got that right.” Korekiyo went back to his breakfast, no longer showing Ouma the time of day. “Eat your food, Ouma-kun. You could stand to have a nice meal with how thin you are.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean? I’m fun-sized!”

“Small. You’re small. And, that hardly means a thing because even for someone of your height, I’ve noticed there doesn’t seem to be very much around your waistline. But, what would I know? To you, I’m a ‘brainless, boring Earthling’.”

Ouma frowned at how distant Kiyo was being with him now, changing the subject by eyeing the detective’s form. “Well, you’re also a hypocrite! If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you weren’t getting much in your gut, too!”

“I’m eating plenty, mind you. Do you not see my plate?” On it was some spinach tamagoyaki and a side of pickled vegetables.

“That doesn’t automatically mean something. If you try and lie to me about your diet, I’ll pick it up in a heartbeat.”

“And why does it concern you? Me potentially starving to death would only make your job of Earth’s destruction easier. On top of you hating humans, of course.”

“I can still say something. Convincing you cretins not to kill each other is a lost cause, but at least don’t kill yourselves first! Blasting humans out of existence is pointless when there’s none left.”

“Mmm-hmm.”

Ouma still got nothing from Kiyo, irritably turning to his plate and dropping off the rest of his honeycomb next to the tamagoyaki. “Eat. I shouldn’t have to tell you not to go hungry. You Earthlings should know how not to treat your bodies, but I guess I gotta do everything around here!”

“We can fully take care of ourselves, but why is this bothering you besides wanting to personally kill us all at once?”

“My evaluation. Long story short, if I find you entertaining enough, I’ll spare you. If not, boom with the rest of humanity.”

“I thought you found all of humanity too dull to bother with.”

“As a species, yeah, since everyone’s got the same piggish instincts and whatnot. I didn’t wanna say this in front of Yonaga-chan because she’ll once again twist it, but other than that… I’ve come to realize you all at least go about your lives differently. By personality, tone, looks, preferences, the works!”

“So, you’ve had a change of heart in generalizing every last human being ever born?”

“Let’s not get crazy. This mostly applies to you guys since I’m stuck in the same building. Thus far, your evaluation points are getting to pretty high levels, so it’d be such a shame if you starved to death or stayed up too late… to death before I was done.”

Kiyo finally looked his way, curious. “But for a simple evaluation, you appear to be going the distance. Almost in a way like that of a mother hen with how much of a fuss you make on someone’s poor self-care. Could I assume you’re using it as a cover-up for not being above growing fond of other people after all?”

“Assume what you want, but you’d just be dead wrong. I’d never love a human.”

“Ouma-kun, for what’s probably not the last time, you’re human, too.”

“Maybe I am, but it doesn’t loop me in with being as grimy and useless as literally the rest of the human race. The similarities stop physically.”

“If you insist.” Korekiyo returned the honeycomb to Ouma’s plate, resuming feasting on his breakfast. “I appreciate your sentiment, but I’m not in the mood for bee products today. Iidabashi-kun specifically wanted you to have it, and you obviously still want the rest.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am. Not to say you’re malnourished, but it’s still crucial you’re eating right, too.”

“I normally get my food imports from space so I’m not ingesting too much Earth sludge. Luckily, my built-up immunity to getting poisoned by it has stopped me from kicking the bucket since that’s all I’m stuck with eating in here.” Ouma dug into the honeycomb, reveling in its sweet taste. “At least what Kiiboi gave me beats pig’s feet. Whoever came up with the idea to call that food deserves to burn.”

“Are you not fond of pork?”

“I like bacon, but pork chops and stuff are on thin ice. Pettitoes, however, there’s just no forgiving.”

Korekiyo grew amused, smiling mildly against his fork. “I’m sure they will pay for their transgressions against the universe.”

“Darn right, they will! They’ve got even less of a purpose than humans. And I didn’t even think that was possible!”

Although mostly minding his own business now, Korekiyo patted Ouma on the head while he got to work on the honeycomb, swearing he heard a content noise from him in doing so. Lifting his hand, it went back to the same scalp courtesy of Ouma pulling it back and demanding the gesture continue for a little while longer. There wasn’t any sign of Monokuma for once, so breakfast was able to go by much smoother than usual and let everyone’s unique choice in meals digest without the extra stress piled on top of it.

* * *

“It’s going to be fine, Tenko-san,” Kirumi reassured the robot girl walking in the courtyard half an hour after breakfast ended. “There’s nothing to be scared of.”

“I’m not scared, I’m disgusted,” Tenko sneered. “For a degenerate male like— FSKZZZZT, BZZSHKT— Amami-san to be my only hope at getting repaired is seriously degrading. It’s like I’m opening myself to danger without so much as— GHSZHT— having a choice!”

“But, you’re opening yourself to more danger if you don’t do this. Besides, you might find Amami-kun to be not nearly as bad as you believe.”

“Ha! Impossible! Human males are the worst thing to ever— BFFSSZZZT— befall this world, and he’s one of them!”

“Is there not a chance for a boy to become a non-degenerate? You’re not exactly giving them a chance to prove themselves worthy of improvement.”

“That’s because it’s rare, if even possible. KZZSSHHFZ! Just when you think they’re being sincere, BAM! A sly trick gets pulled right out of their sleeve and they ruin the lives of everyone around them!”

“While I don’t disagree that men can cause… problems, surely you must admit you’re being a tad extreme with this. Having the desire to protect yourself and other women is perfectly fine, but don’t overreact, either.”

“I’m not overreacting! I’m reasonable reacting to dangerous humans!” Tenko spasmed out again, cooling off from her anger. “Kirumi-san, I’ll be just fine because I know what to do when faced with a blatant threat, but the moment Amami-san puts his hands where he shouldn’t, he’s gonna be tasting his own tongue for years! Just leave it to me!”

“Very well.” Kirumi stopped in front of the Ultimate Inventor Lab door. “Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” Tenko got Kirumi behind her as if turning into her shield, knocking on the door and waiting patiently for an answer.

“Tenko-san, Toujou-san, you made it,” Rantaro greeted, waving. “Right this way, ladies.”

“Let’s get this over with so I don’t have to set foot near you or your death trap of a Lab ever again.” Tenko glared hard at an accepting Rantaro, riding another glitch as she stepped in with Kirumi.

Despite her not trusting it, the place didn’t look half bad. The walls and floor tiled were a clean silvery blue, an enormous computer built into the rightmost side and taking up its own large section of the room. On the opposite wall in front of it, a wide pegboard of metal tools hung in an alphabetized fashion right above a wooden workbench strewn with blueprints and paper notes. A short distance from a table of chemicals and vials both full and not lied an emergency station for eye washing and showering away unwanted substances. Glass door metal storage cabinets were more towards the back of the Lab near a long countertop of drawers, handy with a sink and a bottle of liquid soap.

Sterile white lights shone from the ceiling, a movable lamp version of them attached to the bed-like table that could be adjusted with a foot pedal to go forward, back, higher, or lower depending on height. Next to it, a magnifying glass stand with a lens large enough to take up a person’s entire face. A side table stood near it, meant for holding tools unable to be held in the case of having full palms. Small hooks sat on the door of a closet likely for holding anything else unable to be stuffed inside a drawer or put atop a sturdy table.

“Have a seat in my ‘chair’, and I’ll be right over,” Rantaro requested, first going to pick out the tools he’d need. “Toujou-san, you’re free to sit, too, just mind how close you are.”

“I feel like I’m getting an operation,” Tenko grumbled, lying back on the experiment bed with her hands on her chest. “Or going to an unwanted trip to the dentist!”

“You’ve had either?” Kirumi asked, taking a seat nearby for her moral support role.

“Well! ...No. LSSZZZHFZ, KZZHSSH! While I’m capable of processing food and drink, I don’t need either for fuel, thus eliminating any reason for me to see a dentist. As for surgery, that should be obvious. However! ZZKSSSHTZ! I’m still much like you in plenty of other ways, and I trust you to treat me as such.”

“Don’t worry. No robophobia here. You are no less an Ultimate than the rest of us.”

“Gah, oh— my title may be well-earned, but it’s probably not as marvelous as yours is. You’ve probably made lots of pretty music with every piano you’ve ever laid fingers on! BZZZSHT, SZZZHTSZ! Have you ever been on television?”

“Oh no, nothing that extreme. I have performed the score for just about every musical my school had ever hosted, and a few stage productions outside of that. Until they’d found out I was the one behind the keys, many have mistaken it for a professional composer’s doing.”

“How did you get into the piano?”

“Well, first I was more ‘self-taught’ at home with the old piano in my home I’d eyed for years. Then one day, my parents soon got me the best possible teacher money could hire, and I was guided towards perfection over the years. To this day, I carry out Sensei’s final wishes to my best ability as his star pupil.”

“How did your teacher pass, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Pass? Oh, no! Sensei isn’t dead, merely unable to play again.” Kirumi looked somberly at her gloves, thinking of her poor mentor. “It’s why I need to take up that mantle just as he did. If not, his beautiful music is as good as gone. Forever. To this day, I wonder if I’m anywhere close in reaching that level.”

“You definitely are, if not already— TZZHSHT— there! For you to carry out your retired mentor’s wishes is a noble act many should smile upon, including him! FKSZZZHT! Whoever doesn’t is missing out, and that’s that!”

“Now, now. It’s not my say. It’s just about… everyone else’s listening.”

“Follow the majority rule. GZZSHHTZ! If several people have great taste, but only one doesn’t, don’t turn them into a vocal— MNNZZHSH— minority. What matters is the bigger amount who truly loved your playing.”

“That isn’t how it works. If only some are happy, then it might as well be no one at all.”

“I… don’t believe that sounds right, Kirumi-san. Wouldn’t impressing every last person listening be highly stressful?”

“No, it’d be a test of who I am as a musician and Sensei’s student. To truly be a worthy pianist, my music must settle every heart that listens.”

“Well, that doesn’t sound impossible for you, then. But, I do— SHHZFFHZT— want you to not be so hard on yourself. Making others happy is fine, but don’t forget your happiness matters just as— MMNZZHSTH— much!”

“Huh? Umm…” Kirumi quickly turned to Rantaro. “Do you have everything you need over there, Amami-kun? Tenko-san is ready for her repairs!”

“I didn’t wanna interrupt until you two were done talking,” Rantaro said, finally carrying his tools and gear over to the bed bench. He pulled his bulky green gloves up to under his elbow, goggles tugged tight onto his eyes from his head before moving the magnifying glass lens over Tenko. “Okay, let’s take a look where Yumeno-san did before, and do it for real.”

“And no further! I want to get this— DSHZZZKS— done with as quickly as possible,” Tenko hissed.

“With as much damage as you’ve built up, ‘quickly’ isn’t an option. This needs laser precision and patience. You wouldn’t rush an operation, would you?”

“No, because I’d be under sedatives, but that’s not necessary for me unless I was on the verge of crashing. In that case— SZZHHSSK, KSSZZZT— I’d only need to be shut off until the repairs were done, but don’t do that here! I need to be fully alert in the likely event if you doing as you please with my system just because you think you can!”

“Look, Tenko-san, I get it. Okay, I don’t _get_ it as in I can relate to what’s going on with you, but I’m aware of it. You’re distrustful of men, and that’s understandable for lots.” Rantaro looked at her sternly, the magnifying glass distorting it from her perspective a little. “But, I do wanna make something very clear with you. I really don’t appreciate being seen as a ‘playboy’ or some ‘cad’ that fools around for a living. I may look the part, but I’m fresh out of fingers from how many times I’ve needed to count people assuming that about me without taking a second look.”

“As if that’s such a far cry. Human males lack even a single pure thought, and it’s a very easy conclusion to come to with the way you look.”

“Which is the problem exactly. Judging based off a book’s cover is one of the worst things you can do for someone, man, woman, or otherwise.” Rantaro repositioned Tenko so she was sitting up, unscrewing her shoulder plate from behind and looking at the severed or dwindling wires crackling along the circuit board. “Yikes. I wish I’d taken a gander at this sooner. Almost everything’s been plucked out of place or is bound to snap. No wonder you’ve been short-circuiting.”

“Then fix it. I’m doing this for my personal health and people worried about me. Like Himiko-chan and Kirumi-san.”

“I’m sure they aren’t the only ones.” Rantaro carefully removed the damaged wires and replaced them with fresh ones, memorizing the right spots and leaving it as it had been before.

Tenko sneered smugly. “A degenerate male’s feelings mean nothing to me. They can think what they want, and I have no obligation to please them.”

“Not at all, but just like you, they have a right to feel how they do. You can’t diss them for feeling, can you?”

“I guess not.” Tenko darted her head to Rantaro rubbing a sheet against her shoulder plate. “What are you doing now?!”

“Buffing out the dents. You’ve got internal and external damage, so I can’t send you off with either. I figured I might as well polish up while I repair.”

“...Oh. Fine, carry on, but do nothing but either of those!”

“Aye-aye, captain.” Rantaro reattached the shoulder plate with everything underneath fixed, now going to repair the damaged back plate making up half her “uniform top” and fixing that section of wiring. “Tenko-san, I won’t bug you too much on this, but it wouldn’t hurt to give everyone more of an equal chance. I’m not saying you have to just love men out of the blue, no, but at least get to know them a little better first. Then after, if you’re still not impressed with what you’ve gathered, judge away however you want. At least that way, you’re not just shooting first and asking questions never.”

“So what if I am? Degenerate males need to be put in their place! If I don’t act, either myself or a poor, defenseless maiden will suffer from their pigheadedness!”

“I obviously don’t speak for too many girls, but I’m willing to put money on a good bunch of them not appreciating feeling like damsels in distress. Helping is good, but coming to their defense when it’s either not a big deal or they have things handled doesn’t bode well with anyone.”

“It’s actually quite undermining for a lot of them,” Kirumi included. “You aren’t being considerate of their feelings that way.”

“Really?” Tenko asked, sheepish as Rantaro screwed the buffed out back plate on where it belonged. “Am I being pushy?”

“Maybe not that far, but just look before you leap,” Rantaro advised. “Also, if you trust girls, but not boys, wouldn’t it give headway for a girl to take advantage of that and do something bad to you? Not being male doesn’t automatically disqualify someone from murder.”

“But, it isn’t nearly as risky. Should that happen, I’ll be fully prepared since girls know far better!”

“Do they, though?” Kirumi pressed. “We can be pretty bad from time to time. Especially when it comes to other women.”

“I’d rather deal with them retaliating than a male! Professor always told me that if I were to pick, it should be the ones I’m the most similar to. Otherwise, my AI is guaranteed to get thrown out of whack by malicious, filthy hands wanting to touch it! It isn’t just what I was programmed to know, but it’s what I was taught growing up. And I wasn’t created by a liar.”

“Well, you can’t argue with hard programming,” Rantaro said, tipping one of the pinwheel-shaped propeller blades up and down. “By the way, is this a hair ribbon? It’s built into you and looks more like a fan.”

“It can be if I were to tell you where to find its rip cord. Don’t bother looking because only I know where.”

“No need, it’s already cool in here so none of my things overheat.”

“Good.” Tenko saw Rantaro go down to her calf, removing the plate and inspecting the wires. “Is it clean down there?”

“You’ve got one or two out of place, but other than that, yeah.” He quickly replaced what’d been snapped in half, new wires now installed and sealed with a polished calf plate. “I should actually be looking a bit higher. I’m seeing more than just some dents in the waist area.”

Tenko grimaced thinking about the underground tunnel endeavor. “And other stuff.”

“What do you mean?” Rantaro unscrewed the correct plate, wincing at the parts that’d been burnt out and outright spoiled besides their split wiring. “Ouch. Forget what I said before. _Now_ things are gonna get serious.”

“It’s that bad?”

“Yeah. Some of your circuit boards are busted, so I’ll need to put some new ones in besides just fresh wiring. And I’ll need a few more minutes to get this plate completely smoothened out.”

“Do whatever you feel you have to…”

“You’re being very brave, Tenko-san,” Kirumi commended, seeing Rantaro remove the broken circuit boards and put new ones in place whilst rewiring. “Not just with calmly sitting through this, but also letting Amami-kun be the one to do so.”

“He will be my absolute last resort. After my own Lab opens, I’ll no longer need his services.” Tenko flinched. “Yipe! Be careful down there! I’m not a toy!”

“Sorry, I must have pushed a bit too hard.” Rantaro tried again, getting the last replacement circuit board installed and slipping in the wires where they should. “There we go. Most of your malfunctions must have been coming from this end. I mean, everywhere caused them, but this looked the worst in terms of damage.”

“To be fair, I did get blown up by lots of bombs in the you-know-where. That has to be where a lot of it came from.”

“At least we can guarantee it won’t be happening a second time.” Reattaching the plate, Rantaro moved the magnifying glass away. “How do you feel? Anymore glitches or short-circuiting?”

Tenko stood up, moving around and waiting for either to come. It didn’t. “...No! I’m— I’m cured! I’m actually cured!”

“See? No harm came of getting fixed by the Ultimate Inventor. Always ask someone with exceptional knowledge of robotics and wires,” Kirumi advised.

“Not everything I make is mechanical,” Rantaro said. “A lot of it, but I’ve made things that are far less complex. Like this serum I made for myself once to clear up pimples in only a short minute for picture day.” His eyes went to the side, grimacing at the painful memory. “It worked, but only to teach a lesson to use it the day _before_ a big photo so the resulting rash can clear up in time…”

“Tenko-san, don’t you have something to say?”

“What?” Tenko wondered, then realizing reluctantly. “Oh. ...You have my gratitude, Amami-san. I couldn’t have gotten fixed without you even if you are a menace.”

“No problem,” Rantaro said. “Just don’t be afraid to ask me next time it gets this bad. Though it’s easy to think so, I’m not a bad guy.”

“Or so they all say. If it weren’t for others’ insistence and my inner voice pestering me to no end, I’d have a hard time even considering you.”

“Your what?”

“My inner voice. It tends to say things that go against my morals, so I usually ignore it unless it winds up being really, _really_ important.”

“Kinda like a conscience that tells you the opposite of what to do?”

“Yeah, and I wish it’d quiet down sometimes! What am I supposed to think if I’m listening to two points at once?!”

“Your gut’s always the best option, but don’t be afraid to be open in taking other advice, too. Doing something different than usual might land you a pleasant surprise you never thought of before.”

Tenko looked at him with a wary gaze that seemed blank before turning more skeptical. “I’ll do what keeps me safest from my enemies. Once again, I’m grateful for my new repairs, but that’s all you get.”

“I’m more happy I got to do them. I dunno how much longer I could have watched your system malfunction like that.”

“At least some good came of it. Kirumi-san, let’s get going. We’re done here.”

Rantaro bid farewell to the girls, but only Kirumi returned the gesture. Tenko went off to merrily celebrate her new repairs in the courtyard, going another way from the pianist and allowing her to resume the day by her own accord. Strolling past the Dormitory building, a sound that’d be faint for anyone else was clear as water for Kirumi, who followed it inside. It was clearly a stringed instrument, but far too rich to be a violin and not deep enough for a cello, and came from Korekiyo’s room. The melody played was still graceful, deliberate and going along with the playback of other instruments beautifully. Kirumi recognized the song, finding herself humming it and swaying back and forth as if in a dreamlike state leaning against the outside wall.

“E che sospiri… la liberta…” Kirumi warbled. “E che… sospiri…! E che sospiri… la liberta—”

“Is someone out there?” Korekiyo asked from inside, the music stopping with Kirumi’s singing. Before she could run to the stairs to hide, it was too late. The door opening caught her red-handed. “Toujou-san? Were you doing that?”

“Who, me? No, I was only… heading back to my own room, and I so happened to pick up on something coming from yours. I wasn’t eavesdropping!”

“You were at least still listening in. Don’t worry, I’m not upset if you were.”

“I wasn’t doing anything except leaving. Forgive me for being disruptive to your personal time.”

Kiyo grabbed Kirumi before she could walk off, turning her back to him. “Please. You haven’t done a thing wrong. I get you still feel bad from before, but I can assure you that wasn’t any fault of yours, even if you disagree. I spoke out of line, and I loved hearing your piano playing and would still do so. And the fact that you willingly took time out of your day to do that for me… I’ve never appreciated anything more, and I’m deeply sorry for coming off as ungrateful.”

“Really, Shinguuji-kun, you’re making a bigger deal of this than it should be. There was no need for me to make such a fuss of this. You weren’t happy, and that’s all that matters to me on this.”

“Your feelings are highly important to consider, you know. Don’t make this all about how it affected myself when it’s affected you as well.”

“The opinion of the performer means nothing in the face of a displeased audience! If they aren’t happy, then I shouldn’t be, either!”

“...Wherever did you learn something so horrible?”

Kirumi saw the stunned expression on Korekiyo, shying away with her hands joining at the front of her. “It isn’t important. What is is that I don’t distract you and cause you grief, but I’m already failing both departments. Good day, Shinguuji-kun.” Barely a step forward and her wrist was held in Kiyo’s hand, looking at him bewildered. “Yes?”

“Why don’t you come inside for a little? You spend so much time playing for others, but have you ever sat down and been the audience instead?”

“Oh, I couldn’t. I’m the performer exclusively.”

“How about taking a little time to change that? Even for a few minutes? It’d be a nice change of pace, and a way for me to return the favor.”

“No, I couldn’t ask that of you. It’d be wrong.”

“You don’t have to ask. I insist with all of my heart.” Korekiyo opened his door, gesturing for Kirumi to step in first. “Care to partake?”

“...Perhaps just once wouldn’t be so bad.” Kirumi went inside, taking a courteous seat at the desk chair with one of many sealed journals on the table. “I did enjoy your rendition of Lascia ch’io pianga. How long have you been playing viola?”

“For a few years. Likely not nearly as long as you’ve grown adept to the piano. Initially, I considered taking up violin, but I’ve found that when alone, it’s a tad too screechy for my liking.” Kiyo picked up his instrument, presenting it and the bow. “The viola, on the other hand, is similar in most ways, but slightly deeper-sounding. That way, I get every perk acquired with the violin without actually having to play it.”

“What other songs do you know?”

“I’m a tad rusty with this one, but I know a good chunk of Tchaikovsky. Are you familiar with the ‘Sleeping Beauty Waltz’?”

“Vaguely. I know they used its main melody in a rather popular children’s film, but that’s as far as my knowledge goes. Could I hear it?”

“Sure. Give me a moment to apply some fresh wax, and I’ll have a song for you shortly.”

Korekiyo took the block of rosin from his viola case and applied it to the hair of his bow in an upwards and down motion to get a good coating. Now ready, under his chin went the black rest and diagonal the strings his trusty stick. Pulling it back made the first note and pushing it away brought the second, continuing in a steady motion per the waltz’s normal tempo while his long fingers pressed down on specific points of the strings’ end parts for a change in sound. Kiyo’s eyes were closed for focus, but Kirumi couldn’t keep hers off of him, struck with awe as the rich, deep voice of the viola enraptured her with every note.

A few short pauses were taken in the middle, but that was only part of the song Tchaikovsky intended to bring to life. Soon resumed the familiar melody in smooth drags and pushes, going up slightly in pitch as a sign of the song’s nearing end. It finally came when Korekiyo made three more pauses and found the note he needed to conclude on. Opening his eyes, he received applause from Kirumi, standing and taking a humble bow with his viola and bow at his sides in different hands.

“Bravo!” Kirumi cheered. “That was an amazing rendition you put on for me. Thank you, Shinguuji-kun.”

“Your thanks isn’t necessary, I was pleased to play for you,” Korekiyo insisted. “And even more that you enjoyed it.”

“So, I take it this means you truly did enjoy my music? If it was enough to get you to do this in return.”

“Of course. And once again, I’d like to give my sincerest ap— ...say how deeply sorry I am to have implied your piano playing was anything besides magnificent. Or soothing, for that matter.”

“It’s quite alright. I was never upset with you. For you to share this with me… I’m not sure how I’ve earned it, but I won’t complain.”

“Don’t take it as a reward, more-so a gift from one music lover to another. And, since we both have access to instruments here, does a potential duet sound like something you’d be open to?”

In turning around so abruptly, Kirumi hit her hand on the desk, holding it pained. “Oww!”

“Are you alright?”

“Mmm-hmm. Just hit my hand a tad too hard is all…”

“Let me see it.” Korekiyo went to Kirumi, holding her gloved hand in his bare palms and found himself taken by meeting her eyes after she brushed her bangs enough to the side with her free hand. “Oh… why, Toujou-san. I can see both of your eyes now.”

“What?” Kirumi realized what she’d been doing, quickly dropping her hand as her hair fell back over the left eye. “Oops. I suppose you aren’t very used to that, are you?”

“It’s a little hard to be, yes, but you look as lovely as ever with one eye or both.” Kirumi seemed to shy away further into her hand and hair, her face turning a bright shade of pink all over. “What’s wrong now?”

“Nothing! Nothing at all.” Kirumi lifted her hand away to stop looking odd, smiling at Kiyo while standing up properly. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with you, Shinguuji-kun, but now I must be going. I couldn’t spend all day in your bedroom, now could I?”

Korekiyo chuckled. “No, that would be quite absurd to keep you stuck here. The cage is prison enough. I’d be happy to see you later.”

“Y-Yes. I’ll see you— later. Today, of course!” Kirumi quickly backed out, stopping the door from closing at the last minute. “Oh, and a duet would be lovely. Piano and violin do accompany one another best!”

“I look forward to it. ...May I close my door now?”

“Right, I’ll let you do that. Err, goodbye!” Kirumi backed away, Kiyo’s door finally shutting and leaving her in a private tizzy on her way out. “Dear me, what was that all about? My tongue felt full of fur or something.”

“I know~!” Miu teased, startling Kirumi from behind. “I saw the whole thing on my way out from cleaning Cockitchy’s hellacane of a room. Gotta say, though Shitguuji’s far from my first choice in dick, he seems right up your alley. In more ways than one.”

“What are you suggesting? I am a tad fond of him, but don’t get any crazy ideas around me.”

“It’s crazy that I can tell when you have the hots for someone?! Come on, Rumi! I’d have to be blind, deaf, and dumb to not get that one!”

“Even if I _hypothetically_ … considered such feelings for another, what good would that do you?”

“Ain’t it obvious? I’d help you catch your man! You gave me a pep talk, so I’m doing it back with my choice advice on the sacred art of seduction.”

“I don’t want to seduce him! I only want to spend more time together, if I had to suggest something. We are supposed to engage in a duet one of these days.”

“Weird first date, but you two are all posh and stuffy like that, so it’d be on-brand. But, that’s why you’ve got a maid like me willing to scratch your ass for ya!”

“Don’t you mean ‘scratch my back’?”

“Potato, potahto. Point is, if you need my services for snagging a man, don’t hesitate to ask!”

_‘Unfortunate to say I’m already very hesitant…’_

Some knocks at the door got Korekiyo up and going to respond. “Toujou-san, did you— ...forget something?” he asked, very quickly realizing it wasn’t Kirumi this time.

“Yep! I forgot how HOT you were and now I’m back to kiss you!” Ouma mimicked in a high-pitched voice, returning to his normal one. “All seriousness, though, I saw the whole thing. Bimbo Bread kicked me out of my lair for cleaning and I got a show instead.”

“What are you on about this time?”

“Oh, come on! Like you don’t know!” Kiyo blinked once in response, confused. “...About Toujou-chan?” Blink. “How nervous she acted leaving and talking to you?” Blink. “But was still happy to pay a visit?!” ...Blink, blink. “Gah, for Pete’s sake! She has a crush on you!”

“A crush? Ouma-kun, that’s absurd even for you. Toujou-san was only stopping by for a short chat— and viola session— then went on her merry way. She was probably just shaken from hitting her hand on the table is all.”

“...Wow. You’re really stupid for a detective, aren’t you?”

“No. I’m not. And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call me such. You’re likely only seeing things as part of your avid imagination, and thus aren’t actually what’s going on. Toujou-san and I have patched up our disagreement from before and are now looking to be promising companions.”

“Without benefits, apparently.”

“Hush. There is no need for something so sacred to turn into such a distraction.”

“A distraction? What?”

“While it’s already highly unlikely for Toujou-san to harbor such an affection towards me, I myself would take it no further. Outside of a killing game or in, romantic relationships only prove detrimental to my busy work and would cause me to focus far less than I could ever afford.”

“While I’m handing it to you for being fairly smart with Monokuma’s game by not picking now to date, the fact that it isn’t a factor means you haven’t gotten laid outside of here, have ya?” Ouma felt his ear cartilage be pinched, then yanked hard by a vexed Kiyo. “OWIE! What was that for?!”

“You know what you did. Do not talk so inappropriately with me. Besides, it’d be highly unnecessary to discuss such a thing regardless. You can’t prove Toujou-san sees me in such a way or ever would.”

“Can, too! What makes you think she’d never ever like you? You’re pretty easy on the eyes in a dark and gothic kinda way. Just like her! And, you seem to have lots in common, too!”

“I… just don’t see it possible. Although I’m open to having friendly relationships, romantic ones just wouldn’t end well on my part.” Korekiyo frowned, disappointed in himself. “I could never satisfy anyone out there, so it’s best if I stuck to what I’m able to pull off and keep myself properly busy.”

“Yeesh, and you squawk about how I’m bad with other people. How do you know you’d be a bad partner if you’ve never dated? That’s a really weird shot in the dark to take!”

“I— have a very strong feeling, that I could never be good to anyone.” Korekiyo gripped his forearms, chin to his chest while starting to slowly unravel some. “I’m a very busy man, and I can hardly manage my own personal affairs by myself, nevermind a romantic partner’s needs. S-Something would go wrong from my doing, I just know it!”

“Uhh, Shinguuji-chan? You don’t look so good.”

Korekiyo couldn’t hear him, too caught up in his internal dilemma to pay attention anywhere else. “I need not fool anybody otherwise. It’s best l-left avoided rather than to try and fail greatly…! S-So, that’s that. I have no place sticking my nose into such a great hindrance to my investigative work, and it’s staying so…”

Ouma brought an empty brown sandwich bag up to Kiyo, who was now veering into hyperventilation territory. “Awesome story, but I don’t really care for it. I’m sure this paper baggie would love hearing you yak about it, though! But, you’ll have to say it all over again in a language only it speaks.”

“Being…?”

“Hahooese. It’s got two words pronounced like this.” Ouma inhaled as deep as his lungs would fill, then exhaled. “Try it!”

Korekiyo was confused for a moment, but realized what Ouma wanted him to do. Holding onto the bag’s neck, he inhaled every bit of its air inside of him, then returned it. Expansion and deflation went on in the end of the bag. The process repeated until the breathing steadied to a calmer pace, stopping for a second when Ouma’s little hand was put on the sleuth’s back. He eased up realizing all that came were mild pets, resuming the “Hahooese translation” for the paper bag until he was fully relaxed back into his normal, levelheaded temperament.

“All good?” Ouma asked.

“Yes…” Korekiyo exhaled. “Wherever did you get this bag from, by the way?”

“My room.” The horrific look Kiyo gave the bag made Ouma groan as he took the bag back. “It’s clean! I didn’t get to use it yet until now.”

“Very well, I’ll take your word for it. I’m sorry that you had to see me nearly lose myself.”

“Big whoop. I won’t be on your case because you get panic attacks, that’s normal for lots of Earthlings.”

“Now begs the question of why you helped bring me down from it. By all means, thank you, but you’re not someone I expected to do that for a member of the species you hold so much abhorrence for.”

“Don’t worry about it. I had your situation right—” Ouma held up his paper bag, “‘in the bag’.”

There was a pause, Korekiyo snickering into his fingertips and shaking to hide his laughs. “Goodness, Ouma-kun. That was terrible.”

“Why are you laughing, then?” Ouma peered proudly, Kiyo quickly growing stoic and pretending he hadn’t been humored.

“I wasn’t. I had something in my throat.”

“If you’re gonna try and lie to the king of liars, at least try. That was flimsier than tissue paper.”

“Lying isn’t my job. Fishing the truth out of the dishonest or guilty is. If I don’t, it could be the very last thing I do, no matter how reluctant I may be.”

“That explains why you kept going at the trial despite being such a Mr. Antsy-Pantsy. If you prioritize finding the truth that badly, how come you get all worked up, too? You should be used to busting bad guys and having ‘em thrown in the slammer where they belong! It’s something to celebrate over, not get bummed!”

“...It’s a very personal story, and I’d rather not bore you with such a nerve-wracking tale.” Korekiyo fixed his cravat, feeling downtrodden from the memories now back in his consciousness. “Forgive me, Ouma-kun.”

“Eh, suit yourself. Closet skeletons aren’t required for your evaluation if you don’t wanna tell me. Feel free not to let the cat out of here for all I care.”

“Out of where?” Kiyo looked to see Ouma shake the brown bag again, understanding the joke and hunching with suppressed laughter as his lips twitched. “Are you going for two now…?”

“I’ve got hundreds in me, but there’s no need to let ‘em all out at once. Then I’d have no material for later!”

“Why don’t I let you spare me the rest for now? Thank you for stopping by, but I’d like to get back to what I was doing before.”

“Be my guest. I’ll be back to bug you later. Don’t wait up for me too much, okay, handsome?”

Kiyo became flummoxed at that and Ouma winking at him flirtatiously, huffing with his head away from him quite stubbornly. “Trying to get a rise out of me in such a way will not work. I advise you no to say that so casually.”

“What? I can’t call it how I see it?” This only made Korekiyo appear more disgruntled, turning away blushing and puffing from his nostrils with one hand on his hip.

“Ugh! You childish fool.” He slammed the door in Ouma’s face, storming back inside.

“Nishishi! Someone’s got trouble taking compliments, methinks.”

Ouma skipped off and left Korekiyo be, unaware of how from inside his room, the taller of them spared a glance for his door as if either of his former guests were still there. One, a new friend in the making holds his happiness among others’ at high value, and the other, someone he hadn’t expected to actually come to be of aid, but suspected something good to be hidden away within. He picked up his viola and resumed the rest of his practice, feeling very pleasant from the talks he’d just had.

Maybe some good could come from a relatively grim situation after all…

* * *

Passing by the stairs of the second floor going up, Shuichi could hear some noise from the third. Upon ascending, he saw no one in the hallway, but the clamor became more audible the closer he got to the Ultimate Tennis Pro Lab. An ear leaning against its door, he found a match for the mysterious noise and opened some to see the presumed match Kaito managed to snag. In addition, he hadn’t gotten the chance to see what it looked like inside, so now was killing two birds with a single stone.

The room wasn’t anything he didn’t expect. Walls a darker plum than its owner’s hair and floors midnight gray save for the green turf with white markings taking up the entire middle, a long tennis net stretched across that same section to leave room for going around between playing. Two skylights allowed extra lighting from outside and inside into the Lab, bleachers going up to only three rows sitting on the side also leading to the pair of separate shower room doors. A large scoreboard was attached to the back wall, presenting the growing score between two opponents in bright orange electronic numbers.

Racks for many different tennis rackets were hung up near the door, crates of spare green balls underneath them. In the wall beside the showers stayed a water fountain for refilling bottles or drinking without, a few feet to the right above it a white cabinet Shuichi didn’t know what was inside until Kaito went towards it after the scoreboard buzzer went off to end that round. It turned out to be a medicine cabinet full of pill bottles, the vial of Maki’s “potion”, several smaller bottles of liquid sitting next to a box of disposable syringes, and an inhaler being currently being selected for use.

“Momota-kun, are you good over there?” Kaede asked, her presence surprising Shuichi and not on account of what Kaito vowed at breakfast. He was clearly concealing his inhaler from her, taking puffs in secret like it would expose a different person in disguise.

“Hmm— yep…! Just about!” Kaito inhaled, letting the mist settle inside his lungs before stashing away his inhaler. He then took another swig of Maki’s potion, corking that, putting it back and shutting the cabinet for good. “Ready and waiting, Akamatsu! What’s the score so far?”

“40-Love.”

“Is not! I can see the board now!”

Kaede giggled. “I’m kidding. It’s 15-30…”

“Don’t sound so down! The whole point of this is to strike your worries away so you can be ready for the big leagues! Practice is more of an ‘anything goes’ time, but it also makes perfect! The more blunders you make here, the less you’ll make out there.”

“Because I’ll have learned from some training?”

“Right! See? You’ve got it.” Kaito batted his tennis racket against his palm, already pumped to play. “Now, less talking, more servin’! Whatever you’ve got to through at me is coming right back at you on the spot!”

“It’s coming right at you! Heads up!”

When Kaede served, Kaito jumped in and struck the tennis ball as hard as he could from the middle of his racked, making it go flying past his opponent and right into Shuichi’s gut by the door. “GUH!” he winced, falling right over clutching the area.

“Shit! Is that you, Saihara?” Kaito gasped, running over and helping him inside. “If you wanted to watch Akamatsu and me, you could’ve just sat on the bleachers.”

“I didn’t expect myself to stay long…” Shuichi breathed, sore while looking at Kaede. “I guess Momota-kun’s offer went to good use?”

“Yeah, he all but kidnapped me to play tennis,” Kaede confessed. “Something about sweating out all my aggressions and bracing myself for anything hard so I can be ready to do better as a leader. It kinda makes sense, yet at the same time, not really.”

“Has it been working?”

“...Fairly! I do feel like I blew off a lot of steam because I’m exercising, so I’ll give him that for points.”

“Nothing beats getting the blood flowing and going!” Kaito cheered. “And though you seem to be there already, tennis is bound to keep you plenty in shape from all the work you’re doing keeping up with me. It’s not just everybody’s view on you you’re going up against, anything could happen in this school that you’ve gotta take down physically.”

“Wouldn’t I need a different kind of training for that? Sports can only do so much for you.”

“I’m not the martial artist, he is!” Kaito pointed to Shuichi, then getting an idea. “...Although! Hey, Saihara, you mind teaching us some good old Aikido sometime? Maybe that pressure point move you used on me after the trial? Being on the receiving end was a little… okay, _really_ embarrassing, but it was still a cool trick! Whaddya say? Wanna teach me?”

“Not that move because that was a last resort,” Shuichi rejected, “but I couldn’t really teach the ins and outs of Aikido to anybody since my Lab’s not open yet.”

“Well—”

“—The ‘dummy’ you made for me is definitely out of the question.” Kaito snapped his fingers. “I don’t mind sharing my skills with anyone, but it’d wait until I have all the right stuff for it. Until then, sports practice and normal fitness is gonna have to do.”

“Good enough,” Kaede decided.

“Hey, why don’t you stay and join us?” Kaito suggested. “You and Akamatsu could pair up and I could see how I do against two opponents by myself! That’s why this Lab was made for me; to really test my limits as an athlete!”

“What?” Shuichi squeaked. “Akamatsu-san and I? No, I couldn’t intrude. This is all for her, not me, and she doesn’t want me in her way.”

“It’s just tennis,” Kaede said. “I only don’t want you involved with everything else because you had nothing to do with my mistakes. This, on the other hand, is just harmless exercise.”

“Exercise and training!” Kaito clarified. “I’m gonna whip you two into playing shape! You’ll have martial arts, babysitting, _and_ sports on your personal resume once we’re through!”

“A few rounds wouldn’t hurt,” Shuichi decided, taking off his hakama pants and revealing his black gi pants underneath. “You’re sure you wanna take us both on?”

“Definitely! Neither of you hold back!”

Shuichi picked up a tennis racket and joined Kaede on the same side of the court, Kaito serving the ball first and slamming it across with all of his might. In retaliation, Shuichi dove for it and swung, only to fall to the ground missing it completely and effectively costing his team the point. He got off the ground, Kaede returning the ball to Kaito so he could serve again, the ball flying back their way as soon as it’d hit his racket. This time, Shuichi managed to hit it properly against the net-shaped string, moving to get it when a powerful forehand sent it back the way it’d come. Kaede leaped in, using her backhand and successfully striking the ball to Kaito’s side, forbidding it from hitting the turf by swatting it a second time after it’d returned.

“Look alive, Saihara-kun!” Kaede demanded, using another backhand to deflect the tennis ball to Kaito’s side and a forehand to repeat when he hit it back. “We’re supposed to be a team, so you’ve gotta have my back, too!”

“I thought I wasn’t supposed to hover around you ever again?” Shuichi tested, distracting Kaede enough for the ball to give Kaito another score.

“Love-30!” Kaito called out, adjusting the board. “Come on, Saihara! Get your head in the game!”

“And out of stupid conclusions,” Kaede chided, picking up the ball but stopped from throwing it by her teammate.

“Can you blame me for coming to it?” Shuichi challenged. “I don’t mind giving you the space you need, but… it just feels like you don’t want me around at all. I get you wanna protect me from being caught in the tide, but that’s not what I’m scared of. Danger has come my way a lot, but I’m trained to deal with it well.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to go and jump headfirst into it on purpose! You’d wanna reduce the odds as much as possible, and that’s exactly what I’m trying to do until I’m safe to be around again.”

“You were never unsafe to begin with!” Kaede froze, Shuichi maintaining his steadfast expression. “...Listen, Akamatsu-san. Nobody’s perfect, not even you. But, your mistakes don’t suddenly take away every great trait you’ve got or feat you’ve done. It’s just a slip-up, that’s it. There’s not a doubt in my mind you’ll learn from what happened, and that’s why I’ll never feel like you’re a danger to be around. Try to convince me of that all you want, but I won’t listen even once.”

Kaede lowered the ball in her grasp, which shook with the rest of her body. “...You don’t know what you’re dealing with.”

“No one does, but everything’s gotta be dealt with anyway, so why back out in the first place?”

“Can we talk about this later? It’s just not a good time.”

“This can’t be put off no matter how tough it is to talk about. I’m making myself loud and clear—”

“—No, I mean because we’re in the middle of a tennis match and we need to finish the game.”

“Oh. Then, yeah, later might be better. You ready?”

“I am, how about you? Give this all you got!” Kaede threw the ball back to Kaito, who served and sent it their way. She deflected using a backhand, bracing herself for another strike after Kaito gave his mighty forehand. “Saihara-kun, coming at you!”

“Gotcha!” Charging forward, Shuichi struck the ball with a backhand, then again using another once it returned to his side. “Wow, I hit it.”

“Now, do it again!” Kaito ordered, swatting it to his opponents’ side.

“That’s not a problem!” Kaede exclaimed, running after the tennis ball and sending it flying to Kaito.

“You just made a fatal mistake, Akamatsu. Have a fine, delectable taste of my overhead SMASH!” Raising his racket, Kaito struck the ball directly downwards towards the other side, bouncing off the turf and headed for Shuichi.

“Sorry, Momota-kun, but I’m just not hungry!” Shuichi retorted, jumping up and hitting the tennis ball down to Kaito, who swung and managed to miss from such quick reflexes.

“Huh,” Kaito remarked. “15-30! Not bad, bro, not bad!”

“Keep up the good work!” Kaede cheered. “It’s only tennis, so it shouldn’t be too hard to win! But, if we don’t, then— better luck next time!”

“We’ve still got a good chance,” Shuichi said. “Teamwork’s the most important thing in sports.”

“It doesn’t make us entirely unstoppable, but it does help us plenty in some way! Let’s earn those three last points taking us to victory!”

Shuichi and Kaede worked to keep up with Kaito’s shots whenever the ball went to him, both taking turns whenever they could in hitting it using their backhands or forearms depending on what angle the ball came at. When one missed a swing, the other stepped in to take over hit properly to keep up the back-and-forth between both sides. Another point was scored in their favor after finally getting Kaito off guard, but he reclaimed his honor using another overhead smash and keeping the ball hard-hit enough to get ahead of them.

“30-40! Game point!” Kaito cheered, bouncing the tennis ball against the turf a few times. “Awesome work so far, you two, but one wrong move and the win’s going home with me!”

“You’ll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands to do that!” Kaede gloated. “Even then, my ghost isn’t letting up!”

Kaito was caught off-guard enough to miss his own serve, bouncing the ball again to start over. “H-Hey, don’t say that! Ghosts aren’t real and you can’t tell me otherwise!”

“Are you scared of them?” Shuichi asked.

“N-No! I can’t be scared of something that doesn’t exist! Don’t b-be ridiculous!”

“Momota-kun, it’s okay to be afraid,” Kaede said. “Everyone’s got their share of fears—”

“—I’m NOT scared!” Kaito gave the ball a hard serve, which was deflected by Shuichi’s backhand and sent past the rigid tennis player, who was too late to catch it. “Hey! No fair! You guys distracted me that time!”

“It still counts,” Shuichi stated. “40-40.”

“Deuce, Saihara, deuce. And for the record, you say ‘number-all’ or ‘number-up’ when it’s tied at 15 or 30 only. When it’s tied at game point, it’s ‘deuce’ instead because the next point wins.”

“Oh. Then may the best player win this match!”

“Make sure you’re giving it as much all as you have been, if not more than that! I won’t accept either of you guys holding back on me! Also, no more bullshit about ghosts or whatever! That was your one freebie.”

“We’ll play this one fair and square this time, that’s a promise,” Kaede vowed. “Now, are you gonna talk pretty all day, or serve?”

“The only part of me that’s gonna be doing the talking is my arm!”

Kaito served the final ball, Kaede moving and hitting it back with her backhand. When it came back their way, Shuichi was the one retaliating using a forehand, doing it again after Kaito swatted it against the middle of his racket. The martial artist nearly missed the ball the next time around, but his partner stepped in and struck it for him to keep it away from another point lost. Kaito’s forehand got the ball over to his opponents’ side of the net, and his opposite shot kept it at a distance when it came back over.

“I didn’t wanna have to do this, but you guys—! Leave me no choice!” Kaito grunted, hitting the ball once again. In the split seconds it was far enough away from him, he spun around and sprung up like a bouncy ball, pulling his forearm as back as it could and slamming the racket against the green orb of fuzz. “There’s no beating the Shining Star of the Court’s last resort desperation move: the ‘Sparkling Wide Super Buzzy Ball of Championship’!”

“He calls it what?” Kaede wondered, looking just too late at the result. The tennis ball seemed to grind against Kaito’s racket in a matter not unlike that of a buzzsaw, flying downwards in a diagonal motion and blasting itself past the turf when Shuichi and Kaede jumped to safety. Smoke from the impact cleared, revealing the tennis ball jammed an inch through the false, supple ground with no chance of redemption.

“Wow…” Shuichi gawked.

“Game, set, match!” Kaito cheered. “I’m impressed for your first match against me, but with more training, you guys’ll get up to my ranks in no time! Lemme know when’s good for us to do this again next time.”

“I’m not so sure if I wanna do this again after… that.” Shuichi tried picking up the ball, which took more effort to so much as budge. “Good game, though.”

“Always one! And the next one’s gonna be great! Don’t get so discouraged playing against the Ultimate Tennis Pro; it’s given you’ll be a few steps behind me right now. Some more matches, and that’ll be a worry of the past!”

“Tennis is pretty fun to play,” Kaede admitted. “I actually feel way less stressed than when I came in here. Don’t you, Saihara-kun?”

“Exercise and using lots of energy will do that to you,” Shuichi said. “But, I did have a great time. Maybe another match some other day wouldn’t hurt.”

“You’re both in? Fantastic!” Kaito rooted. “I’d be happy being your professional life-slash-sports coach. Akamatsu for leadership and steam blowing, and Saihara for limit pushing and bumping up his muscles!”

“I can only bump up my leader skills for so long,” Kaede warned. “Eventually, I’ll have to actually use what I’ve learned in some way.”

“However you choose to do it, you’d better believe I’ll be supporting you from the front lines the whole time. Right, bro?”

“Right,” Shuichi agreed, nodding. He offered his hand to Kaede, hoping she’d accept it. “Good game?”

“...Good game,” Kaede said back, shaking the hand she’d taken. “Sports and martial arts are kinda similar, so I’m not surprised you wound up doing so good.”

“They’re similar, but you can tell the obvious differen— CES!” Shuichi yelped when Kaito smacked his behind after having just tied his hakama back on, turning flustered. “Hey! Hands to yourself!”

“What do you mean? Sports players smack their teammates on the butt all the time,” Kaito informed him. “I’m not doing it ‘cause I’m into dudes like that, it’s just another way of saying ‘nice work’. Yeesh, is your head always in the gutter?”

“Ah. Well, at least give a heads up next time you do that, please.”

“Yeah, and what about me?” Kaede questioned, tapping her foot with folded arms.

“Uhh…” Kaito stammered, looking wary at her and only giving a pat on the shoulder. “Good game, Akamatsu!” The only response received was an angry growl. “What?! I’m not gonna slap you on the butt! You’re a girl!”

“Then I hope you don’t mind if I do this.” Kaede gave Shuichi and Kaito simultaneous hard slaps to their respective bottoms, the boys screeching as a result. “Good game, fellas! Good game! Hit the showers! WHOO!”

“At least you’re getting into the spirit…” Kaito rubbed his lower cheeks, Shuichi frozen with his face a bright red. “You okay? ...Saihara?”

Shuichi couldn’t muster a verbal response, still catatonic from the slap to his butt until Kaede knocked on his head a few times. “Guh! What did you say?” he asked, back in reality.

“It’s not important, but this is, now that I bring it up.” Kaito pulled Shuichi close to his ear, lowering his voice as best as he could. “I get it might have seemed like Akamatsu wants nothing to do with you anymore even before she cleared it up, but that was never true. Don’t tell her I repeated this, but the truth is, she’s missed you like crazy and wants to hang out with you again after she’s ‘cleaned up her mess’.”

“You know I can hear everything you’re telling him, don’t you?” Kaede hissed, giving Kaito a disapproving look like she would a naughty daycare child. “But, since the word’s out, it doesn’t really matter anymore. It’s true.”

“That you miss me?” Shuichi wondered, Kaede nodding.

“Like crazy, but I don’t wanna put my partner in danger. After I’m sure the coast is clear, I’d love to have your company back. I’m not avoiding you forever or because I want you out of my hair for that long. It’s just until the others can fully trust me again, and…”

“And until you can trust yourself that much, too?”

“Pretty much. So… not goodbye, but see you later. I promise.”

Shuichi smiled comfortably as Kaede left, deciding it was time for him to get going himself to go about his own agenda. He said bye to Kaito and left him to do some personal practice in his Lab without anymore opponents, traveling downstairs from the third floor. Seeing as he had lots of time left in the day, he wondered if anyone was at the pool. If not, paying it a visit wouldn’t hurt anyone or break a new rule. A little time for himself did sound pretty good following an intense sports match, after all.

* * *

Himiko strode into the dining hall craving a snack, about to assume it empty when she heard the faucet running. Stepping carefully in case she was on her way to witnessing a potential murder scene (even if she hadn’t seen those bears in a good while besides the morning and night announcements, a blessing), all she saw was Kirumi getting a glass of water. Approaching carefully, she avoided any sudden movements, poking the taller woman in her back and causing her to nearly choke on her water from being startled.

“Whoops,” Himiko uttered. “Sorry, Toujou, I was trying not to scare you.”

“You’d have better luck if you simply spoke up first,” Kirumi coughed, wiping away the water she’d spilled. “What is it?”

“I can’t reach the snacks because they’re in the higher cupboard, Can you pick me up so I can get them?”

Kirumi instead opened the cupboard and took out a snack bag, handing it to Himiko (who was now disappointed she didn’t get a piggyback ride). “Here you are, Yumeno-san.”

“Thanks…” Himiko could see the gloom in Kirumi’s eyes, munching on the first cone-shaped mini chip. “Something’s eating you. What is it?”

“Hmm? Oh, it isn’t a big deal. I don’t want to worry you with something I can resolve alone.”

“Lemme hear it. For all you know, I could be able to help.”

“It’s related to the morale, or lack thereof, around here. My music appears to have been working on a few people here when they sit and listen, but I feel as though it isn’t enough.”

“Why is it such a big deal to you? It’s not your job to make everyone happy.”

“On the contrary. Sensei’s expectations have always centered around audience reaction and I as a pianist shan’t dirty his legacy by disappointing a crowd. I mean, you wouldn’t sell half-baked, dingy cosplay attire at conventions, would you?”

“My outfits hardly get any buys except from some really desperate otaku and whoever’s itching to be the belle of the cosplay masquerade.”

“Why? Do others find them shabby?”

“No, but I do hear complaints about the prices being too high in others’ standards. Honestly, if they can’t afford it, don’t even look at my table. But, anyways, to answer your question, no, I wouldn’t sell props without all my effort.”

“Then it’s the same for piano. It’s both my job and something I take lots of pride in.”

“You do you, Toujou.” Himiko took a pause when the proverbial light bulb shone above her hat. “Ah! Actually, hear me out. I just came up with an idea that’ll suit us both.”

“Really? What is it?”

“Okay, first answer me this: your Research Lab’s got a big stage, right? And lots of sound equipment?”

“Yes, and yes.”

“Perfect. Now, I propose you and I work together to…” Himiko tip-toed up to Kirumi’s ear, whispering her intentions. “So that way, lots are involved and everyone has a good time.”

“Are you sure that’s a realistic idea? What if we can’t find enough people with the ability? Or the willingness, for that matter.”

“I’ve got my ways. Follow my lead for a little while, and we’ll make a decision we can both agree on.”

Kirumi wasn’t sure of the gratified look on Himiko’s face, but gave her the benefit of the doubt if she really had a way to help her out. The deal was struck, allowing the two to kick their plans off from the shadows until it was time to put them into fruition. It didn’t feel as though something wasn’t sitting right with her, but she did have every reason to be cautious of what could go even the slightest bit awry in the endeavor, whatever it wound up becoming. Himiko never struck her as being the sneaky type, but too many assumptions was the worst idea to have in a dangerous prison school.

 _Here goes nothing_ , Kirumi thought, getting ready for her surprise collaboration. All for the sake of mutual back-scratching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look, the 3rd part of a Daily Life and no one's dead. Yaaaay! At least Tenko got repaired because I was SICK of writing her malfunctioning/short-circuiting. Glad that's over and is from this point on unless it's just a tiny glitch or something. She won't be doing it for several chapters anymore, I can guarantee you all that. ":3
> 
> No, but seriously, each arc chapter is probably gonna vary in length. Chapter 1 was so short bc... well, it was the start of it (I guess you could count anything after the "entrance ceremony" as being part of it, but I didn't label it as such :P). You'll all have plenty of leniency before things get bad again, so enjoy it while you can~  
> By the way, nobody told me the rules of tennis were more complex than I thought. WTF is up with that whack scoring system???
> 
> I'd wish you all a happy 4th, but... honestly, fuck this country lmfao who cares. Still, I hope your days are still good, and I'll be seeing you wonderful peeps the next time I update. Later days! ♥


	15. Episode XIV: Daily Life 2.4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya, friends! This chapter's slightly shorter than the rest, but it's not under my set minimum of pages. It's another easygoing chapter, too, so there's not much you have to worry about in terms of what goes down outside of minimal drama. I promise, the Daily Life won't go too long; I just wanna add some "meat" between the killings. That said, the juicy stuff will come pretty soon for all you lovely peeps. ;3c
> 
> (Also, I was wrong; my laptop shipped, but still isn't here yet rip)
> 
> Now, let's get on with the show! Have fun and Happy Reading, everyone! ♥

A few more days of semi-peace passed the Ultimate Academy, the students going about their restricted lives within its walls trying to make do with a bad situation. During one lunch, Shuichi sat with Kaito and chatted, also making light observations of what some of the others were doing in their spare mealtime. Among them in particular, he noticed Himiko speaking with an ecstatic Angie and Kirumi with Korekiyo, both appearing rather pleased to be in each other’s presence. Nothing unusual there, except for when the pianist and cosplayer pulled their respective comrade in for a more private conversation, something Shuichi turned away from since he wasn’t able to pick up on a word. Who he did see passing by was Maki, who paid no heed to anyone and as usual opted to sit by herself to write down more things in one of her “grimoires”.

“Harukawa-san,” Shuichi greeted, not receiving so much as a look up from Maki. “Sorry if it seems like I’m bothering you, but I’m just curious about the spell you’re putting in.”

“You don’t ‘seem’ like you’re bothering me, you are,” Maki bit, still writing down her incantations. “Get lost.”

“Hey, my bro here means no harm!” Kaito insisted. “He just had a quick question for you is all. Probably related to your magic and whatnot, but we don’t bite!”

“No, but you do curse. If either of you were more like me and practiced the dark arts, then I wouldn’t have as much to worry about. Well, I still would, but at least you’d know what I do.”

“What do you mean by us ‘cursing’ you?” Shuichi asked.

“Exactly what I said. If I’m stuck too close to people like you, it’s bound to end badly on my end. You’ll be fine, but me? Not so much.”

“If it’s us being non-magical is what you’re worried about, why not sit us down for a spell?” Kaito quipped, meaning his words despite the intentional pun. “Teach us your wisdom, O Mystical Maki.”

“Pass. Getting you up to my level would take way too much time and effort I don’t have. You’re better off not bothering so you don’t get me into trouble.”

“Life isn’t about just up and ‘not bothering’ with anything! If you do that, you won’t get to experience anything meaningful. Whatever’s in your way of teaching us magic and how to do cool tricks, you run right towards that, jump over, and don’t look back!”

“There’s nothing stopping me, I just choose not to.” Maki turned to Shuichi. “And if you really have to know so badly, it’s a recent spell I learned in my Lab.”

“What does it do?” Even though he had a hard time believing magic spells weren’t anything but fantasy, telling Maki that would not end well.

“It’s nothing worth losing sleep over. Just a protection spell meant for steering someone away from danger. I know that’d be worth casting in a killing game.”

“See?! Teaching us would really save everyone’s skins!” Kaito encouraged. “Or at least using it on more than one person.”

“Besides the fact that I don’t have nearly enough mana to do such a wide-range spell, the magic itself isn’t all I’d need for it to work. It’d have to be cast, but then sped up using caution. If I used this on someone about to jump off a cliff without a parachute, it wouldn’t work and they’d be dead on impact since that negates the spell.”

“What kind of magic needs outside forces to work?” Shuichi wondered.

“Mine. You don’t wanna use it right? Fine, I don’t care. At least I know what I’m doing.” Maki closed her grimoire on the red feather bookmark, picking it up and sitting elsewhere. “You got your answer, so that’s all I’m saying to you.”

“I wonder why Harukawa-san’s so iffy around other people.”

“Everyone’s got their reasons, but they can still be brought out of their shell all the same!” Kaito declared.

“That doesn’t sound right. What would work for one isn’t necessarily gonna work for someone else.”

“Maybe not the same methods, but by the end of it, they can adjust to others better. And Harukawa’s no exception! I’ll get through and I won’t die trying!”

“Let her have a little elbow room first. Girls don’t like being bugged until they’re ready to talk.”

“It’s still gotta happen one way or another. I just know she doesn’t have to stay closed off from the rest of us forever!”

“Give it time. You can give her the right incentive, but ultimately, it depends on whether she comes to you or not.”

“Oh, you mean like Akamatsu’s doing to you right now?”

“Right, like how— wait, what was that?”

“Good afternoon, boys,” Kaede greeted, sitting by a flummoxed Shuichi and an amicable Kaito. “Are we on for another tennis match later?”

“Not today, sorry,” Kaito declined. “I had an accident with one of the twin tennis ball machines and I’m still pretty sore from it. The minute I’m not, though, it’s game on again! Right, Shu?”

“Uhh, yeah, of course,” Shuichi agreed after his head recalibrated. “What brings you here today, Akamatsu-san?”

“I’m not staying the whole time, but I could at least stop and say hello,” Kaede answered. “And, of course, the tennis match question. How are things?”

“They could be worse. It’s been… kinda quiet around here. A little too quiet.”

“No complaints here. I like it. Without you-know-who or his annoying kids butting in right now, it’s given us a lot of free time that I’ve been using to collect my strategy.”

“For escaping this place, or stepping up as a leader again?”

“The second one. I’m not ready to think of another escape plan just yet, and I don’t think anyone is either.”

“Speaking of ‘plans’, I do wonder what’s going on with Toujou-san and Yumeno-san over there?”

“You’re about to find out,” Himiko spoke up, now in front of the three’s table with Kirumi and pulling Shuichi up. “Let’s go.”

“What? Where?!”

“My Lab, if you will,” Kirumi answered. “Follow us, please.”

“Hey, hey, whoa! You can’t just take him like this!” Kaito objected. “Wherever Shuichi goes, I go!”

“Sorry, Momota, but you didn’t make the cut,” Himiko told him. “You probably wouldn’t want to, anyway.”

“Why? What are you doing?”

“Can’t tell you. Saihara, come with us.”

“Hey—!” Shuichi yelped, being next to kidnapped by Kirumi and Himiko and taken out of the dining hall. “Easy now.”

“Go follow him,” Kaito ordered Kaede. “I dunno what’s going on, but Shuichi might need our help!”

“Then why don’t you go? You’d stir up less worry than I would,” Kaede fought.

“I see him all the time, you don’t. Now, go before it’s too late!”

Darting up from her seat, Kaede hurried out of the dining hall after Shuichi, trailing after him and the two girls going upstairs from around the corner. Using every ounce of stealth she had, she lurked behind and went undetected, her back against the walls and sliding forward with her arms out. She saw them disappear inside, waiting a few seconds to give off a false sense of security. When good to move, Kaede ran and forced the unlocked door open, in an automatic battle pose in case a conspiracy was occurring.

“Unhand Shuichi or suffer— …the consequences?” Kaede wondered, only seeing Himiko leering at her beside a more accepting Kirumi. Also in the room stood Angie, Korekiyo, Kiibo, Maki (somehow), Miu, and of course, Shuichi, looking at her annoyed if miffed with her and concerned if not. “What’s going on in here?”

“Well, before you kicked the door open like a barbarian, Yumeno-san and Kirumi were just about to explain,” Korekiyo scolded.

“Yeah, get the ants outta your pussy and shut your yap so we know why we got dragged here!” Miu shouted.

“Oh no, I wasn’t dragged here. Simply requested, and accepted.”

“No surprise there.” Miu gave Kirumi a knowing smirk, her glower forcing her not to say a peep to the oblivious detective.

“Getting to the point,” Kirumi spoke up, “Yumeno-san came to me just a few days ago with a humble proposition. One for helping maintain peace around here.”

“The one Gokuhara and Iidabashi tried to do was a good start, but we were thinking something a bit bigger than painting,” Himiko said.

“What did you have in mind?” Kiibo asked, concerned.

“And frankly, how can you be so sure this won’t result in another murder?” Korekiyo inquired.

“That’s not a guarantee, but it beats letting so much pressure build up that things go from bad to worse,” Kirumi stated. “Gokuhara-kun’s idea could only quel a small number of people, but we’re hoping this has a much bigger reach.”

“So, we’re proud to announce you six,” Himiko declared, pointing to everyone else except Kaede, “are going to be our first ever, live from this Lab idol group!”

“Idols?” Shuichi wondered. “Us?”

“You have got to be kidding me,” Maki sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You dragged me all the way here just to try and force me into a stupid singing group with a bunch of people I doubt can even sing?”

“Well, typically, most traditional idol groups are supposed to have _nine_ members, but that leaves us with less of an audience,” Himiko told her. “Besides, you six fit just the vision I’m trying to bring to life, colors and all.”

“Shouldn’t you have auditioned us based on how well we can sing?” Angie asked. “I’m honored to be a part of this, but Maki does have a point. Talent is what makes a music group work best.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll deal with that if a boo-boo comes up. Besides, practice can make perfect, right, Kirumi?”

“Typically speaking, yes,” Kirumi affirmed. “You all don’t have to be experts overnight. This is simply a harmless performance for everyone else to see.”

“Me, an idol?” Kiibo breathed, sparkles in his eyes as he started smiling bright. “Oh, how exciting! The pop star business has always had my attention since I was younger. I’d get to sing on a stage, wear shiny costumes, sing my own songs—!”

“—Actually, Iidabashi, you’re not writing your own songs here,” Himiko corrected. “This is gonna be like an idol group, but also… more of a pre-set musical play.”

“Oh. That works too, I guess.”

“Don’t get too down in the dumps, Kiibabey!” Miu comforted, slapping him on the back playfully. “You’ll still get the chance to sing and wear sparkly, sexy costumes. I for one can’t wait to see you jump around in one~.”

“Really? Well, I also think you’d look beautiful in whatever outfit we’ll all get to try on for the shows. Of course, that’ll all depend on what they are, but you’ve got the right face and confidence to pull it off.”

“Duh! Obviously, with looks and a body like mine! I’d have an audience screaming my name all night long, and at the show while they’re at it!” Miu still blushed, rubbing her arm shyly from Kiibo’s praise. “Thanks, though. It’s really nice of you to think that.”

“So, when will our very first rehearsal taking place?” Angie wondered.

“We’re planning on tomorrow around this time,” Kirumi answered, handing the new castmates a folder each a different color: yellow for Angie, green for Korekiyo, white for Kiibo, red for Maki, pink for Miu, and blue for Shuichi. “Until then, we suggest all of you look over your material to start getting used to it.”

“Count me out,” Maki declined, dropping her folder on the floor and heading towards the exit. “I’m through performing for people, and I’m not starting again now. You’re all free to waste your time doing this, but I won’t.”

“Nyeh, why are you such a buzzkill?” Himiko groaned. “It won’t kill you to do something besides cooping yourself up in your Lab all day long. You’ll turn into a vampire at this rate.”

“You turn into a vampire by getting bitten by another one, or being really unlucky after you die, not by staying away from others who aren’t worth my time. Sorry I’d rather not get cursed, but I’ll gladly take the smarter option.”

“Cursed? Whatever do you mean we’ll curse you?” Kirumi asked.

“Don’t ask,” Shuichi said. “Harukawa-san, this could be your chance to see that being around other people long enough isn’t always so bad. Sure, there’s no definite way of protecting yourself from the unexpected, but at the same time, you could be missing out on some good things.”

“Yeah, right,” Maki scoffed. “And I’d get so carried away in those ‘good’ things that I forget to be careful. No thanks.” When she put her hood up and started to walk, Shuichi grabbed her wrist, earning a dark look from her. “Do you mind? Don’t think I won’t curse you back.”

Shuichi ignored the threat. “Being cautious may be the best thing anyone could be in this place, but being so extreme with it that you never do anything except hide from the rest of the world isn’t healthy. Doesn’t that get a little old over time?”

“I’m not hiding from anyone, I’m minding my own business and protecting myself because anyone here could kill me.”

“You may wanna survive as badly as the rest of us, but I can tell that’s being clouded right now.”

“By you running your mouth, maybe.”

“No. By fear.” Shuichi winced when Maki gripped his own wrists hard enough to clamp down on them with an even angrier look than before. “Ouch!”

“I. Am not. Scared. Do you understand me? I’m not scared of anyone here, and I never will be.”

“Then stop hiding so much…! You can’t predict what will kill you and what won’t…!” His wrists got bent down some, bringing more pain through his body. “Gyah!”

“I can, and I don’t even need the arcana to know I can stop it.”

“Let him go now!” Kaede barked, charging over and ripping Maki away from Shuichi. She kept the magician’s hands pinned to her own back, forcing her to the floor with her head pinned sideways to it for air access. “It’s not enough that you’re such a moody shut-in, but now you throw a temper tantrum when someone calls you out on something! You may not want anyone to hurt you, but that doesn’t make it right to hurt them instead! Either you get your shit together, or I won’t hesitate to get nasty like this again!”

“Get… off of me…!” Maki exhaled through gritted teeth, achingly sore as Kaede refused to let up.

“Akamatsu-san, I think that’s enough,” Kiibo warned. “She doesn’t look like she’s gonna do it again.”

“She’d better not,” Kaede spat, finally getting off of Maki and glaring mutual daggers at her while forcing her finger in her face. “Don’t ever, and I mean _ever_ , let me see you do that to Shuichi or anyone else again.”

“No need to tell me twice. I’m out of here,” Maki spat, storming out of the Lab and slamming the door behind her.

“Good riddance! Hmph.” She went to Shuichi, who was flexing his wrists to get the soreness out. “Are you okay?”

“For the most part. Nothing’s broken, thankfully,” Shuichi said. “Thanks for stepping in.”

“Hey, it’s no trouble. I just wish I didn’t have to do that…”

“I don’t know why you’re still here either,” Himiko hissed at Kaede, “but you’d better scram like Harukawa. I’m also not letting anymore trouble go down ‘behind the scenes’ because of you.”

“Yeah, scram!” Miu barked. “You’re just as dangerous to be around as the Wicked Bitch of the West! Who needs ya?!”

“And that display of violence only solidifies things,” Korekiyo bit. “For that to be your first action surely puts us all in harm’s way if we cross you enough.”

“What?! She just saved me from Harukawa-san trying to break my wrists in half!” Shuichi objected, thrown aback. “Did you all just not see that?!”

“Rehearsals are cast and crew only,” Himiko informed, ignoring Shuichi. “Even if they weren’t, Akamatsu’s way too sneaky to be welcome anywhere near here.”

“Saying she’s not welcome is going too far,” Kirumi scolded. “While non-cast or crew indeed aren’t permitted during practice time, excluding her maliciously isn’t part of it and won’t be. And I’d prefer if you didn’t act otherwise, Yumeno-san.”

“Why shouldn’t I? It’s her fault the killing game started because she planned something dumb.”

“It’s not,” Kiibo disagreed. “Akamatsu-san never killed anyone, so the game starting isn’t her fault at all.”

“She still tried to and would have if she wasn’t too late,” Korekiyo brought up. “And since it was her idea to begin with, she’s responsible in some way.”

“And whatever happens to four of you happens, but I’m way too important to get killed because of that titless snake’s antics!” Miu gloated.

“This is unbelievable!” Shuichi growled. “You’re all such—!”

“—Shuichi, stop. It’s okay,” Kaede defended, morose despite her smile. “I’m still working on getting better, so it’s only given people are still gonna be wary of me.”

“But, Akamatsu-san! You can’t be okay with this!”

“No one ever is, but I’ve gotta accept it no matter what I feel. I’ll be okay.”

Shuichi watched Kaede leave without saying anything else. He was just as silent when he turned to give the rest of the room a look of pure disgust before going after her. Although some weren’t as guilty as the rest, he couldn’t stand to be in that Lab any longer after that kerfuffle. The path led him all the way outside the Dormitory, where he watched his comrade retreat to the bedroom labelled by her pixelated self-portrait. Since she hadn’t seen him, Shuichi went in and knocked on the door, praying for the best result and not getting turned away by Kaede like before.

“Yes?” Kaede called from inside.

“It’s me,” Shuichi announced. “You know. Shuichi?” This time, she answered the door without telling him to leave, but now looked confused.

“What’s wrong? If this is about what happened back at Toujou-san’s Lab, then I meant what I said. It’s okay.”

“I believe you, but… I wanna see something first.” Repeating what Angie had done to him a few days prior, Shuichi put his fingers on the top of Kaede’s head and the middle of her forehead, nervously also touching the throat and stomach without going elsewhere.

“Oh! Why, Shuichi, you dog. Is this your way of making a move?”

“N-No, no, it’s not like that. I’m getting a good feel of you— spiritually!”

“You’re starting to sound like Yonaga-san.”

“That’s the point. Look, can you just… come with me? Outside, please? It’d be better if I just showed you.”

“Okay? Show away.”

Shuichi led Kaede to the other side of the upper courtyard, taking her near the little picnic table patio underneath some dangling lilacs. He sat on the ground in a criss-cross position, gesturing for her to do the same in front of him. “Go on. Have a seat.”

“What’s all of this about?”

“Something Yonaga-san taught me when I was feeling a little at war with myself and my emotions, and it really helped me get them flowing again.”

“Get them… flowing?”

“Yeah. I know you’re ready to handle any sort of unpleasant words thrown your way by the others and receiving the cold shoulder, but that doesn’t mean you have to hold back how you feel on all of it every minute of the day. And it’s not hard to see you’ve been doing that, too, which means your chakras have to be seriously blocked up by now.”

“My what-as?”

“Chakras. Think of them as seven pools of emotional or spiritual energy flowing through from the bottom of your body upwards, but can get blocked by enough internal distress. When you help clear those pathways with a little self-exploration, you’re bound to feel less ‘clogged’ inside. Emotionally, that is.”

“So, I just look inside myself and unblock my chakras, which will make me feel better?”

Shuichi nodded. “We have to start from the first one to get a consistent flow, which is the root chakra, also known as the ‘earth’ chakra. It’s located at the base of your spine— around your tailbone— and deals with our need for survival, but gets blocked by fear. For this one, Akamatsu-san, I need you to think about what scares you the most. Can you do that for me?”

“I… guess? Let’s see.”

Kaede thought long and hard, images related to the killing game coming first to mind and her job of leading everyone to safety. As soon as she took one step forward towards her classmates, the shot put ball appeared in her hands, flashing between its normal form and a sawtooth dagger. Seeing both sickened the others, who left their former leader behind with every effort made to be back with them. When she saw the gigantic version of Monokuma snatching the students up for devouring each one at a time, Kaede abandoned the knife as it alternated between blade and metal orb, running to save someone to no success. She was eventually captured as well, the only thing she saw before snapping back to reality was her descent past Monokuma’s sharp jaws.

“I need to get everybody out of this place as soon as possible,” Kaede said. “If I can’t get them to see me as a leader they can trust, then we’re all doomed.”

“That does seem like it’s gonna be the hardest part thus far,” Shuichi informed her, an unamused glance thrown aside. “With how almost everyone’s turned their backs on you as if all those times you lifted our spirits up was all for nothing.”

“Only temporarily. If I can change their minds and get them to see I’m gonna start doing better, then nothing else about me will interfere with that.”

“Exactly. Mistakes get made, but they can also be forgiven the more you improve. You wouldn’t try and kill the you-know-what again after everything, would you?”

“No… but that’s not all I have to work past. Don’t bother asking what the other issues are, they’re personal.”

“I’ll leave it at that, then. Do you feel like you can work past your fears and cross the finish line alright?”

“Well, it’s not the most impossible thing someone could do. I’ll come to a few road bumps, but I’ll be over them lickety-split with enough perseverance!”

“Then congratulations. You’ve successfully unlocked your root chakra. Let’s move onto the next one, which is the sacral or ‘water’ chakra.”

“Sacral meaning it’s located just above my coccyx, I’m guessing?”

“Yeah, pretty much. This chakra deals with pleasure, but is blocked by guilt. What do you feel the most guilty about, Akamatsu-san?”

It didn’t take long for Kaede to immediately look back on where her efforts led, but in particular, the advice she’d given Hoshi that went from innocent pep talk to an inadvertent encouragement for murder. And worse, him hearing her plan something so awful before taking those measures into his own hands caused ended up being the death of him and Gonta, who had nothing to do with any of it. Her heart wrenched remembering both victims poisoned, one by gas, the other by a pit of snakes. Forcing open her eyes, Kaede exhaled, a bit of sweat rolling down the side of her head.

“I made Hoshi-kun kill,” she rasped, trembling. “I gave him advice to take initiative, and it made him commit murder. Him dying with Gokuhara-kun and the killing game starting… was all because of me…”

“It’s completely natural to feel like this,” Shuichi said, “but I want you to remember that Hoshi-kun killed because he actively chose to, not because you directly told him to. Like he said at the trial, he used good advice that had a different purpose to do something bad.”

“B-But, if it weren’t for me opening my big, stupid mouth! We wouldn’t have lost two people…” Kaede rubbed her eyes against her sleeve, drying up the tears before they could fall. “It was my plan he overheard, and it got him killed.”

“You didn’t know at the time. And even if you did, that’s on him, not you, because he still took it further instead of not taking it too far. No, it doesn’t mean he deserved getting executed, but Gokuhara-kun’s blood was still on his hands.”

“How come I feel like there was some way to stop this? I did nothing to save either of them.”

“That’s probably because of survivor’s guilt, if I had to guess. Feel what you have to, but only so much of the murder was in your control. Which is to say… not really much of it, if any at all. My point is! All we can do now about it is making sure no one else ends up like them by saving the others. Hasn’t that been the goal from the very start?”

“It never stopped being it…” Kaede sniffled, cleaning her eyes. “I can’t change the past, but I can mess with the future so it can’t get worse. Don’t forget the bad things, but don’t get swallowed up by them entirely.”

“See? And now, you’ve finally opened your sacral chakra. Ready for number three?”

Kaede nodded, more confident. “What is it?”

“The solar plexus chakra, also known as ‘fire’. It deals with willpower, but is blocked by shame.”

“Didn’t the last one deal with shame?”

“No, that was guilt. Shame is more when you feel bad about yourself as a person rather than what you did once or twice. The two can go hand-in-hand, though, so I won’t say you’ve got it entirely wrong.”

“Alright. So… I think of something I’m the most ashamed of about myself?” Shuichi nodded, sending Kaede back to meditating. “Okay. Let’s see…”

The thoughts hit her hard like a strike of lightning, leaving her to burn in the aftermath with no mercy. A late evening walk home from the daycare, darkened by getting grabbed by two men she wished she’d never caught by mistake. Everything else went through her mind in flashes, either one moment talking with the men and coming back to reality only at the metallic scent of fresh blood at her feet stabbing her nostrils, or consciously fighting her reluctance and leering behind a target (both human and literal) aiming a pistol when no knife occupied her palm. No matter where her memories went, they always ended similar: she’s sent out, and someone falls before her in mere seconds after noticing just too late to save themselves.

“...Akamatsu-san? Are you alright?” Shuichi asked after Kaede began to quake, gripping her head and scrunching up her hair with an army of sweat pouring past her forehead.

“I-I can’t… there’s no fixing that…!” Kaede whimpered, eyes thickened with tears. “Nobody can see that part of me…!”

“See what part?”

Kaede didn’t respond, strangled by her troubles and falling to her knees. “I’m supposed to be someone that takes care of people, not hurt them! How could I ever… be a leader if— if everyone were to see everything that’s wrong with me?!”

“All leaders have their flaws. It all comes down to being able to accept them and acknowledge how much you care about us.”

“You can’t look past all of my mistakes! That’s impossible!” The tears were rushing out faster, Kaede standing up and crying into her palms while unable to fully look at them. “Nobody could ever trust me as long as they saw me as a monster!”

“Monster? Isn’t that taking it too far?”

“No. It’s an understatement. I can’t do this, Shuichi. I just can’t…”

“Yes, you can. You’re not the mistakes you’ve made; you’re much, much stronger.”

“Stop it!” Kaede slapped Shuichi’s hand away when he tried to reach for her, fists balled at her side to cope with agony. “You don’t know what you’re saying, just stop it already…!”

“Maybe I don’t know the whole story, but I still want to help you. Your shame can feel unbearable, but you have to face it and accept it’s happened if you want to unblock your third chakra.”

“Then I guess it’s never getting unblocked. I don’t care anymore…”

Shuichi tried reaching out to Kaede again, but she ran away from him in tears and abandoned the meditative session early. He watched her disappear wistfully, his heart going out to what had gotten to her this badly. Only able to come to one conclusion, he turned towards the school’s main building having never looked more angry in his life. Jumping onto his own two feet, he marched back inside and upstairs to the second floor, turning the nearest corner and forcing himself into the Ultimate Pianist Lab. Everyone from before (except Maki) was still there. Good. That’s exactly what he wanted.

“Saihara-kun, there you are,” Kirumi pointed out. “Is everything alright? How is Akamatsu-san?”

“Fuck that bitch!” Miu spat. “She’s probably off getting another nobody killed doing a stupid stunt! Good riddance to them and her, if that’s true!”

“I’m glad I kicked her out. Akamatsu’s way too dangerous to bother with,” Himiko yawned. “I finally get to run an idol group and she’s not ruining it by leading me into danger.”

“...You know. It’s behavior like this is why people feel so miserable,” Shuichi laughed, anger belying his dryness. “Bad enough people feel it has to happen to the ones I care about.”

“Pardon me?” Korekiyo inquired.

“Oh no. I’m not pardoning you or anyone. Not after I had to watch Akamatsu-san run off in tears because of how horribly you’re all treating her!” Shuichi finally looked up at everyone, eyes burning with rage and fists unable to tighten any further. “What is the matter with you people?! Someone who makes a mistake they’re trying to fix doesn’t deserve to be treated like garbage! She already feels bad about what she tried doing, and you’re all just— bullying her! You don’t even care how much this is hurting her!”

“You mean despite the fact that she could have hurt someone else?” Himiko argued. “For all we know, she’ll just have another trick up her sleeve just waiting to be pulled out.”

“How stupid do you think she is? It’s pretty clear at this point that she’s got no plans to attempt another risky stunt, but you’re all just ready to ignore her being able to learn from her mistakes, huh? All to feel in the right when you’re not.”

“Perhaps not the shot put ball trick, but Akamatsu-san is quite ambitious,” Korekiyo stated. “She’ll think of something else bound to go awry and—”

“—SHUT UP, Shinguuji-kun! You’re the worst of them all with this crap!” Shuichi’s outburst froze Kiyo into silence, his eyes leering both surprised and offended. “Every second and every minute, you’re always harping on her whenever she does something you don’t like. Now that she’s screwed up, that’s just the greenlight for treating her like an outlaw!”

“She had every chance in the world to do things professionally, and instead she plotted murder. You may spin it every way you want and make excuses for her, but that girl is still guilty of wrongdoing.”

“Yeah, if it weren’t for her shit, two of us wouldn’t have died!” Miu fought. “She inspired Crotch Level to kill Gokkunhara, and left his best friend to suffer the consequences and guilt! Go on, Kiibabey, tell this uncut virgin that you suffered because of his dumb tramp! Of everyone, you’ve gotta approve of the karma she’s getting!”

“...No, Miu. I don’t approve at all, actually,” Kiibo confessed matter-of-factly. “How you’re all treating Akamatsu-san is wrong. Shuichi-kun’s right; this is nothing short of bullying, and I’ll never justify that.”

“H-Huh? What are you saying?”

“I’m saying you guys need to cut it out. Gonta died because Hoshi-kun made his own choice in the end, not because of what Akamatsu-san told him. She would never encourage somebody to hurt another person for no reason. He didn’t have to, but he did it anyway and started the killing game despite having good intentions.”

“And I wish you guys wouldn’t pretend it’s all someone else’s fault,” Shuichi continued to chastise, pleased that Kiibo was on his side. “Yes, Akamatsu-san has a history of getting too carried away, and what she planned to do wasn’t in any way okay. None of us are pretending otherwise, but you guys are taking it way too far, and it’s not doing her or anyone any good.”

“She’s certainly jumped right on the chance to earn forgiveness, but that can be very difficult if no one is willing to acknowledge that,” Angie admitted. “Mistrust is highly necessary and expected, but that doesn’t mean it should go on for the rest of her days no matter her efforts. Then she’d have no chance at doing better at all!”

“If Akamatsu wants another chance at being good, then she needs to prove it,” Himiko fought. “Nobody can trust her if we don’t see it, and she’s got no right to let it stop her if she’s so bent on being a leader again.”

“That’s the problem,” Kiibo stated. “You guys refuse to see or even consider it, so how could she improve? Eventually, people get tired of fighting a one-sided battle. If no one thinks you can be good… why should you be?”

“For themselves,” Korekiyo spoke up. “If you see yourself as good, then it shouldn’t matter what anyone else believes.”

“And because of that, she should just endure all this harassment without any right to get fed up like any normal person would?” Shuichi snarled. “For a detective, you really don’t know how to think before you speak, do you?”

“Why, I never—!”

“—You just did. As for you, Yumeno-san, you can go ahead and count me out of the group, too. I don’t want anything to do with a bunch of jerks who think it’s okay to suddenly forget all someone’s tried doing for us after a few mistakes.”

“You’re quitting?” Himiko growled. “You can’t. Harukawa’s already dropped out, and I can’t afford to—!”

“—Stop. Just stop,” Kirumi chided, putting a hand on Himiko and moving her away before turning her attention to Shuichi. “Saihara-kun, if you feel this strongly about leaving, then we won’t stop you. You aren’t obligated to be somewhere that makes you uncomfortable, and it’s not anyone’s place here to put up a fight about it.”

“Thanks for understanding, Toujou-san,” Shuichi said. “At least you’ve still got some sense around here. The rest of you? You should all be ashamed of yourselves, because I’m done putting up with this. Okay? I’m done.”

Shuichi didn’t stay to listen to anymore complaints, handing his blue folder back to Kirumi and marching out of the Lab slamming the door. He fumed with every step away, marching downstairs and changing course for the gymnasium to blow off some steam Aikido style. Just when he’d passed by, into the Academy’s main building came Kaede from her room, eyes reddened from crying and letting her wander. Figuring no one was down that way, she went down the new pathway in Hallway 1F for solitude. She steered clear of the Ultimate Magician Lab, but wound up being drawn in hearing the muffled cries and clamor from inside alongside the jerky sound of wheels skidding erratically.

 _‘What’s going on in there?!’_ Kaede wondered, trying to pull open the door to no avail. _‘Of course she locked it! I don’t know what I expected. Looks like I’ve got no choice.’_ Taking off her backpack and digging inside carefully, she pulled out a straight-back knife and jammed it between the door and its strike plate. Forcing the deadbolt back inside, she managed to unlock everything and finally enter the Research Lab. “Harukawa-san? Are you here?”

“Who’s there?!” Maki’s voice panted without being visible. “How did you get in here?”

“Kaede, doesn’t matter, and where are you?”

“Get lost—! You’re not welcome here!”

Ignoring Maki’s harsh demands, Kaede followed her voice past the red curtain, lifting it up and going under to find the hottest point be the rectangular rolling cabinet. She patted it top to bottom, but couldn’t come across a way to open it. “How do you open this thing?”

“Don’t bother. You’ll just make it worse…! Get out already!”

“Oh, it needs a key.” Kaede tapping the small keyhole on the front, going to the other side of the Lab for a second to look. “Let’s see, key, key, key… ah!” She picked it up from Maki’s desk, returning to where the trapped magician was and unlocking the cabinet, opening it wide and letting her fall out onto her knees.

“You just d-don’t… know how to listen at all, do you…? I told you to leave! What’s your problem…?!”

“Saving your life, maybe? You’re the one that trapped herself inside her own magic box! I did you a favor!”

“No, you b-broke into my L-Lab…! And you don’t see anything wrong with that…?”

“What was I supposed to—?” Kaede stopped, realizing Maki’s current state. She was still on her knees, gripping them with her lengths of dark brown hair far messier out of her hair ribbon and breathing heavily. “Oh my God. Harukawa-san, you’re having a panic attack, aren’t you?”

“Mind your own—! B-Business! Do you want to get cursed…?”

“No, but I do want you to take a few deep breaths and don’t stray from the sound of my voice.”

“That’s the— one th-thing I wanna get away from. Why can’t you just listen to what people tell you?! It’s exactly…! Your first problem here!”

“I’ll need to set that aside just this once. Focus on the sound of my voice, and breathe more steadily. You’re here, you’re not stuck inside… whatever that is, and you’re safe.”

“Are you joking? I’ve never been in so much danger now than I have with my ex-assistants on stage…! Nowhere is safe in this s-school. Nowhere.”

“While that’s true, you being by yourself in here hasn’t proved much safer. If I hadn’t walked by, you’d be stuck for much longer. Forever, even!”

“I’d still find a way out. I know my own tricks…” Maki took some deeper breaths to steady her nerves, her heart rate beginning to slow down at Kaede’s voice. “Maybe it was a bad idea picking that one. I never did cope too well with closed spaces.”

“You’re claustrophobic? Then why would you even look at that thing?”

“Why should I tell you that answer?”

“It’s not like I’m gonna go blabbing it to anyone else. Half the class hates my guts, and the half that doesn’t wouldn’t need to know this. Just tell me, and I promise I won’t make a scene of it.”

“Liar. That’s practically your job.”

“Only when someone needs a hand. I already gave you mine getting you out of that wheel cabinet. It’s also my job to be there for someone when able, and right now, I’m definitely able.”

Maki initially glared up at Kaede, but softened realizing she had no point in hiding anything from her. Hugging her knees on the floor, she bowed her head in somewhat and reluctantly spoke. “I was trying to prove you wrong from earlier when you accused me of being scared. By pulling off one of my least favorite tricks for old time’s sake, I thought I could get over my issues with it, then nothing would bother me.”

“You wanted to prove you’re not scared of anything, or convince yourself of it? And tell me the truth, too.”

“...Convince myself. If I could make myself believe I’m not really scared, then it’d actually be true. The last thing I can afford to be around people that could put my life in danger yet again is afraid. I need control over myself that no one else should have just because they get their grubby hands near me.”

“So, that’s why you’re always cooped up in here or your room? To prevent people from potentially getting you into an accident?”

“It’s all they do, like I get a curse put on me and they don’t even realize it. I can’t curse myself, so that’s where I’m safest.”

“Are you?” Kaede gestured to the rolling closet, which made Maki feel more down.

“By comparison, at least. I can fix my own mistakes better than someone else’s.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to close yourself off for the rest of your life. You may not know it, but lots of people betray expectations both good and bad. One day, there might be someone that brightens your day right up or even sticks with you for life for the better, but there’s no way of knowing either unless you try. Living in fear all the time feels so smart to do because of how easy it is, but as a price, you miss out on a lot of things you could have really enjoyed.”

“I’ve heard that one before.”

“Because it’s true! Nobody just makes this stuff up, it comes from experience you just haven’t had yet.” Kaede offered a hand to Maki, standing up and smiling at her kindly. “And there’s no such thing as being too late to start, either. I’ve got no place forcing you, but the choice is entirely yours.”

Maki stared at Kaede’s palm for a few long moments, reluctantly taking it and being helped to stand. “You’re actually letting me choose. Maybe you are shaping up into a better leader after all. Not bad.”

“I’m not there yet, but a few steps is more than none whatsoever. All I’ll ask you is to consider what I’ve said, but that’s it.”

“Didn’t you have somewhere to be?”

“Not really. I just needed a little ‘me time’ and ended up here. When I leave, don’t you do anything crazy in here again, okay?”

“Wouldn’t think of it.” When Kaede went to the exit, Maki stopped her. “Akamatsu.”

“Yeah?”

“...Thanks for coming after me. I’d have been toast if you hadn’t.”

“Oh. No trouble. Sorry for tackling you in Toujou-san’s Lab earlier, by the way.”

“Just forget it. I have to admit I kinda deserved that.”

For the first time she’d seen so, Maki was smiling. It wasn’t a great one or anything like a grin, but it was still noticeably different from the usual flat line or scowl her mouth typically stayed in. Kaede returned the gesture much more cheerfully, leaving her be by exiting the Research Lab. She felt much better now than she had from earlier’s disaster, not expecting it to be because of Maki of all people. Her own words carried some meaning after all; she never knew what would happen in the future unless she experienced it herself.

She wanted it to happen again and end just as well.

* * *

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“Good evening, ya bastards!” Monosuke spoke up, sitting with his siblings on the red sofa displayed on the monitor. “The time’s now 10 pm, which means—!”

“—IT-IS-NIGHT-TIME,” Monodam interrupted. “ACCESSING-THE-GYMNASIUM, DINING-HALL, AND-SWIMMING-POOL-ARE-HEREBY-OFF-LIMITS-AT-THIS-TIME.”

“Can I do anything with youse around, or is that a crime now?”

“Oh, cheer up, Monosuke,” Monotaro reassured him. “Monodam’s just doin’ his job! Right?”

“Absolutely!” Monophanie concurred. “He’s all grown up now! Not our baby brother no mo’!”

“Growing up into a tyrant,” Monosuke muttered, bitter.

“...BEDTIME-URSINE,” Monodam concluded, the monitor switching off.

Only some of the students were headed to bed, others having business to attend to before they could think to rest. Shuichi left the main building for the Dormitory, inside where he witnessed Kirumi on her knees before a bewildered Kaede. All he could pick up on were the words “humble apology”, “mess”, and “my Lab” from her, asked to elaborate since the other girl wasn’t present for it. He knew what it was about, too, guilty that she felt the need to apologize despite having done nothing wrong. After a quick explanation of the disaster, Shuichi heard his name and was prepared to walk out until things settled, stopped by getting caught peeking as soon as he turned his back.

“Shuichi, come here,” Kaede demanded, doing the motion with her index finger as Kirumi quickly left. “You’re not in trouble, I just want to talk a little.”

“Yes, Akamatsu-san?” Shuichi gulped.

“First, I appreciate you standing up for me. I wasn’t there to see it, but I get you were just looking out for me and all.”

“Hey, no problem. I believe you when you say you’ve got things handled, but just seeing you run off crying because of how everyone’s been treating you was unforgivable, and—!”

“—Wait a minute, what? You thought I ran off in tears because of the others’ behavior?”

“Isn’t that why?”

“No! It still hurt, but that’s not why I was crying.”

“Oh. Sorry…”

“It’s okay. You only did it because you care. But, now that brings me to my next point. Don’t let what everyone has to say about me bother you too much, okay? I get you wanna step in, but I can still fight my own battles if I have to.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Toujou-san told me what happened in her Lab. Not just you defending my honor, but also you leaving the idol group.”

“Oh. Well, what was I supposed to do? I didn’t wanna stay with a group that was gonna bully my friend all day for all the wrong reasons!”

“Shuichi. I’m not asking you to accept what they’re doing, but I’m not involved with them. You are. And this show would mean a lot to Toujou-san if it went on smoothly using its original cast.”

“Would it?” Shuichi did feel a tad guilty ruining Kirumi’s harmless activity even further at reducing the cast to four. Maki to his knowledge was a lost cause, but he was a different story than her.

“I’m only able to give you strong recommendations, but I can’t make decisions for you because you’re a big boy capable of doing that yourself. All I’ll say is that for you alone, there’s no harm in giving the group another shot.”

“...I’ll think about it. But, me as an idol? Do I have what it takes?”

“You’ll just have to see that for yourself, won’t you? If I’m permitted, I personally can’t wait to see what you look like all gussied up singing and dancing on stage.”

Shuichi blushed, which made Kaede giggle. “Akamatsu-san! Maybe it won’t be that crazy.”

“Don’t worry. It’s really hard for you look bad. Why don’t we both get some rest? It’s been a long day, and I could use a trip to bed.”

“Same here.” Shuichi stretched, yawning. “Good night.”

“Night! See you in the morning.”

The two went to their respective bedrooms in the Dormitory’s building, closing and locking the door behind them after entering. A quick shower and a change into fresher clothes got Shuichi ready for sleeping, shutting off the lights and crawling under his covers. His body took time to relax, sinking deeper into the mattress while his eyelids grew too heavy to see the ceiling above him. Sleep finally arrived to kill the night, allowing for no worries in the world until the sun returned in its right time.

* * *

Following lunch the next afternoon that’d come, Shuichi quietly made his way upstairs from the dining hall without anyone seeing him leave. He peered back and forth to ensure no stragglers were on the second floor upon arriving, turning the corner towards the Ultimate Pianist Lab and nearly shrieking when he saw a hooded figure directly in front of him. Before he could lunge to flip them, a hand that didn’t belong to him went over his mouth and both silenced the almost-scream and prevented anything else. Upon realizing it was Maki, Shuichi was only calm enough not to do anything irrational, but remained on his guard in case she tried to get violent with him again.

“What are you doing here?” Shuichi asked her as the girl pulled her hood back.

“Does it matter?” Maki questioned. “I’m allowed to be on the second floor if I want.”

“I never said that, but I can’t really imagine why you’d want to. Especially after… yesterday.”

“About that. I’m…” Resisting the urge to glance aside, Maki looked mostly Shuichi’s way. “I’m sorry. For attacking you, that is.”

“You are?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself. I realized I went a little overboard just because you said I was— you know, scared. You’re not even the first to say that with me, so it won’t happen again.”

“Huh. Well, thanks, Harukawa-san. I accept your apology. But, that still doesn’t answer what you’re doing here.”

Maki gave a drained, somewhat irritable look. “Just follow me in.” Although hesitant, she no less entered the Lab, not shocked by the skeptical faces everyone was giving her. “...Hey.”

“Harukawa-san, hello,” Kirumi greeted. “Are you lost?”

“She’d better get so if she’s gonna throw another tantrum and beat the shit outta one of us!” Miu barked. “Move it or lose it, Harry Cooter!”

“Well? What do you want?” Himiko asked, then glaring at Shuichi. “And what’s he doing here? Did you guys bond over bailing and ruining our show?”

“You quit, too?” Maki asked. “Why?”

“Long story,” Shuichi said. “But, I’m here because I’ve reconsidered. You still need another cast member, don’t you? So, why not let me take my spot back?”

“Gee, I dunno, because you threw a huge fit yesterday and went on about how you didn’t want anything to do with us?” Himiko spat. “Gimme one reason why I should consider taking you back, Saihara.”

“He just did,” Kirumi corrected. “You have to admit, the way some of us were acting yesterday would be enough to set somebody off. Don’t pretend like he did it out of the blue.”

“Nyeh… I guess you have a point. Alright, Saihara, I’ll give you one more chance since we’re dangerously short on members. But if you blow it again, don’t bother asking me for a do-over.”

“I won’t need one,” Shuichi promised. “I’m still not sure if I have what it takes to be an idol, but—”

“—Trust me, you’ll do great.”

“Welcome back aboard, Saihara-kun,” Kirumi said, handing Shuichi his blue folder again. She was approached by Maki, but had no clue what she wanted and grew wary with a raised eyebrow. “...Yes?”

“I’ll need my folder back, too,” Maki got out. “I’ve decided to give this… music group another shot.”

“Another change of heart?” Himiko questioned. “Either you’re an imposter, or someone sent you a calling card yesterday.”

“Neither. I don’t have much else to do here except locking myself in my room or Research Lab. I may as well try something new.”

“Yep, definitely got a calling card. But, should I let you back in is the question?”

“If you can give Saihara-kun a second chance, it’s not fair if you deny Harukawa-san hers,” Kirumi stated. “Besides, we’re still short one more member.”

“Point taken.” Himiko handed the red folder back to Maki, who accepted it this time. “Alright, welcome back to the team. Don’t bail again or you’ll be staying out.”

“Nyahaha! We are six idols-to-be once more!” Angie cheered.

“I hope you all had time to look over your parts and songs, so today, we’ll be taking a look at those in order starting with Yonaga-san,” Kirumi instructed.

Maki took her place at a good distance from everyone, Shuichi about to do the same when Korekiyo pulled him aside. “Guh! What?” he asked the taller boy.

“It’s good to see you partaking again, given what you’d said the day prior,” Korekiyo commented, the hard look telling Shuichi something else as he glared at him in return.

“If you’re gonna ask me to take back telling you off, you can forget it. I meant every word, and I’ve had it with your know-it-all attitude, even as the Ultimate Detective.”

“Oh no, I’m not upset with you for that or any reason. You merely shouted at me to defend the girl you admire so, and I perfectly understand.”

“You’re not mad? Then how come you pulled me aside?”

“To tell you that partaking in this activity is all fine and well… so long as you don’t get too distracted. We’re still very much trapped in a killing game, so focusing only on singing and dancing will lead you astray from crucial business.”

“I don’t think anyone’s forgotten. Why are you singling me out?”

“Because you’re basically the de-facto leader without Akamatsu-san intervening, and I refuse to have a repeat of her actions.” Shuichi rolled his eyes, folding his arms irritably. “Cop an attitude all you want, you know why I say this. Do not get distracted from our situation entirely. The moment you do, someone else is guaranteed to die under your nose. Am I making myself clear?”

“...Crystal.”

“Wonderful. So long as you keep at least one eye out, we shan’t have too many disagreements. Misfortune is far too dangerous a mistress to ignore, Saihara-kun. If it can be helped, then don’t do nothing.”

Shuichi spared no response for Korekiyo, walking away from him and aligning himself with the more agreeable cast members. He with everyone listened intently to the instructions Kirumi and Himiko were giving on the show’s performance, including the premise and Angie’s song since it was the first one after their opening sung as a group. The way it was all described felt a tad bizarre, but still relatively enjoyable and doable. And who knew? It could be fun to participate in and actually boost more spirits! This would be the start of the unforeseen result.

However it’d go, Shuichi could only pray that it wasn’t in tragedy like a lot of musical shows out there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, the "idol group" schtick won't turn this into a songfic, I promise. The story will flow as it normally does since this is no more than the "special event" of the chapter (IE: the party in 2-1, the pool party in 2-2, the magic show in 3-2, etc.) that precedes the next murder. I was considering doing something akin to "The Masked Singer", but I realized that with only 14 people left (even 16 wouldn't help much, either), that'd defeat the whole purpose of "mystery singer" since you can only have so many guesses on stage and in the audience. -w-"  
> Not all chapters will have these events of course as far as I can see, and I also won't be saying when someone dies exactly. You'll just have to find out for yourselves~ ûwû
> 
> There's not really much to say besides that this time around, only that I'll see you guys next time as usual. Look forward to the next update and it'll be nice and ready for you all! Until then, everyone! ♥


	16. Episode XV: Daily Life 2.5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya, guys! I missed you last chapter! And, this is the first chapter I'm uploading from my new laptop~  
> It's a little touch sensitive around the mousepad, but it works like a charm otherwise. I'm loving it! >w<
> 
> I promise, this arc chapter isn't gonna go on for 500 years. It's going to end relatively soon so we can get to the Deadly Life. Still gonna be a surprise when that is, but expect it, no doubt. I'm also in the middle of other important IRL stuff and whatnot, but that shouldn't throw very much of a wrench in my writing. Now, hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter a little better than the previous one since stuff actually happens, so enjoy, y'all! ♥

The middle of the next week arrived with another rehearsal session for the six idols in the making. Himiko and Kirumi had to step out of the Lab for a bit, leaving everyone else to take a short break from practicing for the show so they could do whatever they pleased. Miu was spending her time with Kiibo (the only person who hadn’t left the room that had any reason to talk to her) going on crassly about things likely not appropriate for most ears, Angie humored Korekiyo with a demonstration and brief history on a “cootie catcher” she’d made before rehearsal, and Shuichi and Maki merely tended to their individual peace and quiet while they could.

“Have you really never used one of these, Korekiyo?” Angie inquired, opening and shifting it with both her index fingers and thumbs. “They’re quite common among grade school children.”

“I’ve seen my share of them, but never partook,” Korekiyo responded. “Even if I’d seen a need to use something so childish, too few of my earlier classmates felt the need to associate with me due to my… unsettling, and quiet demeanor.”

“This isn’t inherently a childish activity. Paper fortune tellers have been popular on the other side of the world since the 1950s-1960s range. Would kids be able to come up with something like this?”

“Perhaps not, but they are the typical audience.”

“And it still works all the same! Come on, try it out and see what the future foretells. Starting with picking a color.”

Korekiyo eyed his choices: pink, cyan, green, or violet as all labelled properly. “Green, please.”

“G-R-E-E-N! Now, pick a number.”

“Five.”

“1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Behold, the fortune you so seek lies underneath this flap.” Angie slowly peeled it up, reading the result out loud. “‘Every card played properly and smart cannot prepare you for life’s wild draw from the deck’.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“My guess? You can be as perceptive as you desire, but whatever direction you face, there is no telling what will come your way from behind.”

“...Your response raises more questions than it answers.”

“Don’t overthink it. Simply interpret.” Angie waved the cootie catcher high. “Who’s next? Would anyone else like to have their fortune told?”

“That’s for kids. You can’t actually predict the future with that thing,” Maki said. “Now, these.” She clutched her fist and flexed her wrist one way, a full deck of long cards neatly spreading out in her grasp. “These are the real deal.”

“Tarot cards?! That has to be one of the oldest forms of divination! Or you intend to play tarocchini with it instead. Either is a great use. Non-English-speaking regions such as Europe often use them for simple games, much like that of common suits.”

“I don’t use the arcana just to play around. Tarotology can look inside the mind of almost anyone and more accurately determine what’s lying ahead of them sooner or later.”

“Predicting the future out of thin air isn’t possible,” Korekiyo refuted. “Circumstances and self-choices are what determines your fate more than anything else, and are still subject to change depending on if anything is done differently or not.”

“Well, there is the Pythia, otherwise known as the Oracle of Delphi,” Angie noted. “Anything mentioned within a prophecy declared by Apollo or any other deity is certain to come true regardless of what’s done differently. How do you think Oedipus managed to slay his father and make love to his mother in spite of being sent away to prevent either from happening?”

“Fuckin’ sick!” Miu gagged. “Why’d he get it on with his own mom?!”

“He didn’t know her as ‘mother’ because he was raised elsewhere thanks to Laios not wanting to be killed. To him until everything was revealed, he only believed Jocasta was an unrelated woman he’d fallen in love with and married after murdering her first husband.”

“Shit, I’d hate to see their kids.”

“Oh, you mean Antigone, Ismene, Polynices, and Eteocles? You and everyone else, but not because they were ugly. The latter two killed each other, and the first two got into a fight about whether to bury one of them despite the city saying not to. As a result, Antigone dies in arrest and Ismene is left without anyone still around.”

“Didn’t Oedipus peck his eyes out when he realized his wife’s true identity?” Kiibo shuddered.

“Why, yes! Yes, he did. He did it after witnessing Jocasta’s corpse, and—”

“—Who fuckin’ cares?!” Miu barked. “No one wants to hear about this _literal_ motherfucker that blinded himself because he dove back inside his mom’s cooch!”

“Likewise, nobody wants to hear from an ill-mannered excuse of a maid that does nothing but make inappropriate jokes and yell at everyone, yet the minute it’s shot back at her, she whimpers and begs for forgiveness for her lack of willpower,” Korekiyo spat. “Why you’re the way you are, I’ll never know personally, but it’s probably just as much of a bother to listen to as you.”

“E-Eh? What’re you saying over there, Creepshow?! I’m not d-doing anything bad! Really!”

“That your disgraceful personality is abhorrent, and you don’t deserve to be surprised that hardly anyone wants a thing to do with you because of it. Either watch your tongue, or simply cut it out of your mouth so no one has to suffer hearing you speak.”

Miu trembled, looking close to tears until she put on her typical angry bravado. “Well, fuck you, too! Or, maybe not because a molesty-lookin’, mini-dicked virgin like you doesn’t deserve to so much as look at my fine figure! You just lost your chance at me, Shitguuji! Ya permanently blew it and not in the way you probably wanted.”

“...So, Harukawa-san, your tarot cards.” Korekiyo apathetically ignored Miu like everyone else who wasn’t Kiibo, turning attention to Maki instead. “How do they work?”

“H-Hey…! What the Hell, you guys?” Miu sulked even harder, allowing Kiibo’s silent comfort while he got her away from the rest.

“It’s simple,” Maki answered, laying out a spread of 22 cards. “Typically, there’s two types for tarot cards: major arcana, which deals with things outside anyone’s control, or minor arcana, which is the opposite. For this occasion, I only brought my major deck since I left the rest in my room.”

“And these can be used to predict someone’s future?” Shuichi wondered.

“That’s right. Granted, there’s a lot of different spreads you can do with tarot readings, but they depend on what the asker wants to know. For instance, to tell something that indicates past, present, and future, I’d do a common three-card spread. Or, a spread with five cards to answer a more complex version of that plus anything else needing a detailed result.”

“How many cards can you do at the most?” Korekiyo asked.

“Usually, I stick to 10. 12, if I _really_ have to, but that’s not often. Now, I’ll need a volun— ...guinea pig, to test their fortune with. How about… Saihara?”

“Me?” Shuichi wondered. “Gosh, I dunno what to ask.”

Maki shuffled the cards, laying them all out face down. “Anything you want. Pick nine cards after, and I’ll arrange them accordingly.”

“Okay. Then, I want to know… what I can do in helping end this killing game once and forever?”

Everyone froze at the bold question, Maki blinking once before kneeling straight. “...That one’s gonna need a wish spread to peek with. Well? Go ahead. I haven’t got all day.”

Shuichi picked the first card randomly, Maki moving it to a specific spot and waiting for the next one he selected. When he examined them carefully, he chose another one, put to the left of his first choice. The cycle repeated one after another, the leftmost card preceding the right numerically until it came down to the eighth and ninth ones placed on the top and bottom respectfully. Now that all nine selected cards were on the table (or rather, floor), Maki hid away the other 13 and put her finger on the first one ever picked.

“Whatever card I’m about to unveil here will represent the basis on which you made the wish from,” Maki informed Shuichi, slowly turning it over and revealing its true form. “The Devil.”

“Huh?!” Shuichi squawked. “Is that bad?”

“Not inherently. It just means your desire to end the killing game has to do with a sense of helplessness or a fear of not doing enough here that’s really useful. The Devil represents the feeling of having no power or control over a situation you don’t wanna be in. By having this card where your wish’s basis is, you’re afraid of everything going wrong without being able to stop it.”

“How do you know that? I picked out that card entirely at random.”

“Maybe consciously, but something you aren’t aware of was a lot more knowing in choosing the card. The forces in your life that come together weave the story, and the arcana can be used to get a glimpse of what they have in store. You might scoff now, but if you start seeing the pieces fall in, you know the arcana’s not to be laughed at too much.”

“C-Can we just move onto the next card?”

“Sure. This one will represent past factors that brought you to make your wish or desire. And that card is…” Maki flipped over the second one. “The Hermit.”

“What might that one represent?” Korekiyo inquired.

“Thinking things through carefully and enlightenment through self-reflection. In having to be in solitude with minimal outside distractions, you’ve been able to give yourself the opportunity to find the answers inside you that you might not have known had existed in the first place.”

“Shuichi did have a very fruitful meditation session with me in the gymnasium,” Angie stated. “It took a bit of remembering the painful bits of the past, but he found loads of insight by coming to terms with what was inside of him.”

“Is that the reason I picked this card without knowing it?” Shuichi wondered.

“Maybe. Tarot cards don’t always directly involve yourself,” Maki noted. “Sometimes, it could be related to someone else in your life.”

 _‘Someone else?’_ Shuichi thought a bit, remembering Kaede’s methods on improving herself and repenting for her mistakes. “Yeah. That makes a lot of sense, too. It’s not very far back in the past, but at least it didn’t happen just now?”

“Good enough. Onto card three, which is what you should expect in the immediate future.” Maki flipped it over. “The Magician.”

“Hey, that’s you!” Angie quipped.

“I’m aware. For this one to be what you picked… I’m guessing it means that pretty soon, you’ll need to be resourceful with your surroundings and use them to your advantage. There are also skills you have that others might not, which should also come in great handy when times get tough and making do is your best option. As a magician myself, I can vouch for that coming up a lot. If you can’t act, you can’t pull through tough issues.”

“So, one of these days, I’ll have to rely on my resources and inner skills to succeed?” Shuichi inquired.

“That’s what the card is saying. But, of all the ones to be in this spot. It’s not the only one that could tell you this.”

“What’s card number four?”

Maki flipped it over, noticing it was upside down and freezing. “The Chariot.”

“Oh, this one’s upside down, let me fix it—” Shuichi’s hand got slapped away by Maki. “Ouch! Why did you do that?!”

“Leave the cards as you picked them. Reversed tarot cards have their own meaning, but the opposite of what’s normally represented. Some do flip them right side up, but I’m not lying just so you can be spared a harsh reality.”

“What— does a reversed Chariot mean, then?”

“Normally, the Chariot is a symbol of perseverance and charging your way to victory while being ready for any obstacles that you’ll need to overcome to get there, but because it’s in reverse, it implies a lack of direction and the sense you’re essentially lost on where to go or what to do next.”

“In short, Saihara-kun, you lack proper guidance and thus haven’t a clue on the right steps to take,” Korekiyo translated. “This may be related to your wish like everyone’s in ending our predicament, but you don’t know how to just yet and as a result, you falter.”

“Exactly. And the fourth card is meant to be factors that currently influence the wish instead of ones from the past.”

“So, I want to help get everyone free from the rest of the killing game because I don’t entirely know where I’m going with it by myself?” Shuichi asked.

“More or less. Take that as a sign to make sure you know what you’re doing,” Korekiyo advised. “Without proper control, you’re bound to go off course and burrow even deeper.”

“There can be some things that help prevent that,” Maki stated, “and that’s what the fifth card will tell you.” She flipped it over. “Temperance.”

“It’s not upside down!” Shuichi gasped. “What does it mean?”

“Balance, and finding moderation. Maybe it says not to fly off the handle and find equal ground with your eventual actions? Well, that or you’re missing something important.”

“Like what?”

“Sometimes, the Temperance card supports well-roundedness, so if there are things you haven’t considered around here or in your life, it’s a sign you need to seek those out for some unlikely help.”

“And remember what I said for unlocking your crown chakra,” Angie said, hands folded and chin tilted downward. “Consider what may not be inside your comfort zone to truly seek spiritual enlightenment about the world around you.”

“Finding a balance using things I’ve both considered and haven’t?” Shuichi pondered. “That sounds crazy, but maybe crazy enough to work. Once I figure out what those things are, I mean.”

“They’ll show themselves in time,” Maki insisted. “Now, for your sixth card, it’ll represent everything standing in your way of your desire or wish.”

“Go ahead and flip it.” Shuichi saw it was another upside down one. “Oh, what now? ‘The Emperor’?”

“When reversed, the Emperor represents tyranny and an abuse of power making others feel powerless, or the need to rebel. That, or a shitty father figure in your life.”

“Not mine, but all of those remind me too much of Monokuma. ‘Father of the year’ is definitely out of his reach, plus his Mastermind is the school tyrant running this whole game to begin with. I don’t need a reading to tell me they’re in my way and anyone’s.”

“Very good interpretation. Usually, the Emperor card represents a powerful, but just leader who’s able to make the right choices. But here, it’s someone who’s still very much in charge, only using it to no one’s advantage but their own.”

“Don’t we know someone in an authoritative position?” Korekiyo inquired. “Shirogane-san is the Ultimate Supreme Leader.”

“Yeah, but she’s harmless,” Shuichi corrected. “From what she’s said about her organization, she’s just really firm to keep them all whipped into shape.”

“Excessive force can make one become quite the power-hungry dictator when you least expect it to happen.”

“Anyways. What’s my seventh card mean?”

“The best course of action you should take to free everyone and end the game,” Maki informed, flipping it over. “Oh, look. You chose the Moon. That one represents unpredictable twists and turns of events, like the ocean tides themselves underneath it. In the guaranteed event of those, it’s telling you to trust your instincts and intuitions so you can be prepared enough to face anything.”

“In other words… just trust my gut?”

“Now you’re getting it. The Moon’s typically the arcana of intuition for reasons like this.”

“Are we almost done? What’s the eighth card gonna tell me?”

“How to go about this in the future if you want your wish coming true. And that card is…” Maki flipped it over, revealing another normal card, “the Wheel of Fortune. This one symbolizes change through a cycle that everyone goes through at some point, including you. It’s gonna be terrifying, but can still lead to good things.”

“I’ll have to change if I wanna succeed?”

“Or at least not run away from what’s bound to happen because there’s no way out of it. You’ll just have to cycle along, and if you don’t fall off the wheel, you’re good.”

“Alright… and the last card?”

“The ninth card will symbolize the expected results, assuming you did everything right. Ready?”

Shuichi nodded, taking a brief breath. “I’m ready.” He watched with Korekiyo and Angie as Maki turned the card over, panicking when it was another upside down card. “Oh no.”

“No. It’s good this time.”

“How? Every upside down card so far has been negative,” Korekiyo pressed.

“I’m the arcana master here, not you, so who knows what they’re talking about more?” Maki put her finger on the last card. “This one is the reverse of the Tower, which normally signifies the striking of disaster or impending doom. But, because it’s upside down, it’ll mean that once you do things right, you’ll have successfully overcome drama and averted tragedy.”

“Oh,” Shuichi realized. “That is a good thing. Actually, it’s exactly what I’m hoping happens soon.”

“But, only if you can withstand the many storms bound to come your way,” Angie advised. “You shouldn’t have too much trouble. Humans are experts at being resilient and paving their way through the bad times. Problem is, they underestimate themselves too much.”

“And aren’t exercising enough caution,” Korekiyo included. “There are only so many methods in going about situations, and one wrong choice can be the end of you. If you wish to live to see the end of this game with everyone else, then stay focused and tackle these circumstances wisely. Otherwise, you’ll die a miserable fool’s death.”

“I heard you the first time,” Shuichi hissed. _‘He’s like a broken record when it comes to bossing me around. Give it a rest already!’_

“An excellent tarot reading, Maki,” Angie praised as the cards’ owner gathered them up and stashed each away in a pile. “ Perhaps you wouldn’t mind doing another?”

“You’re not getting one. Saihara was a one-time demonstration,” Maki bit.

“Very well. I’ll have to stick to my simpler means of enacting divination. Does anyone wish to be next?” The door opened following Angie’s question, revealing the return of Kirumi’s top half. “Kirumi! Excellent timing! Would you like to partake in my paper fortune teller?”

“That old thing? I haven’t seen one of those since I was eight years old,” Kirumi admitted.

“Maybe Dildonaga can predict something for you and Shitguuji,” Miu teased knowingly. “Not that you wouldn’t need some piece of paper to know that one.”

“What are you on about?” Korekiyo sighed. “Kindly leave Kirumi out of your nonsense.”

“It ain’t nonsense! I’m just curious when you and she are gonna start sucking face!”

Kiyo flushed. “We are doing no such thing. While Kirumi is a very lovely young woman anyone would be lucky to have— what with her bewitching elegance, consideration of others’ feelings and the ability to soothe even the most savage of beasts— there is no sort of intimacy between us. Where would you get such an idea?”

“Beats me,” Maki snarked.

“We’re only… friends,” Kirumi insisted, hiding part of her blush behind her bangs. “And if either one of us held such feelings, none else should pry their nose into private business lest they get a mouthful of keys.” The way she said it was through gritted teeth at Miu, complete with aggravation in her face and tone.

“Ah, cool your tits, Rumi! I know what I’m doing and who you wanna be!” Miu laughed.

“ _Behave_. I mean it.”

Miu flinched at the pianist’s clenched fists and barred teeth. “Heeee! S-Sorry…”

Kirumi cooled down, lowering her hands. “Forgive me. Yumeno-san and I ran into a bit of trouble on the way here.”

“EXCUSE me! I have a name!” Ouma piped in, revealing himself to be clinging to Kirumi’s leg when she stepped inside with Himiko trying to free her.

“Yeah, it’s ‘Big, Annoying Space Leech’,” Himiko spat, having no luck in removing Ouma. “I told you you can’t come in.”

“I’m not gonna listen to you. You’re not the boss of me! Besides, you two went and kidnapped like half the school last week and I hardly have anyone to evaluate now!”

“Evaluate or torment?”

“Both, but mostly play with. Even better that I get to watch my bodyguard, Kiiboi, and Detective Studmuffin sing and dance right in front of me!”

“Studmuffin?” Korekiyo puffed, folding his arms stubbornly and turning away from Ouma with his face still reddened. “At least be subtle if you’re going to try and pull that. But, no, you just let it rip and show no tact at all.”

“He was calling you handsome, wasn’t he?” Kiibo wondered.

“I know what it means. I simply won’t accept such crude behavior is all.”

“Geez, and I thought Tenko was bad at taking compliments from guys,” Himiko said.

“All I’m saying is that I should not be singled out for my appearance. There are many traits to people, and looks should not be their defining factor.”

“Nishishi! You’re cute when you’re angry, Kiyo-chan,” Ouma giggled.

“Ugh! Yumeno-san, please get him out of here if he isn’t going to behave.”

“You don’t think I’ve been trying?” Himiko questioned, pulling Ouma by his hoodie. “He! Won’t! Budge!”

“Stop it! You’ll rip it with your disgusting Earthling hands!” Ouma whined. “Don’t I deserve to say why I wanna stay?!”

“You already have, and it’s annoying people,” Maki snarled. “Get lost already.”

“That’s not all!” Ouma let go of Kirumi’s leg, running and sitting at the piano. “I wanna make sweet music.”

“You’re not doin’ it now, ya little abortion!” Miu roared. “We’re still doing rehearsals so I can steal the show!”

“What? With your unpasteurized cow milk jugs that probably squirt acid in the fantasy world where some desperate idiot squeezes them?”

Miu squirmed pleasurably. “G— oooh! S-Squeezing them…?! With lotsa cow milk?! Mmph!”

“Ouma-kun, we’re practicing for the idol group,” Kirumi calmly stated. “You cannot play my piano or be in the room right now, and that’s final.”

“Pleeeease?!” Ouma pleaded, kicking his feet. “Things would sound ten times not sucky with me at the keyboard!”

“I didn’t know you knew how to play.”

“Sure, I do! Watch!” Pretending to crack his knuckles, Ouma slammed his fingers against random keys, making a bunch of unnecessary noise. “Ta-daaa!”

“That fucking sucked!” Miu criticized, unable to deter Ouma from taking a bow anyway.

“Thank you for your always-irrelevant opinion, Hogzilla! If I was on Venus again, I’d have wowed the crowd just now. Sadly, Earth once again fails to have decent tastes. Big surprise there.”

“Erm, your playing could still use some work by Earth standards,” Kirumi tried to reason. “I’ll tell you what. After this, I can start giving you some piano lessons. That way, you’ll be able to play to your little heart’s content.”

“Lessons?! I’m a pro!”

“Not on Earth, which is where you’re stuck right now.”

“...Good point. Fine! I will take your lessons! But, only if I get to sit on your lap when I want.”

“Deal.”

“Wahoo!” Ouma played random keys over and over excitedly, taken away from the piano by Kirumi.

“Please stop that. I know you’re excited, but you must be a little more patient right now. If you are, then you’ll get to use the piano. Okay?”

“Yes, Mama-rumi!”

Kirumi became bewildered. “‘Mama’?! I’m not your mother or anyone’s.”

“You act like it a lot.” Ouma smiled, already up to mishaps. “Aren’t moms the first teachers?”

“Well, yes, they can be. But—”

“—But, nothin’! What’s said is said and no take-backs here!”

_‘Good grief, this boy had better get tired of it soon…’_

“Kirumi, if you’re giving Ouma-kun piano lessons, what of our duets?” Korekiyo asked. “I don’t want to make you do two things at once.”

“I’ll divide my time evenly so I don’t neglect you. I’m deeply excited to have my first pupil, but I wouldn’t wish to sacrifice our time together, either.”

“Do what you feel you must, but don’t overload to the point of burning out. You always tell me that, so now I’m returning the favor because your feelings are too crucial to ignore.”

Kirumi’s cheeks pinkened, hiding behind her bangs. “Oh, Kiyo-kun. Thank you for the concern, even if it’s not needed.”

“It’s always good to ensure someone is taking care of themselves, too. Especially someone I hold very dear.”

“Oooh~!” Ouma and Miu chimed in unison, earning looks to be quiet from Kiyo and Kirumi respectively.

“Can you go now?” Himiko groaned. “Private rehearsal means _private_ rehearsal.”

“Yeah, I’m good,” Ouma said, toddling out. “Break a leg, you guys! Maybe two or eight!”

“Finally. Okay, everyone, back into positions! Break time is over.”

“Let’s start back with Iidabashi-kun’s song,” Kirumi suggested, sitting at the piano. “It’s one of the few that don’t need a stereo for the entire duration.”

“I hope he’s been doing some serious practicing since last time.” Himiko pulled her hat down, shuddering at the memory of the first run-through. “You have, right?”

“Of course! I’ve improved massively and been warming up enough to make my throat less strained!” Kiibo proudly announced. “With some Lab-raised honey in my tea and vocal exercises, I’ve been pulling out all the stops!”

“But can you carry a tune in a bucket is the question?” Maki wondered.

“We’ll answer that,” Kirumi flexed her fingers, which were positioned at the keys. “One, two, one, two, ready— go!”

Kiibo waited a few seconds for his cue, finally singing when it came. Though not ear-shattering, he was very screechy with his higher notes and far too gruff in putting the emotions in. The piano stopped, everyone else covering their ears. “How was that?” he asked innocently.

“Still needs practice, but you’re getting there,” Kirumi winced. “This song doesn’t get powerful until the last verse. Before that, it’s much softer and delicate with its strength.”

“I thought I was doing that…”

“Here, why don’t I show you a demonstration? Ahem.” Kirumi sang without the piano, but managed to come out sounding louder and more crass than Kiibo’s version. Two sentences in and she covered her mouth in embarrassment, everyone stunned by what they’d just heard. “Oh, my.”

“‘Oh, my’ is right! What was that?” Himiko gagged. “You sound just fine singing with piano!”

“I guess I— have a bit of trouble with a cappella.”

“Way more than a bit,” Maki muttered.

“How do you sing fine with instruments, but sound like— well, Kiibo, but worse— without?” Himiko wondered, Kiibo’s jaw slackening with offense.

“Some people struggle with staying on key without the notes in the open, and there isn’t a thing wrong with that,” Korekiyo defended, leering at Himiko.

“I am more used to being around instrumental music when singing,” Kirumi admitted, mortified. “No matter, that’s what my Lab is for. Let’s do ourselves a favor and forget we just heard that, okay?”

“A little hard to. My ears are ringing,” Miu winced.

“Back to the show,” Korekiyo hissed, still defending Kirumi. “Go on.”

When the piano started again, Kiibo sang at the right time, but softer than before. It sounded a bit better, only more shaky and flat with the notes barely hit. “What about that?” he asked after the music stopped.

“Not bad, but you need to sing a bit louder,” Kirumi advised. “Not so much that it turns into a scream fest, but enough so the audience can hear you. If we don’t get it today, stop by my Lab sometime tomorrow evening so we can improve in private.”

“And it can’t take long because we’ve finally set a date for the concert,” Himiko said.

“Oooh! When is it?” Angie beamed.

“That’s a surprise. The announcement is gonna be at dinner tonight.”

“Is everyone allowed to attend?” Kiibo wondered. “I know you probably don’t agree, but Akamatsu-san deserves to go, too.”

“Yeah. She’s just as much of an audience member as anyone else,” Shuichi supported firmly. “Nobody deserves to get excluded, remember?”

“And, even if you have a problem with her, making it so she’s the only one kicked from the show would give her an opening,” Maki pointed out. “Don’t you think so?”

“Oh yeah,” Himiko figured. “Fine. Akamatsu can go, but she can’t leave for potty breaks!”

“Yumeno-san,” Kirumi scolded, giving her a displeased look.

“What? I still don’t trust her!” The glare didn’t let up, sending Himiko into submission. “Nyeh, you really are like a mom. Okay, she’ll be allowed, but I’ll be watching that girl if she tries to sneak off to where she shouldn’t.”

“Fair enough.”

“Harukawa-san, you’re on our side, too?” Kiibo asked.

“I guess,” Maki answered. “Akamatsu’s at least not dumb enough to go back on all her progress, so I’ll give her that.”

“Wow, that has to be the nicest thing you’ve said about her,” Shuichi commended. “Thanks.”

“Why the Hell are you thanking me? I wasn’t talking about you.”

“No, but I can still recognize you said something decent, can’t I?”

“Do it if you want. I don’t care.”

Rehearsal went on from a few run-throughs of Kiibo’s song, which was decided would be worked on in private with Kirumi to get it solid in time for the show to his embarrassment. The songs were run through up to the one sung by Miu, who hesitated to start for a second before jumping into the song and giving it her all. Hesitation overcame her at certain parts of the song, but she waved it off with her confident demeanor and persevered with the right notes, pitch, and emotion hit everywhere it should have. After it came to a close, however, she immediately backed away and refused to do much else.

“Wonderful job, Miu-san,” Kirumi commended. “Are you alright, though? Something seems to be bothering you.”

“That’s just my natural good looks!” Miu snapped. “Don’t look too much into what’s not there.”

“You know if something’s bothering you, you can tell me, can’t you? This isn’t an easy song regardings its storyline, so if anything’s not sitting right with you—”

“—I’m good! Put a lid on it!”

“Are you sure?” Kiibo asked next. “There’s nothing wrong with not feeling good if you’re not okay with something.”

Miu grew cocky, laughing hard enough to shoot spit. “HA! What could get to the world’s most perfect service girl? I’m as indestructible as my jugs!”

“Not to mention as noisy as a jet engine,” Maki scoffed.

“Shall we keep going, then?” Kirumi asked. “If you’re really alright with it.”

“Wh-Why do that? Do you wanna strain out my beautiful vocal cords? Then I won’t be able to sing at all during the concert!” Miu argued nervously. “Let’s wrap it up and do it again next time.”

“Is everyone cool with that?” Himiko asked, getting nods from everyone. “Okay. See you guys later. Don’t forget to practice!”

The others walked out, Kirumi stopping Miu in private once it was just them. “Miu-san. I really hate to pry,” she said.

“Why are you, then?” Miu growled. “Nothing’s going on that you need to get involved with. Remember our conversation about not getting bent out of shape over someone else all the time? Well, that applies to you, too.”

“I’m not having this conversation just because I’m trying to play peacemaker, I’m doing it out of personal concern for your wellbeing. Something’s clearly the matter, and I want to see if I can do anything to help you.”

“Because you don’t think I can take control of my own life?! Is that it?!”

“No. Because I consider you a friend of mine, and I’d want to see you happy even if I weren’t a musician.”

Miu flinched, looking at Kirumi surprised. “Friend? That’s really how you see me?” Kirumi nodded earnestly in response. “You sure?”

“Positive.”

“Oh. Well… that’s kinda all the more reason I couldn’t tell you too much. I’d hate to put this on you. Hypothetically, I mean.”

“You may be the Ultimate Maid, but remember, you don’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable here.”

“Yeah, yeah, I never forgot. Really, I insist I’m fine! Aren’t… friends, supposed to have some faith every now and again?”

“If you really insist on doing this, then I can only stop you so much. Just promise me you won’t forget what I’ve said.”

“Couldn’t if I could!” Miu knocked on her head a few times. “This bitch has got a noggin of steel! I’m not just my good looks, ya know!”

Kirumi giggled. “I’d be careful if I were you. Steel can only contain so much if one’s ego starts getting bigger than it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?! My ego’s as big as it should be!”

“I mean no harm, I’m only joking with you.”

“Ah— ...whatever, I believe ya. I gotta go get started on the rest of my chores, anyway. See you ‘round, Kirumi.”

Miu left, allowing the pianist to her own devices. She got to tidying up whatever had gotten messy during rehearsal, organizing sheet music and putting the music stands back where they needed to be. In the planner leaning against the stand on her piano, Kirumi wrote down Kiibo and Ouma’s names below Korekiyo’s name (which had an erased pencil heart next to it) underneath the section labelled “Music Lessons/Sessions With…”. The sheer anticipation pleased her, now able to both share her playing with others and improve her own.

For the first time in a long while, Kirumi felt adequate.

* * *

“Saihara, I don’t wanna do this,” Maki said closer to dinnertime, being led to the third floor by the martial artist in question.

“You don’t have to play or anything, but it’d help you try something new out for a change,” Shuichi replied.

“I already signed back up for the idol group, isn’t that enough?”

“Then this should be a lot more of a break from so much singing and dancing. Unless you really do wanna join in.”

“No.”

“Okay, nothing to worry about, then. Come on, don’t be shy!”

Shuichi and Maki went inside the Ultimate Tennis Pro Lab to of course find Kaito, who was in the middle of keeping Kaede’s feet down while she did some sit-ups. Although her skin began to sweat the expected amount, she had little trouble doing any reps. Judging by the count, she’d already reached the 20s without looking anywhere close to being ready to keel over from exhaustion. Kaito and Shuichi were both amazed, watching the former increase count and still no sign of weariness from Kaede. Finally, he hit 40, going to 47, and lastly 50 total push-ups before the girl sat up and stood triumphantly, Kaito’s thumb stopping the timer on the stopwatch and looking with amazement at the results.

“2 minutes and 11 seconds!” Kaito announced. “Wow. That’s almost scary.”

“I’m already pretty in shape myself,” Kaede noted, flexing her arm. “I’ve done a lot of ab crunches and jogging in my free time, so there’s not much I can’t handle already.”

“Still no excuse to not stay in tip-top shape!” Kaito insisted. “I’m gonna whip you into perfection even harder than you’re already at!”

“How about you start with yourself first? You’ve been helping me do sit-ups, but haven’t even made a knick in the warmups yourself! You don’t expect me to do the exercises myself, do you?”

“Me? Never! I was— just getting on it!” Kaito pointed to Shuichi primarily alongside Maki. “And I’ve got my bro to do ‘em with me! He’s even brought an unlikely workout guest with him!”

“I’m not doing sit-ups or push-ups,” Maki declined. “All I’ll do is watch you guys play tennis, then leave.”

“You’ll do better than that! Why don’t you join us over here? It won’t hurt if you stretch enough.”

“I don’t care. My mind’s made up.”

“She doesn’t have to necessarily join the warmup training,” Kaede said. “It’d be kinda boring jumping into those.”

“They are not. Warming up is really important!” Kaito fought. “If you jump in with your muscles all tangled up in knots, pulling one’s guaranteed!”

“Be it for any kind of physical activity,” Shuichi included, getting some stretches in for his arms and knee joints. “When you don’t get your body used to exerting itself, you’ll have a tougher time starting so, if that makes sense.”

“No, I get it,” Kaede agreed, getting started on some push-ups. “Hgh! You can’t go too easy on yourself, otherwise you’d never bulk up enough for the tougher challenges! At the same time, pushing yourself—! Too hard, will cause some serious crashing and burning!”

“Also true. You wanna save some spirit for the actual game!” Kaito advised. “Come on, Shu! Akamatsu! I wanna see your whole backs put into it before our match! Push it! Really push it!”

“Take your own advice, maybe?” Shuichi suggested, doing some deep squats and clapping his hands together above his head whenever he jumped up. “You’re the pro athlete, but that’s not fair for you to be sitting pretty.”

“I was getting to it! Hold your horses, will ya?”

“Starting now!” Kaede demanded, pointing to the ground. “Drop and give me 60, Momota!”

“Sir— I mean, ma’am, yes, ma’am!”

Kaito got on the ground and started his push-ups, going at a hard, bit paced rate in counting from the first one up. Halfway through, Kaede sat on his upper back, adding more of the challenge taken without hesitation. Shuichi joined in with some lunges, counting them carefully and quietly so no one lost count. All Maki did was take a seat in the bleachers, boredly watching everyone warm up for the tennis game they were preparing to partake in. When the exercises finished up, Kaito went to one side of the net while Shuichi and Kaede went to the other with the ball for serving after the former's hakama pants were set aside for the match.

“This is your chance to be my teammate, Harukawa!” Kaito encouraged her. “I’ve beaten these two by myself before, but two heads work even better than one!”

“Not interested,” Maki declined. “Besides, I thought you’d want an audience.”

“One person an audience doesn’t make… but, if you’re cool being my personal cheerleader right now, that’s fine, too!”

“I am _not_ your cheerleader. Why would you even think I’d be rooting for you?”

“Well, who are you rooting for, then?” Kaede asked, bouncing the ball against the turf.

“No one. I’m just here to watch a game of tennis, and whoever wins wins.”

“An impartial judge, eh? Maybe you’ll have a favorite team as soon as Shuichi and I finally take the victory from Momota-kun.”

“Doubt it, but go ahead and believe that.”

“Love-Love! Game on!” Shuichi cheered, Kaede serving the ball to Kaito. It came back on the instant, hit again by the martial artist diving in.

“Nice work, Shuichi, keep it up!” Kaede encouraged, taking her turn in swinging to get the ball away from her and to the other side. “And be on the lookout in case he uses that ‘special move’ of his again!”

“Don’t remind me. I’m still wondering how—!” Shuichi used a backhand when the ball got too close. “—How a human being’s even capable of doing that.”

“Ancient athlete’s technique,” Kaito hinted, a strong forehand getting the ball away. “When you work to get to my level, you’re free to develop your own last resort move!”

“If we can assume that’s even possible,” Kaede laughed.

“Nothing’s not possible when you put your mind and spirit to it, Akamatsu! Don’t forget that!”

Maki spectated the tennis match between the uneven teams, eyes following the ball whenever it crossed the net. Shuichi and Kaede soon scored the first point, putting things at “15-Love” as the Aikido master called out before the ball was served to start the next set. That one didn’t take long in tying things thanks to Kaito bouncing back and using a backhand mighty enough to catch his opponents off-guard. While somewhat tedious to watch some fuzzy ball go between two sides, Maki did tighten whenever a close call was made, only for one participant to save themselves at the last minute and keep things going. She went back to spectating, seeing yet more scores be claimed.

“30-40! Match point!” Kaito exclaimed. “Come on! Give it all you got! I’m on FIRE!”

“If we get too careless, he’s bound to use _that_ to kick our butts again,” Shuichi whispered.

“That’s bound to happen either way,” Kaede uttered back. “Just keep a very sharp eye out, and— don’t be in its way or you might leave here with another hole in your skull.”

“Assuming I’d be able to leave at all after that.” Out the ball went, Shuichi hitting it back when Kaito did and partaking in another tense set of tennis.

“Great! Teamwork! You guys!” Kaito laughed, swatting away the green ball every time it came his direction. “But, let’s see if you’ve improved enough to beat this! Sparkling Wide—!”

“—Here we go again…” Shuichi and Kaede sighed.

“—Super Buzzy Ball of Championship!” Spinning and jumping, Kaito took out his special move on the tennis ball, which ground against his racket for a few seconds before falling diagonally at an almost inhuman rate.

“No! Not this time!” Dashing as quickly as he could, Shuichi forced his racket against the ball using his best backhand, grunting while forcing it away from that half of the turf and changing its direction more upwards. In doing so, it was headed for the bleachers where Maki was sitting.

“Shit! Look out! I’ll save you, Harumaki!” Kaito charged in and jumped, racket at the ready. In leaping heroically (or so he envisioned), he landed only a couple rows short of Maki’s and tumbled down to the ground again. The ball itself missed the magician after she simply dodged it, going to where Kaito was and pulling him onto his feet. “Thanks…”

“You idiot, a ball’s not gonna kill me,” Maki sighed. “Also, what did you just call me back there?”

“Didn’t I say your name?”

“No, you called me ‘Harumaki’. Like the spring roll.”

“Oh. I guess I must’ve garbled up your last name with your given one in a panic. Still, I think it suits you! It’s really cute-sounding.”

Maki’s eyes widened, then furrowing when her cheeks pinkened in a pout. “Don’t push it, or I’ll make sure your tongue’s covered in purple spots for a month.”

“Is everything okay over here?” Kaede asked, running to the bleachers with Shuichi. “Harukawa-san, did you get hit?”

“No, I’m fine. I’d worry more about the one who just fell down half a set of metal bleachers.”

“You say that like it’s the first time!” Kaito gloated, stretching the soreness out of him. “Nothing’s broken, so I’m ready to get back to playing!”

“I don’t think sports accidents are something to be proud of…” Shuichi commented. “You sure you’re set to get back on the turf?”

“Positive! And Harumaki’s gonna be my partner!”

“Harumaki?” Kaede giggled.

“Not another word,” Maki hissed. “He means me, obviously, even though I don’t wanna play.”

“I’m not asking you to jump right into the sports biz, just to try a match on for size!” Kaito encouraged. “It’ll be fun!”

“...If I play one round, will it shut you up?”

“Unless you wanna go for another, then sure.”

“Alright.” Maki was still reluctant, but untied her cloak and set it neatly on the bleachers. “One game. That’s it.”

“Now we don’t have to go two against one today,” Shuichi realized. “It ought to make things a little more fair.”

“On whose side? I’ve got the strength of at least two players combined!” Kaito gloated. “But, it’s always more fun to be on a team with someone else.”

“Are we picking up from before, or starting over?”

“Let’s start fresh and just call the last match a tie.” Kaito reset the scoreboard, handing Maki a racket and joining sides with her. “You’re still serving, Akamatsu! It’s Love-Love again!”

“‘Love-Love’?” Maki inquired.

“It’s a way of saying both sides are at zero. ‘Love’ means ‘zero’ in tennis! I’ll catch you up with some of the terminology in a little bit. For now, we’ve gotta put everything we’ve got into this match!”

Kaede served the ball and started, Kaito jumping in and swatting it back over to that side using a forehand. Maki tried hitting the next one, but wound up missing and having it be saved thanks to her playing partner. Shuichi was able to dive in for Kaede when the ball seemed like it wouldn’t be flying in their favor, the latter taking initiative back as soon as Kaito made his hit and received the same thing back. When Maki made another move, she got a successful forehand in, but the ball went directly to the net and fell to their side, costing them the point.

“15-Love!” Shuichi called out.

“Why do you get 15? That was just one point,” Maki hissed.

“One side only needs four successful sets to win a match,” Kaito informed her. “A single point is 15, then it goes to 30, then 40, and finally, game point.”

“That’s stupid.”

“Maybe so, but it ain’t dumb! Game rules are final.”

The match started up again with the ball being served, Kaito hitting it back and receiving it when Shuichi got it away from his side. It had a consistent back and forth between the sides, but Maki was hardly able to hit the ball over even with loud encouragement courtesy of her noisy teammate. She managed, but those with functioning eyes could see she wasn’t doing as well as the other three. Another point went to Shuichi and Kaede’s team after the ball failed to be backed up by Maki or Kaito, both lamenting at being behind in score.

“30-Love!” Kaede chirped.

“Come on, Harumaki! Get your head in the game!” Kaito coached. “Keep your eye on the ball and your surroundings at all times! No focus on either, no win! That’s just sports law!”

“I’m doing my best,” Maki growled. “It’s not fair compared to someone whose Ultimate title is based around this.”

“No excuses! Being me is one thing, but you’re you! Don’t use me as a comparison point because that’s like comparing someone running in the Olympics to a toddler taking its first steps. You gotta look inside yourself, find your inner center, and let out everything you saw.”

“I’ll tell you how much sense that doesn’t make later. For now, I’m winging it. Akamatsu, we’re ready.”

Another swing of Kaede’s racket sent the ball over, Kaito striking it first and watching it fly towards Shuichi, who hit it and defended his shared territory from point loss. Maki put most of her visual contact on the ball, managing to get it past the net enough using a shaky forehand and crashing into Kaito after it left. Brushing off the hard impact, she kept at it and hit the ball over to Kaede with an improved version of her previous forehand. It missed her racket, instead ricocheting off her noggin and bouncing to the turf.

“Ouch! Watch it!” Kaede snapped, rubbing the spot.

“30-15! Nice going, teammate!” Kaito cheered. “Sorry about your head though, Akamatsu.”

“It’s fine. Just watch where you two are swinging those rackets. Not bad for your first point scored, Harukawa-san!”

“Thanks. I’m just relieved I finally got somewhere with this game,” Maki said.

“Don’t stop now because game point’s after the next one,” Shuichi informed her. “And we so happen to be in the lead…”

“You can yuck it up all you want, but I could still beat you if I wanted to. Don’t think a comeback isn’t possible from me.”

“Now you’re getting into it!” Kaito cheered. “A little competitive spirit’s great for the game! Use it to motivate yourself and score higher.”

For another set, the ball was served, sending all four after it to get it away from their side. They all maintained a good streak of keeping it off the ground for too long, jumping in whenever it wasn’t within the range of their partner’s racket. One side, to the other, then back to the first in a somewhat endless competitive cycle. Although maintained for a good while, Kaede broke the chair by hitting back with a backhand good enough to zip past Kaito and Maki, leaving them too late to save themselves.

“40-15, game point!” Shuichi called out.

“Alright, we’re looking to be a little in the red,” Kaito sighed, “but, we can do this! Maki— where are you going?!”

“Wherever isn’t here,” Maki hissed, dropping her racket carelessly and going towards the bleachers. “That comeback’s not happening after all, so what’s the point of playing just to lose?”

“If one thing is banned from my Lab, it’s quitter talk! You may not win all the time, but at least give yourself the chance to pull out of trouble! It’s better to try and lose than lose because you didn’t try.”

“Why? So I can lose faster? No thanks.”

“Look, look, stop.” Kaito ran to Maki, stopping her from getting her cloak. “I get it, losing sucks, but it’s inevitable. Coming from a sports star might sound whack, but it’s true. Even I’ve got my moments that I might not feel so good about, but it’s not the end of the world to lose one game. You just do better next time and that’s that!”

“Trying your hardest doesn’t guarantee a win. All it does is give yourself false hope.”

“Hey. It beats no hope at all. And this is your problem, Makks. You give up too easy and don’t give yourself a chance of seeing the other possibility! What’s the old saying? You’ll never know—”

“—Unless you try?”

“Yeah, that’s it! So though losing isn’t so fantastic, trying is half the battle and you feel way less crummy after since you gave it all you had! The future is always changing; there’s no absolute in assuming what you think will happen is gonna.”

“Oh yeah? Try telling that to my tarot cards.”

“Those things are even less helpful! You make a bunch of guesses over creepy symbols and they don’t always wind up coming true! The future is what you mold it into! Nothing’s set in stone!” Kaito offered the racket back to Maki. “You wouldn’t bail halfway through being sawed in half on stage, so why would you do it here?”

Maki hesitated, more prepared to call him out for the analogy, but ultimately deciding against it and accepting the racket. “I’ll play until someone wins, and that’s it.”

“That’s my girl! You’ll do even greater!”

The two jumped back into the game, Maki diving in first and hitting away the first serve before dealing with its rebound. Shuichi and Kaede were versatile, but were appearing to begin meeting their match from how fast they had to swing and hit. Using ounces of effort, she struck the ball hard enough to thankfully earn another point, putting the score at “40-30”. Now, the heat was on. One more point for one team and two for the other would hand over the hard-earned victory.

“Don’t back down now, Shuichi! We can win this game!” Kaede panted. “This win’s in the bag!”

“We can catch up!” Kaito told Maki, batting his racket against his palm. “It’s now or never for this set!”

“Look out, other side!” Kaede served the ball as hard as she could, reciprocating at Maki hitting it back. “Not bad! You’re learning!”

“You’ll still have to do better than that to win this match!” Shuichi exhaled, using a backhand on a shot Kaito fired over the net.

“Isn’t that supposed to be my line, Shu?” Kaito inquired, striking the tennis ball away from his side of the next three consecutive times. “Now seems like a pretty good time to say it to you!”

“Those words can bounce right back, just like the ball right— now!” Kaede announced, hitting it to Kaito and Maki’s side and watching it be saved by the latter.

“Don’t tell me that’s all you’ve— got!” Maki grunted, again swatting the green ball back to the other side. “Just because you’re one point from winning doesn’t mean you can get so cocky.”

“A little hard not to when the victory’s in the bag! Let’s see who it’s going to!”

It was a close match with both sides playing their parts excellently, but received its end in the form of Shuichi striking hard enough to get the ball far enough past Kaito and Maki that they weren’t able to catch it. Despite their combined agility, it bounced upon the turf, eliminating any chance they were trying to strive for getting closer to the victory they’d lost. The scoreboard was updated, giving away its triumphant winners in the form of their jovial opponents. Shuichi showed modest pride with himself, while Kaede jumped elated at finally having defeated Kaito.

“We won!” she cheered, picking up her teammate and spinning him around. “Game, set, match!”

“A-Akamatsu-san! I’m getting dizzy!” Shuichi yelped, finally let down to his feet. “Thanks. I’m surprised we finally won a match.”

“I told you beating me was possible with enough practice!” Kaito commended, clapping. “Which drives my point home of being able to accomplish what your mind thinks can’t be done. It didn’t seem likely at first, but here you guys are! Ain’t that right, Maki?”

“I’ll partly agree with you on that, but only for realistic things and thus only half of what you’ve got in mind,” Maki stated. “I’m just glad this stupid match is over.”

“You did really good for your first one!” Kaede chirped, smacking Shuichi and Kaito on their bottoms cheerfully. “Nice work, boys! Nice game, awesome match! Wahoo!”

Maki immediately stopped Kaede in the middle of getting to her next. “That hand had better not be going anywhere except my own.” She offered it, accepting the mutual shake. “...Good game, I guess. You earned the win.”

“There’s always another time to win a match,” Kaito spoke up, Shuichi too frazzled by getting his butt smacked even in good sportsmanship. “Losses don’t have to last forever if you don’t want ‘em to! By all means, come back anytime if you wanna jump into another game with us, or just a one-on-one with the pro.”

“It does make things more even to play with four people,” Shuichi agreed, finally getting his hakama and fastening it back on. “We’ve got rehearsal together, so we could stop by at the same time.”

“Eh, sports aren’t really my thing,” Maki admitted, gathering her cloak and fastening it back on. “If I change my mind, then I do. Like Momota said, nothing’s set in stone, but… I did have a little fun, I’ll tell you.”

“That’s a great start!” Kaede rooted. “You’re slowly working your way out of your shell and it’s really showing!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, don’t shout it to the world. Not like they can hear you from this dome anyways. Aren’t you three running late for dinner? Yumeno’s not gonna like us being late for the—”

“—Surprise! It’s a surprise that we shouldn’t say out loud right now!” Shuichi interrupted. “Harukawa-san’s right, though. We need to get going after a quick cleanup of this place.”

“I’ll handle it, you guys get going and I’ll meet you there,” Kaito volunteered, already getting started on the job.

“Oh, that reminds me, these are for you,” Maki said, handing him two vials identical to the one from before. “I strained them a lot better than the potion you’ve got now, so it shouldn’t feel like you’re drinking bits of root.”

“For me? Thanks, Makks! You shouldn’t have! Uhh, what kind of root have you been putting in these, by the way?”

“The minute I tell you is when it won’t work anymore. Don’t pry too deep and ruin my magic.”

“Alright, I’ll drop it.” Kaito gave her a thumbs up and a grin. “Still, no surprise the wiz is a wiz at curing what ails folks!”

Maki flushed, toying with the lower half of her ponytail. “Take it or leave it. I made these because I felt like it Hurry up to dinner so we can get the surprise over and done with, or I’ll drag you there myself.”

“I won’t be long. See you guys in a few!”

Kaito watched the others leave, making sure they were far enough before running to his medicine cabinet and taking some puffs of his inhaler. Exhaling with the relief of nothing constricting his lungs, he stashed away the new bottles Maki gave him and drank a little from the oldest one. It burned going down, but felt refreshing after. He forced out a few coughs, relieved that nothing dripped past his lips except for a few bits of the potion, putting it back where it should have been and shutting it. During his speed walk to dinner, Kaito took some deep breaths, maintaining the clearness of his lungs he lamented wouldn’t last him very long until the next lucky doses.

The disposable syringes and drugs in his cabinet haunted the moments he had by himself, pushing each thought as far from his mind as they’d go. Nothing new, nothing worth fretting over for heroes! Kaito had a delicious post-match meal to eat, after all. He couldn’t afford to lose his appetite.

* * *

Dinner itself wasn’t eventful or excessively dramatic, everyone digging into their food and sitting with whom they pleased. Miu tended to the ones that wound up finishing earlier, taking their empty dishes and stained cups without a word of vulgarity or snippiness said. Anybody making an attempt to leave, however, were stopped by Kirumi or Himiko, who told them to stick around a little longer for something highly important to be heard by all. The doors were closed, discouraging anyone from trying to exit too early. Once everyone was all seated, the girls stood up, the clinking of Kirumi’s glass getting the rest’s attention.

“Excuse me, everyone, we have something to say,” Kirumi spoke up. “Hear us out, we’ll make it nice and quick so you all can go about the rest of the evening.”

“It’s something we think you guys might enjoy,” Himiko continued, “given that we’re trapped here right now.”

“Did you guys find a way out? Wow, you’re way more competent than Akamatsu-san by herself,” Tsumugi commented, backhanded. “Where is it?”

“Nyeh, it’s not that, pipe down and wait for us to say it.”

“Oh. How plainly disappointing…”

“Too good to be true, no surprise there,” Ouma snickered. “You guys oughta come up with some use that’s actually useful, how’s that for a suggestion?”

“Ouma-san, I’m giving you until the count of three to clam up!” Tenko demanded. “I know it’s common for human males to repeatedly interrupt when women are speaking, but I won’t allow you that excuse!”

“And, we’ll never know what they have, even if it’s not an exit route,” Rantaro reprimanded. “Who knows? It could be good, still.”

“You shut up, too! God, how hard is it to listen to people?!” She spoke more sweetly to the ones making an announcement. “Himiko-chan, Kirumi-san, go ahead. The floor’s all yours.”

“Thanks,” Himiko said. “As we were saying, Toujou here came to me the other day wanting to keep the steady. Kinda like the paint night from before, but this’ll gather a bigger audience and not just apply to a small portion of us here.”

“I… merely wanted everyone to partake and have a nice night together,” Kirumi confessed. “My music skills are meant for pleasing an audience, so I intended to put it to good use for you all. Just one moment of peace among the entire class.”

“Which is why, we’ve collaborated in a way that mixes music and my personal fancy being tickled. So! I’m proud to tell you all about…” Himiko helped Kirumi hold up a large, black posterboard, which presented the words “Toujou & Yumeno present…” in smaller gold writing above “SIXTH SENSATION” in multiple colors, shining star stickers planted in all four corners. “Our first ever, never before seen, phenomenal idol group premiering very soon, ‘Sixth Sensation’!”

“An idol group?!” Tsumugi beamed, eyes lighting up. “Oh, I take back everything I said, that’s wonderful news! Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

“Himiko-chan is gonna be in a cute little idol dress? Singing and dancing and blowing kisses on stage…?!” Tenko drooled, faceplate heating up beet red while her collar monitor had several red exclamation points speeding along it. “And Kirumi-san is joining?! R-Robots can go to heaven after all! This is just the proof in the pudding! Nobody pinch me!”

“No, Tenko, we’re just the showrunners,” Himiko corrected, soothing the metal girl.

“Oh. Also good. Who’s your cast?”

“Going in order, the first is… Angie! Come on up and don’t be shy.”

“Wait. You picked Yonaga-san to be in your group?” Tenko watched Angie stand up, waving and making herself known. “Can she sing?”

“She can well enough. And, if I didn’t get her in, I’d have been pretty disappointed in myself to not be working with her.”

“I can sing! I could be a body double if she gets a sore throat before the big show! You don’t want that to put a wrench in your plans, do you?”

“First of all, body doubles are for movies. The word you’re looking for is ‘stand-in’. Second, I’m sure Angie’s gonna be fine come the show.”

“You’re still welcome to attend and watch me perform under Himiko and Kirumi’s brilliant direction,” Angie reassured Tenko, who only glowered at her twiddling her fingers enviously. “Atua welcomes you as a guest.”

“Uh-huh…” Tenko murmured.

“Next up is someone I never took to be the ‘performing’ type, but no less turned out to be a wonderful addition,” Kirumi praised, smiling to herself with rosy cheeks. “Idol number two is none other than our classy detective, Kiyo-kun. Please stand up so everyone can see you.”

“The pleasure is all mine to be a part of this,” Korekiyo said, standing with gratitude as he earned a few wary stares. “Thank you, Kirumi.”

“Ugh, _he’s_ gonna be an idol?” Tenko gagged. “I’ll admit he’s capable of being fairly elegant, but everything else about him makes my skin crawl too much to stomach it!”

“Good thing you neither have skin or a stomach, so it doesn’t really matter, does it?” Ouma insulted. “I, for one, have better taste than you and thus know how much Kiyo-chan could rock a short skirt and sparkles.”

“Of every possible thing you could have focused on, and it’s that…” Korekiyo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“You can’t blame him too much. People just die for the looks and charms of a cute idol,” Himiko stated.

“But, could you pin Shinguuji-kun as ‘cute’?” Tsumugi quizzed. “He’s kinda like a walking horror movie. Or Ryuk. Yeah, just like Ryuk, actually.”

“Look, I get he’s creepy as sin, but he can make it work.”

“Yeah, it’s not really too surprising since Shinguuji acts way too girly for a normal guy, anyways,” Kaito commented.

“Could we please knock this off?” Kirumi hissed, unamused. “There isn’t anything wrong with him, in costume or out of it. I’d appreciate it if you all weren’t being so rude right now, and instead show some respect for _all_ of our castmates.”

“It’s quite alright. I’m used to this, so it doesn’t bother me too much,” Korekiyo insisted politely. “Carry on with presenting the rest of the cast, ladies.”

Kirumi grumbled, sour. “Very well… our third member of the group is Iidabashi-kun. Would you please stand up?”

“Happy to!” Kiibo chirped, doing as told proudly. “My singing still needs a little tweaking, but I’m definitely getting there! Come see my fully developed capabilities live on stage, everyone!”

“We’ll be taking proper lessons to ensure that happens. Don’t be late now.”

“Our next idol may surprise you,” Himiko spoke up. “Because of all the people we could have recruited, it’s some act of Atua to have gotten her on board. And yes, I’m talking about you, Harukawa. Stand on up.”

“I’ve got nothing to say about this, so neither do any of you,” Maki bit to the rest, standing with her arms folded.

“I don’t think it’s that surprising to see you up on stage,” Kaito remarked. “Underneath all that scowl and sneer, you’ve got a pretty cute charm fitting for a girl in the idol business.”

“Say. Nothing. Or do I have to personally force you to shut up?”

“Maybe it’s not the typical ‘idol’ image, but it’s a nice spin on it,” Rantaro remarked. “No one has to be picture perfect every single time.”

“Just listen for who’s next and can it.”

“Oh, yeah,” Himiko grimaced. “I was actually against adding her, but Toujou insisted we give her a shot. Who knows why, I’ll never know or wanna, but our fifth one is unfortunately…”

“Me, bitches!” Miu gloated, jumping up and presenting herself proudly. “That’s right! The gorgeous server-slash-cleaning lady that’s been busting her perfect ass for all of you is gonna rock your balls and lack thereof live on stage! I’m not going on first, but best to save the best for second-last, I say! You all probably wish you were in my boots gettin’ all the groupies and fame, but tough shit—!”

Himiko cut her off, tired of listening to another word. “—Finally, our last, but not least performer is Saihara. We had a little trouble with him, but he changed his mind just in time.”

“What the fuck?! Why’s Pooichi get introduced now? I wasn’t done—!”

“—I don’t consider myself much of the stage singer, really,” Shuichi admitted. “But, I guess there’s worse things I could be doing with my time, isn’t there?”

“You’re in it, too?” Kaito groaned. “Iidabashi and Shinguuji I get, but come on, man! You’re better and tougher than this!”

“Relax, he isn’t hurting anybody,” Kirumi said. “It’s only singing to perform in front of everyone. A good, old fashioned musical concert could be just what the doctor ordered.”

“It’s both a nice get together with a bigger audience, and enough hype should distract people from doing something really bad to spoil it—” Himiko started to say until an obnoxious chortle cut in. “Ugh, what do you want?”

“S— orry! It’s just so rich!” Ouma wheezed, wiping away a fake tear. “You— actually, unironically think this is gonna change a damn thing?! Man! You Earthlings have been total dolts before, but you just took the cake now! WHOO! Comedy gold!”

“Mind telling us what’s so funny?” Kaito snarled.

“Wake up already! If a tiny little paint night fell flat on its ass and acted as a gateway for murder, how the heck do you figure a useless concert is gonna end up being any better an idea? If anything, it’s gonna speed up another murder and you guys are basically asking to get killed!”

“Paint Night didn’t cause Gokuhara-kun’s death. Hoshi-kun just used it as a cover-up and had it planned way before it even happened,” Rantaro corrected.

“So? That doesn’t matter. All this ‘getting together’ and ‘singing and dancing’ isn’t gonna do anything, and you’ll all never see that, will you? Nope! You’ll do whatever it takes to ignore the consequences just so you don’t have to deal with ‘em. Typical, and idiotic, just like every other member of the human race. No surprises here.”

“Nobody asked you to get involved. If you don’t wanna come, then don’t bother,” Kaito hissed.

“Yeah, the concert would be way better off without you,” Himiko sneered. “What good are you in any situation except causing more trouble?”

“Like a living plague on us all,” Tsumugi sighed. “At least I could enjoy the concert in peace.”

“I wasn’t planning to go,” Ouma bit. “I’m not wasting my time going to an obvious death trap with a bunch of yahoos who can’t grow a brain or common sense. And even if I was dumb enough to go, none of you’d even want me there.”

“At least you figured that out,” Maki bit. “You’re too much of a pain to deal with.”

“Out damned spot! Out, I say!” Tenko exclaimed. “If you take a step anywhere near the doors, I’ll throw you out in an instant for disturbing the peace!”

“‘Peace’? What peace? We’re in a killing game, you bucket of bolts,” Ouma snarked. “No matter, you won’t see me poking my nose. Have fun dying, guys. Hardly knew you, and proud.”

“...It’d be great if you could make it,” Kiibo spoke up, Ouma turning around raising his brow skeptically.

“Excuse me?”

“What the fuck are you saying, Iidabashi?! He’ll ruin everything like he always does! It’s given!” Kaito objected. “Excluding him would do the rest of us a huge favor!”

“But is doing that fair, is the question?” Kiibo turned to Ouma, disregarding anymore arguments from the others. “Ouma-kun, I understand your hesitance with this. Paint Night left a sour taste in your mouth, and there’s no guarantee this will end any better. But, letting things get too much out of hand like they’re bound to isn’t an option. As much as I don’t like thinking about it, Monokuma is bound to strike and make our problem harder.”

“Don’t encourage him—!” Tsumugi tried to fight.

“—I’m not finished talking! As I was saying, could something go wrong? Yes. Could something happen before everyone gathers in the same room? Sure. Does that mean we don’t try to mitigate the situation? No. Attempting something is better than attempting nothing and guaranteeing it goes from bad to worse.”

“If you claim you know so much about this, why are you doing this?” Ouma pressed.

“Because I’ve got no plans to sit by and let Monokuma have the last laugh and suffer for it. There’s no surefire way to prevent a murder done by someone else, but if we’re gonna deal with such a possibility, it’s better trying something and not letting too much get to us or drive everyone crazy.”

“Alright… not too mind-numbing an argument, Kiiboi. Flawed, but it could be worse. Even with that, you heard it here. No one wants me at the concert, and that’s that. Name one person that doesn’t agree with the majority vote.”

“...I’d love it if I could see you there. As long as you’re not disruptive and practice concert courtesy, there shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Which you know he won’t,” Miu muttered.

“Iidabashi-kun strives a valid point,” Korekiyo concurred. “Everyone deserves an equal chance at attending, even if they are as rambunctious as Ouma-kun. Besides, he might come to enjoy it if he gives it a chance.”

“Bearing witness to a concert would be a great way to convince anyone of the greater capabilities of Atua’s mortal children,” Angie included. “Soon, Kokichi shall see His glorious light and right his wrongs.”

“That’s bound to turn him off,” Kaede sighed.

“Ouma-kun, there’s absolutely no harm in taking some time off from being stressed,” Kirumi said. “The point of this is to clear everyone’s heads enough with a bit of downtime so we can take action immediately after. It’s not a guarantee, but it has odds higher than zero, yes?”

“It could be fun you’re missing out on,” Rantaro supported. “Give it a chance, huh?”

“Hmm…” Ouma pondered. “I’ll see if I’m feeling generous enough to sit with walking talking mud blobs. Maybe I’ll check it out, and maybe I won’t.”

“We’re so humbled,” Himiko spat. “Anyways, the concert’s coming up, so don’t miss it. Toujou and I made flyers, so come up and get ‘em because they’re your tickets. If you lose them, just ask one of us for another, but don’t do it two seconds before admission or you might as well not bother coming in.”

“Are you looking for any backup dancers?” Tenko nervously asked. “O-Or help in making the costumes? I don’t know much about making clothes, but I could still pitch in!”

“No, thanks. Our only performers are the six on stage, and I’m the Ultimate Cosplayer for a reason. Leave everything to me.”

“Oh… are you sure?”

“Positive. Just come to the show if you wanna see it all happen so bad. Non-cast and crew aren’t gonna be allowed in Toujou’s Lab during rehearsal or setup until admission, so you’ll have to wait patiently.”

“I’ll do just that! My patience is at all-time high! Why, I could sit in this same spot for days from how much I can wait on big events! Unless you need me, you have my full and honest word! I won’t disappoint you!”

Himiko pulled her hat down to block out Tenko’s loudness. “Alright, alright, I get it. Pipe down already…”

“That was all we had, you’re free to leave after you take a flyer,” Kirumi said, her pile of flyers getting slightly smaller as everyone not involved with the concert left with one each. “Thank you all for your time tonight.”

“I’m just saying,” Ouma brought up, swiping a flyer, “once this goes wrong and someone turns up dead, you won’t hear nothin’ else from me.”

“Have a little faith in our efforts. It’s not absolute because we’re among an unpredictable group, but it’s worth an attempt.”

“If you’re this bent on it. See you for the you-know-whats, Mama!”

“Ouma-kun, I’m not—” He already left, Kirumi unable to finish her claim. “This boy…”

“So, this is what you and Maki were hiding so badly early?” Kaito asked Shuichi during their stroll through the halls, flapping the flyer. “Man, I’m glad it’s nothing life-threatening, but did you have to say yes to something so… embarrassing?”

“It’s not embarrassing, it sounds like fun,” Shuichi retorted. “The most I’m worried about is stage fright, but I’ve been doing okay so far.”

“That’s besides the point! Men don’t put on these sparkly, fru-fru dresses and sing along to cutesy J-Pop songs! At least make it a rock concert or— maybe a battle of the bands! Literally anything else!”

“None of us know how to play instruments except Toujou-san, and from what I’ve heard, Shinguuji-kun. Don’t you think you’re overreacting?”

“Puh-lease, name one time I’ve done that.” Shuichi opened his mouth, but Kaito stopped him. “Rhetorical statement.”

“You don’t have to go if you don’t wanna. It’s just recommended in order to prevent another murder.”

“I know, but… ya know what, forget it. I’ll suck it up and go. I’ll be the one carrying the second-hand embarrassment for you.”

“Thanks…” Shuichi parted from Kaito, telling him he’d see him later while intending to deal with some personal time to himself.

* * *

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

The monitor only showed Monodam kicking something out of the back door angrily, turning surprised to see the camera was on and playing coy. “...IT’S-10-PM. BEDTIME-URSINE,” he croaked out, quickly shutting off the screen.

Okay? That was strange, but Shuichi couldn’t have cared less. None of them had anything worth contributing, so hearing as little from them as possible was all but common sense. Ouma’s earlier words from dinner still rattled some worry in him, so he didn’t need four little pests exacerbating things. As much as he wasn’t proud to admit so, there were some good points made in the concert potentially failing harder than Gonta and Kiibo’s attempt at keeping harmony had. No, it was way too late to think about it. Shuichi wasn’t going to let him ruin his night’s sleep either.

Drying off from his shower and changing into comfortable clothing, he crawled into bed under his ceiling’s darkness. A yawn let out past his lips, head against the plush pillow on his mattress and bringing him nothing but comfort. Closing both eyes, his breathing lightened some, sending him off to sleep when his drowsiness reached its peak. Shuichi fell asleep, another night passing over with familiar voices he assumed to be part of his dream.

“...Is the coast clear?” Monotaro whispered. “He looks out like a light, but I’m not too sure. What if he flips me like an omelette?”

“He won’t if you hurry!” Monosuke demanded in a hushed, but aggravated tone. “We’re not even halfway through these bastards’ rooms, so pick up the pace!”

“Keep it down, guys! We can’t stay for too long,” Monophanie quivered. “Just drop off our little ‘present’, and we can skedaddle!”

“I’ve done this once, I can do it again,” Monotaro gloated, fumbling around for a surface. “Now, if only I had night vision this time around…”

“Are you good?” Monosuke wondered. “Be careful. This isn’t something you can just drop willy-nilly.”

“Just about… yeah! It’s outta my hands and won’t be getting shaken like a can of old cola! Let’s go.”

“This has to be the riskiest one,” Monophanie commented, the door opening before she hurried after. “Ah! Wait for me, boys!”

* * *

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the Monokubs all greeted the next day.

“The time is now—” Monosuke started to say.

“—THE-TIME-IS-NOW-8-AM,” Monodam interrupted. “HAVE-A-WONDERFUL-KILLING-SEMESTER-AND-BE-KIND-FRIENDS. OR-ELSE.”

“Oooh, so commanding!” Monophanie cooed.

“This guy just gets better and better every day!” Monotaro cheered.

“I’m at the end of my rope…” Monosuke grumbled. “Before we close out, we’ve left you all some really interesting presents—”

“—YOU-HAVE-ALL-RECEIVED-PRESENTS—”

“—No! Okay?! Shaddup and lemme say this one, you prick! I’ve had it with you!”

“Monosuke! The language!” Monophanie gasped. “How unprofessional!”

“Yeah, grow up already, will ya?” Monotaro suggested. “As poor Monodam was about to say, we’ve left you all some… ‘special presents’ in your rooms that you might not want, but one other classmate certainly will. Kinda like a White Santa or dirty elephant swap!”

“Don’t you mean a Dirty Santa and a white elephant swap?”

“Sure, sure, that works, too! The gift’s got nothing to do with the recipient, and everything to do with someone else. Let’s leave them all to figure out who got what pertaining to who for themselves. Their little fun may seem like it’s just beginning, but no! No, no! This is only the end…”

“And by the way, no free switching trying to get your present back, either!” Monosuke enforced. “If you wanna see yours so badly, you know what we want youse to do! Anyone that violates this before a murder is getting the axe instead!”

“PLEASE-DO-NOT-BREAK-ANY-RULES,” Monodam encouraged, shoving Monosuke aside. “EVEN-IF-IT’S-TEMPORARY.”

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs sang, shutting off the monitor.

 _‘Presents? Did those things go in my room last night?!’_ Shuichi gasped in his thoughts, outraged. _‘Okay, let’s see what they left for me.’_

Getting out of bed and stretching his weary joints, Shuichi spotted what had been left on his table. It was a square, powder blue box with a thick white strip going diagonally across it. It said “Professor Kakihara’s Chem Set: For Kids”, pictures of many bottles of varying chemicals and tubes on it just like any other science kit meant as a children’s toy would have. Taking off the cover, Shuichi saw small bottles and vials containing elements he couldn’t identify from the top of his head, but didn’t particularly trust them either. A sticky note reading “Mix… if you dare!” attached to it (with Monokuma’s head scribbled on the lower corner of the paper) certainly didn’t help matters, though something else inside caught his eye.

He found a photograph, depicting an adult woman with long golden hair falling past her shoulders in a light curl at the ends, her bangs pushed back by a pair of safety goggles that had been previously covering her sky blue eyes. Judging by the lab coat on her, it was easy to tell she was a scientist, something Shuichi would have dismissed had it not been for the child in her arms sucking on his miniature fist, likely no older than a year or two. And given one small angular ahoge atop platinum blond hair and eyes matching the woman’s he had, there was definitely no denying who was being depicted.

 _‘It’s Kiibo! As a baby,’_ Shuichi commented, examining the photo and substances. _‘Is this chemistry set supposed to go to him, then? These look pretty dangerous to handle… I’d better see if he knows anything about this right away.’_

Getting ready as diligently and fast as he could, Shuichi left the chemistry set behind with all of its parts together, closing his locked door behind him and running to the dining hall. Upon arriving, things were… silent. Dead silent aside from the movement of dishes and feet trying to get comfortable with a sitting spot. Everyone only looked at each other with cautious side-eyes, more wondering what was inside their minds and less of a dirty glare. Although not exactly hungry, Shuichi no less sat down, glancing around the room as if it’d answer what he missed and why far fewer words than usual were being exchanged.

“Morning, faithful bodyguard!” Ouma greeted, waving with a smile from his orange juice. “Lovely day today, huh?”

“Not now, Ouma-kun,” Shuichi sighed. “Unless… you’ve heard the morning announcement and noticed something?”

“Hmm? Noticed what?”

“Don’t play dumb, everyone’s affected by what happened in the middle of the night. How come they aren’t talking about— you know. A ‘present’?”

“Presents? I love presents! Too bad I never got none for my birthday or Christmas, though. It always sucked…” Ouma’s frown lasted a minute before his grin returned. “Which could be a huge lie of course, but that’s between me and my chrome dome!”

“Cut the crap. You got something, too, didn’t you? I wanna know what’s going on.”

Ouma lounged back in his chair. “That makes one of you. I don’t see anyone talking about the white elephant in the room, do you?”

“Why not?”

“Don’t know, and I really don’t care. They wanna play mime and act like nothing needs to be said? Cool. I’m not bothering with convincing anyone of a smarter idea sheerly out of apathy. And spite. Spite’s good, too.”

“So, you’re just gonna kick back and watch this stew? Is that it? You don’t even care about the consequences?”

Ouma waved his finger in a circle, not looking at Shuichi anymore and instead sipping his orange juice. “Whoopdee-doodle-doo, the maid says ‘moo’. Don’t pretend anyone would listen to anything I’d say either way. I can spew facts ‘til the cows come home, and none of you walking zits would take me seriously. So to that, I say ‘bonne chance’.”

Shuichi rolled his eyes, getting up and leaving Ouma behind to fetch the one he was really looking for. “Psst. Kiibo. Do you have a minute?”

“Shuichi, what’s up?” Kiibo wondered. “I’ve got way more than just a minute. Why do you ask?”

“Not an actual— look, can you come with me to my room really fast? It’s important.”

“Okay? Make it quick, though, I’m not done with my oatmeal.”

“Finish it on the way there! Come on.”

Pulling Kiibo along in secret so no one would get suspicious, Shuichi speed-walked to let the other finish slurping down his breakfast in rapid spoonfuls. They finally got to the Dormitory, going inside and entering the martial artist’s bedroom as the door shut behind him. Shuichi brought Kiibo over to his table, showing him the worrisome chemistry set by opening it, though its cover alone was enough to spark his attention as he gave it a thorough examination first.

“‘Professor Kakihara’? How did you get this?” Kiibo asked.

“It was dropped off here by the bears,” Shuichi grimaced. “Why? Do you know who she is? Is she the same woman in… this photo?” He held up the picture, which Kiibo immediately swiped.

“What the? This is my baby picture! Is privacy dead around here?!”

“No such thing with who’s in charge of this place.”

Kiibo waved off the mortified rosiness from his pale cheeks. “The sheer nerve. I don’t even know how they got their hands on this! ...But, to answer your question, yes. The woman in this photograph is my mother, Professor Kakihara.”

“That’s your mom?! Wait, shouldn’t her last name be ‘Iidabashi’ in that case?”

“Kakihara is her maiden name from before she married my dad and after. And judging by the looks of this, it’s an exact replica of a custom-made chemistry set she made for my 10th birthday.”

“Isn’t it a little dangerous for a 10-year old to be playing with these kinds of things? I wouldn’t play around with these even at my current age.”

“Let me see them.” Kiibo looked through each substance, stunned at the choices put inside. “Mercury?! Sodium arsenate?! And this one’s nickel tetracarbonyl! Do you seriously think my mom is so irresponsible she’d let me anywhere near these?! The worst she put in mine were baking soda, vinegar, tannic acid, and a bit of borax for good measure so long as I had proper skin protection.”

“Sorry! I’m not a chemist. I wasn’t sure what half of these even did.”

“Just know they’re dangerous chemicals that shouldn’t be left in improper hands. Francium?! How did those bears get their hands on francium?!”

“What’s that do?”

“Francium is the most reactive of alkali metals, so if it’s mixed with water… well, I just hope your room is explosion-proof. It’s normally so rare to find anywhere, so I’m not sure how it’s sitting right in front of me.”

“I know just as well as you do, but I’m not surprised Monokuma or his kids got their paws on some. Since this is probably meant for you, do you want to hold onto it until I can figure out what’s going on?”

“We can’t, remember? The Monokubs said if we get our own items back without… you know, then it’s a violation of the rules right now and we’d be in hot water.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right. Whose did you get?”

“I’d… rather not say. I’m already not looking forward to being found out. Please hold onto this, and whatever you do! Do not under any circumstances use any of the chemicals in this set. The sheer fact that they had the gall to dirty my mom’s name like this…!”

“I’ll keep it somewhere safe where I won’t see it. Thanks for coming in, Kiibo.”

“No problem. Now, we’d better get back to the dining hall before Miu or anyone notices we’ve gone AWOL. My private rehearsal with Toujou-san is right after, and I can’t be late for that!”

Shuichi hid the sealed chemistry set away under his bed, leaving his room with Kiibo and ensuring it was locked after. Just when things were starting to look up somewhat, Monokuma manages to ruin it without even making a direct appearance. And rules aside, no one was willing to say anything or discuss it, so there was hardly a solution left except seeking a far-off miracle that everybody would stay calm enough. Those odds weren’t impossible, but by the seconds, Shuichi could feel them dwindling bit by bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, the motive's finally here like you've been waiting for! The ones from here on out are gonna be different from the ones in canon (so, bye bye Necronomicon or whatever and Neo World Program 2.0) since the Chapter 1 motive was kinda necessary for kicking off the killing game and I saw no reason to change it. B3c
> 
> That's all I've really got to say on the matter right now, so I'll just be seeing you guys in our next update! Stay tuned for it and thanks for checking out this one! See ya! ^w^


	17. Episode XVI: Daily Life 2.6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Implications of (sexual) abuse, blood
> 
> Well, it's here, everyone! I got so many nice comments last chapter and some new readers tuning into the story itself! Welcome aboard and I hope you have a great time here! I'm uploading this from my desktop computer since my laptop is pretty touch sensitive, but otherwise, I won't waste your time by talking since this arc chapter's already longer than it needs to be. Do read with caution given the warnings above, so if you're uncomfortable with it, be my guest and skip it. I won't make you have to see that. Enjoy, guys!

The day of the idol concert had finally arrived, having a good few hours before door admissions were scheduled to take place. It also left plenty of time before setup was planned on starting, so the audience wasn’t all who were free to do what they pleased in the moment. Because of this, Shuichi ended up being the one to accompany Himiko in stopping by Rantaro’s Research Lab for a little “something extra” set for the show. She had yet to reveal what it was, wanting to keep things a pleasant surprise until they both got there.

“You know, I’d have thought you’d ask Toujou-san or someone to go with you,” Shuichi remarked. “Wouldn’t taking a cast member be spoiling the surprise?”

“Kirumi’s busy with piano lessons, and no it wouldn’t,” Himiko answered. “I asked Rantaro to work on something for the fans, so this isn’t related to the performers at all. Unless you want one after the concert.”

“Whatever it is, I should be okay, but thank you.” Shuichi knocked on the door, its proprietor answering after a bit of waiting.

“Himiko, I’ve been expecting you,” Rantaro joked. “You, not so much, Saihara-kun, but it’s great seeing you, too.”

“Are the you-know-whats ready?” Himiko asked.

“Just finished the last one. Come on in and see ‘em.”

Shuichi followed Himiko and Rantaro to the table, where lied an open flat box of plastic rods with black handles and colorless top halves. “What are these?”

“Flip the switch.”

Doing so, Shuichi saw the rod change color, starting from yellow and going in the familiar cycle of the cast members’ colors until it ended on his blue. “Oh! It’s a glowstick. ...I got dragged all the way here just to see some glowsticks?”

“You can’t have an idol concert without glowsticks,” Himiko fought. “For me to forget one of the most important parts of a live performance would be criminal.”

“And the actual singers and costumes aren’t important?”

“I never said that. Those are both taken care of, but I needed the finishing touches, which I now have thanks to Rantaro.”

“It was no biggie. All I had to do was make six different colors of luminol and put them into enough rods for everyone, then link them up to an electrical conduction so you can turn ‘em on and off like a flashlight whenever you don’t wanna keep waving all night.”

“Luminol?”

“There’s a longer name for it, but it’s basically the stuff in glowsticks that makes them light up using chemiluminescence. And in case you’re wondering what _that_ is, it’s a chemical reaction—”

“—That produces a glow?”

“Bingo. Which is everything you need to know about the inner functions of a glowstick.”

“Awesome,” Himiko commented, picking up the box and holding it with both arms. “I’ll be taking these back to Toujou’s Lab for safekeeping, and see you at the show. As for you, Shuichi, we’ll be seeing each other at setup in a couple of hours. Don’t be late.”

“I won’t, I promise,” Shuichi vowed, seeing Himiko close the door behind her. “Well, I should get going, too. The glowsticks look great, Amami-kun, so—”

“—Himiko-chan, are you hurt?! Do I need to step in and deal with the menace inside that Lab?!” Tenko’s voice interrogated from outside.

“Oh, great…”

“No, I was just getting something for the show. Keep it in your circuits,” Himiko sighed. “I may be tiny and all, but I’m not made of wet paper and need protection at every minute. If I did, you’d know before anyone else.”

“You’re sure?” Tenko wondered, getting a nod in response. “Okay, then. You know I worry for you because I care about you, right?”

“That’s obvious, but take it easy. You’re bound to blow a gasket at this rate of stressing out too much and getting so hyper, which defeats the point of the concert.”

“Ah. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t overreact or underestimate you. Especially with how hard you’ve been working doing this for us alongside Kirumi-san. Are you remembering to tend to your needs? You don’t need the occasional recharge or maintenance like I do; humans are a little different!”

“If you’re worried about if I’m sleeping, eating, and peeing, then yes to all of those.” Himiko gave a mute yawn. “The costumes were honestly the most time-consuming part, but I’m a pro and made all of them sparkle. Literally.”

“Oooh! Can I see?”

“No. Wait until the concert like everyone else. The first sight of cosplay is always the best, otherwise you get tired of it quicker.”

“Still, to be up on stage wearing such pretty clothes and not tons of plating… I’m a little jealous.”

“Maybe I could make you something when my Research Lab opens. Whenever that’ll be. For now, I gotta do one last double-check to see if Angie’s costume fits right, then go down the other five.”

Tenko frowned, her neck collar displaying similar facial icons. “Her again?”

“Uhh, yeah? She’s the first on stage, and I’m excited to see her do it. What’s your damage?”

“Nothing, nothing! I wish her well just like I do you and everyone involved with the show! I’m sure she’ll fit just right.”

“Hopefully. Later, Tenko.”

Keeping up a smile and wave as Himiko walked off, Tenko’s façade fell into gloom, her neck collar now showing blue water drops. “I know I shouldn’t get so down in the dumps about this, but what don’t I have that Angie-san does? Sure, my body’s made of metal and I don’t believe in a God I’m not sure even exists, but I’ve got my perks, too!”

“Sounds like someone’s having some trouble with the girl she likes,” Rantaro commented to Shuichi, both of whom were peering from a cracked door. “Poor thing.”

“There’s not much we could do to help her out,” Shuichi uttered. “I feel bad for her, too, but we’re far from sources of advice she’d wanna take.”

“Uhh, I wouldn’t say that so soon.” Rantaro pointed to Tenko marching towards the Lab, jumping back before she flung it open all the way.

“Gah! T-Tenko-san, what brings you here?”

“...I need to have a private talk,” Tenko admitted, the disdain on her face a sign of her reluctance. “Which means, Saihara-san, I’m gonna have to ask you to leave. Come back when I’m gone.”

“Me? But—”

“—Don’t fight me on this! Just go!” Tenko shoved Shuichi out the door, slamming it. “Geez. Take my answer as final and don’t put up such a fuss.”

“To be fair, you did kinda kick him out of my own Lab,” Rantaro pointed out.

“And for a very good reason! My inner voice has started nagging me to get advice from you, and it’d better be at least acceptable so I can shut it up!”

“You— actually want my advice? Why?”

“Ugh! Can’t you human males take a rare opportunity thrown at your feet without whining? Why do you have to make everything difficult, even when it’s a good thing? I need advice… on love.”

“Love? I’m not exactly the expert when it comes to that. Why me?”

“Because! Recently, I’ve received very surprising, yet conclusive, evidence that you know a thing or two about bonding with small, cute girls!” Tenko pulled out something and showed Rantaro, whose eyes widened seeing a portrait depicting himself with 12 girls noticeably younger than him, some sharing resemblance, others not.

“Where did you get that…?”

“From the Monokubs. And don’t even think about disassembling or killing me to get it back, because that’s only going to be the greenlight for breaking every bone in your body if you so much as take a step too close!”

“Relax, I won’t do that. You can keep the picture all you want because it’s not worth getting you into trouble over, but I wasn’t expecting you to have my family portrait on you is all.”

“I’ll be watching you… now, back to my point, you have experience with girls that I don’t. Who are they, anyways? An old harem?”

Rantaro gagged. “N— o, not even close. I don’t know what my ‘Tenko Vision’ counterpart says about me, but it’d better do some serious research if it thinks I’m into doing gross things to my family.”

“Your family?! You mean…?”

“Mmm-hmm. That’s me with my younger sisters.”

“Oh! I… my mistake, then. I thought— wow. I knew humans were capable of impressive reproduction, but thirteen kids total?! Your poor mother…”

“If it helps, some of them aren’t even related to me by blood.”

“Still, you have to admit that’s a LOT of children to raise. Well, since these are your sisters and you claim to not be much for romance, maybe I didn’t come to the right person.”

“I could still offer you some tips on getting closer to Himiko.”

“How did you know I was talking about her?! Were you eavesdropping?”

Yes, he was, but admitting such would only dig him deeper. “Tenko-san, I’d have to be blind to not know who you were implying when you said you wanted romance advice.”

Tenko’s faceplate turned a pale red, glancing away timidly. “Was it that obvious…?”

“Kinda, yeah, but don’t be ashamed for wearing your heart on your sleeve. Having a crush is something a lot of others go through.”

“Then tell me how I could grow closer to her! I’d do anything to make her happy, but it just feels like she doesn’t even need me at all. I get she can do plenty without too many other hands pitching in, but I still wanna spend time with her. How would I do so and not come off as smothering the poor thing?”

“Well, first, remember what Toujou-san said and don’t jump to her rescue at every chance you get. Girls don’t like being told they can’t do anything, even if you weren’t trying to say so. Let her have some elbow room and do whatever she can on her own.”

“How would I know if she doesn’t need help? People can say they’re okay, but wind up not meaning it.”

“Ask. Communicate with her, and if there’s something you can do, do it. Just don’t expect her to need you at every second, but don’t take it personally if she’s really good on her own. It’s not you, it’s the circumstances.”

“Help her only when she really needs it… ah! Himiko and Kirumi-san are supposed to be setting the concert up later. Could that be my chance?”

“Sure, but don’t jump the gun is all I ask. Also, when she doesn’t need help, just ask her if she’s got time to hang out. If she says yes, there’s no issue. But, if it’s a no, accept it and don’t get too bummed out with it. And when you are hanging out with her, play it cool. You may have really extreme feelings for her, but don’t come off too strong, or she won’t have a good time.”

“I can’t help it!” Tenko started gushing, her collar flowing with pink hearts. “Have you ever met someone so— so adorable?! And amazing at making cute little outfits while keeping a level head in times of stress?! She’s so great at what she does and genuinely has a good time making cosplay! This isn’t just a job to her, it’s her passion and never once does she lose sight of that!”

“See, this is what I mean. It’s wonderful you think so fondly of her, but putting her so high up on a pedestal for all to see is counterproductive. No one likes being treated as anything but equal, so don’t do that.”

“Oh… I can still like her though, right?”

“Absolutely. Just remember to treat her like a friend and not a piece of gold or something. Play it cool, and you two will be cool.”

“Play it cool. Play it cool! Okay! I’m gonna play it so cool, my internal software will freeze on the spot!”

“Not literally. I mean to just take it easy in showing her you care and don’t overcrowd the girl.”

“That would make more sense. You know, for someone that’s not supposedly big on romance, this sounds like seemingly good advice. Are you secretly lying to me?”

“No, I’m just going based off of what other people prefer to be around, and Himiko doesn’t strike me as the type to wanna get too crazy and wild.”

“If you’re this sure… I’d better not find this fails, because that will be on you!”

“My advice isn’t perfect, though you should see the results you’re looking for.”

“I’ll be the judge of that, won’t I? In the meantime, Amami-san… I appreciate this.”

“No problem. Good luck out there with your lady friend.”

Tenko stared at Rantaro for a few extra moments, then turning and leaving past Shuichi, who scratched his head wondering what had gone on. Figuring it was none of his business, he moved on, deciding he was done in that area of the courtyard. He’d lost the desire to return to the Ultimate Inventor’s Lab, assuming Rantaro needed to take care of other, more personal things by himself without frequent disturbances. That was fine, Shuichi still had to go over his song for the concert just to make sure it sounded golden. If there’d been anything he didn’t want, it was Himiko being on him for sounding terrible and messing it all up whilst embarrassing himself on stage. Better safe than sorry, after all…

* * *

“Slow down a bit, there’s no need to rush a scale,” Kirumi suggested a bit later, sitting at her piano bench (which had been moved off stage for rehearsals with the instrument itself) beside Ouma, who’d just taken his fingers from the keys.

“I know what I’m doing!” Ouma insisted, fussy. He did a repeat of the scale, still at a fast pace. “See? I’ve got all the notes down!”

“Yes, but it’s also a matter of tempo when you’re playing a song. You wouldn’t play Für Elise in 4/4 time, would you?”

“Maybe I do. Why shouldn’t I?”

“Because it’s primarily written in 3/8 time and you’d sound like a mariachi band. That’d be like playing a sped-up version of ‘Rock-A-Bye Baby’ when trying to get a child to sleep.”

“Isn’t music all about getting creative with the tunes? Some people might like hearing faster versions or new takes since it’d be a nice change of pace from the same old boring song played hundreds of years ago.”

“This is true, but in regards to teaching you the basics, you aren’t ready to roll with the punches quite yet. When you’re at my level, then you’re free to play it as you see fit.”

“How do you know I’m not?”

“Because I had to fight you to _teach_ you the notes to this scale in the first place. Given just enough practice, someday you’ll sound like this.” In one shot, Kirumi played a smooth chromatic scale at the right tempo and key, not hitting a single bad note. “See?”

“Pssh, big whoop! I can do that with my eyes closed!” Ouma did exactly that, pressing random keys and getting nowhere close to what Kirumi just played as she took his hands off. “Hey! I didn’t interrupt you playing.”

“You can’t jump into knowing what you’re being taught. The point is to learn and get there naturally.”

“Ugh…! So dumb. Can I at least sit back on your lap if I’m gonna be stuck doing scales?”

“It depends. Do you promise not to pass gas on me?”

“That was one time a couple days ago, and an accident! My little tummy couldn’t hold it all in.”

“I’ll assume that’s a yes.” Kirumi patted her lap, shifting so Ouma could plop down. “Oh! Not so hard, please.”

“Am I gonna play some actual music and not just dumb old random notes?”

“We’ll try and tackle one after you get this down. I was thinking we start with an easy one, such as ‘Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star’ or the birthday song—” Snoring. Kirumi looked to her side, Ouma pretending to be fast asleep.

“Snoooore! Sleep, sleep, snooze, yawn…”

“Ouma-kun.” Rolling up her notebook, she batted him on the head a few times, watching him snap awake.

“Hoo! Sorry, I must have dozed off just thinking about playing those lame baby songs. Any other suggestion?”

“A simple ‘no’ also works. How about the Chopstick Waltz? That goes like this.” Kirumi played two of the same notes a few times, expanding some and repeating the pattern without separating her fingers too far.

“That looks like something a two-year old could play. What else?”

 _‘Precisely why it’d fit you the best.’_ Kirumi thought of some songs. “Perhaps Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor?”

“Isn’t that the creepy haunted house song? I wouldn’t mind playing that, but I don’t feel like starting with it. Next!”

“You really don’t make this easy… maybe we could start with Korobeiniki?”

“What’s that one?”

“Otherwise known as ‘The Peddlers’, it’s a 19th century Russian folk song about the haggling between a peddler and a girl he’s fond of as a metaphor for courtship.”

“Blech! So, it’s some kind of love song?”

“Not inherently. Here, give it a listen.” Kirumi played the first few notes, interrupted by Ouma slamming his hands on the other keys in a bang. “Gah! Don’t do that! You startled me!”

“I wanna play it! Why didn’t you just tell me it’s the Tetris theme first?”

“Tetris…? You mean that silly block stacking game?”

“First of all, it’s not stacking them. You’re supposed to arrange different-shaped ones into spaces so they make a full rectangle. Second, yes! That’s the main theme from it!”

“Oh. I would have never known that if you hadn’t told me. Thank you for teaching me that fact, Ouma-kun.”

“Yeah, you _should_ be thanking me for not letting your simple Earthling brain turn to slime with my boundless knowledge.”

“And I am. There’s always much to be learned from anyone else that makes us richer for the experience. You with finding classical music in surprising places, and me in teaching you how to play it.”

“I guess. Can we get the scales over with so I can get to the Tetris song?”

“Happily. Remember, take your time and gradually make your way up.”

Lightly bouncing in Kirumi’s lap, Ouma started over on the scale he played before, this time going at a slower pace and pressing each key per the right tempo and going up in pitch whenever he finished one round. After accomplishing his scales, he was deemed worthy to get started on learning the piece he wanted. Putting the sheet music on the piano stand, Kirumi watched Ouma’s first run of it, stopping him to help give him props for getting down the notes. They were slow to his chagrin, but he cheered up starting to hear the tune he recognized in small bits.

“Very good, Ouma-kun. You’re a very fast learner,” Kirumi giggled. “Pace yourself in learning the notes, this isn’t a race.”

“But if I don’t hurry, how am I gonna get first prize at the music competition?”

“You’d practice well beforehand until you’re worthy of winning the— wait, what competition?”

“The one on WASP-1b, of course! 1,300 light-years isn’t just down the block, you know! I need to get this down and skedaddle! Otherwise, you’ll make me late for my competition.”

“WASP? This is another lie, isn’t it?”

“Sure is, Mom! Boy, you’re smart for a human.”

“Once again, I’m nowhere near your mother. Also, it’s a tad odd to say I’m smart ‘for a human’ when you yourself are—”

Repeatedly pressing random keys, Ouma drove the subject away on the spot. “—Tetris song, Tetris song! How I love the Tetris song! Loo-loo-lala-looo!”

“Hey! Stop that!” Kirumi held his hands in place. “Look, I’m not sure where this idea that you aren’t human has come from, but there’s no shame in saying so. And, it’s rather obvious, in hindsight.”

“Just because I’m physically like you cretins doesn’t mean I’m a thing like you. That’d be the worst thing I could think to call myself, and whoever’s proud to associate with such nausea-inducing creatures is a total moron.”

“Goodness. How many bad people have you come across to make you feel this badly about everyone?”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s helped sober me up and see humans for what they really are. They’re selfish, they’re negligent, and they never fail to go out of their way to step on anyone they want like puddles under their shoes just for the Hell of it.”

Kirumi frowned with sympathy, wrapping her arms around Ouma from the back, only to have them taken off him by force. “Ah, my apologies. I thought that would help.”

“If I wanted to hug you, I’d ask for it myself. Get your disgusting pity hug away from me.” Ouma only grew more bitter from the gesture, no traces of his usual carefree demeanor on his face.

“Pity? Oh, no, I only did so because I wanted to help you feel better. It wasn’t much, but sometimes simple moves can mean plenty.”

“You can’t help me… quit acting like you mean it, anyway.”

“What did you say?” Kirumi couldn’t hear Ouma over his unusual muttering, which was overridden by him reclaiming his expected jester’s persona.

“It don’t mattah! Let’s play some do-re-Kiru-mi’s already! I’m itching over here!”

_‘Maybe it’s best to drop it for now. Getting him to discuss his inner feelings would be pulling shark’s teeth without scuba gear.’_

“Hey, Kirumi, hope you’re not busy because we gotta start hauling supplies in for setup,” Himiko announced, barging in. “Wrap up what you’re doing and let’s get a move on.”

“Can’t you see we’re busy? Scram!” Ouma snapped, sticking his tongue out at Himiko, who returned the gesture.

“Settle down, she means no harm,” Kirumi comforted, petting the boy’s head to soothe him. “We’re nearly finished, Himiko-san. Just hang on for a few more minutes until we’ve reached a good stopping point.”

“Yeah, wait your turn like a good little girl and stop being such a brat.”

“Are you one to talk? You’re the brattiest of them all. Like an obnoxious Snow White,” Himiko spat.

“That at least brings me closer to getting my first kiss. All you have is a smelly old robot that tastes like oil.”

“Tenko runs on electricity, you idiot, not oil. Besides, no one would wanna kiss you even if they got paid the whole lottery.”

“Guys, no fighting,” Kirumi scolded. “The sooner we finish our lessons, the faster we can get to setting up for the concert.”

“Haha! You’re slowing us down, Himiko-chan,” Ouma taunted, getting his ear pulled by an irritated Kirumi. “Owie! What was that for?”

“Behave. And that’s not a friendly suggestion either.”

“Okay…” Ouma resumed practicing the first part of Korobeiniki. “And yet you claim not to act like a total mom.”

“That’s only me having a sense of responsibility for myself and others. It is not to be confused with being maternal given that we’re in the same age group.” Hearing Ouma play the proper notes for the section of the song, Kirumi applauded. “Bravo! You’re getting it down very well.”

“And the sun burns so hot that it has to be measured in kelvin as opposed to celsius. If you think I’m doing good now, I’ll be sure to knock your socks off when I master this song.”

“My, someone’s confident.”

“Confidence is important, otherwise you look like a total chicken nugget at the littlest things.” Ouma went over that section again, making a few mistakes but not losing face. “How many more times do you want me playing this?”

“Just a couple, then you’ll be free to go.”

Kirumi listened intently to Ouma rehearsing the part of the chosen song, patiently instructing him on any consecutive faux-pas he stumbled into during his repeats. When it seemed smooth enough to move on, she requested for an attempt at starting the next part, turning out as wobbly as she’d expected it to. His harmony wasn’t matching up as well with the melody, not used to alternating between the natural keys and the ones representing sharps and flats. Deciding now was a good point for stopping, Kirumi let Ouma crawl off her lap before closing her sheet music book.

“Excellent work today, we’ll pick up that section sometime after the idol concert,” Kirumi told him. “You’ve made so many improvements from when you started out, I must say.”

“By your standards. I told you—” Ouma prepared to say.

“—I know. You’d be a pro musician on Saturn, but it’s not the case on Earth.”

“Venus. I said Venus. Clean those ears out, girl!”

“Trust me, sometimes my ears work a tad too well. Run along, now, and have a very nice day. I hope to see you at the concert tonight.”

“Later, crocogator! And to you, too, Himiko-chan~.” Ouma pretended to blow a kiss to Himiko, who waved it away in disgust while the astronaut left in a fit of laughter.

“No wonder Kiibo likes him. He’s the biggest pest I’ve ever seen,” Himiko growled.

Just as he’d finished going downstairs, Ouma bumped into Rantaro, falling onto his bottom from the impact. “Gah! Watch where you’re going, will ya?”

“Oh, sorry, Ouma-kun,” Rantaro apologized, offering a hand to help him up. “I didn’t see you there. You okay?”

Ignoring the hand, Ouma pushed himself up, jumping onto his feet and dusting himself off. “Peachy! Astronauts always land on their feet!”

“I could have sworn I saw you land somewhere else.”

“The butt counts as feet on some planets. Especially the ones that have feet growing out of them! I win, you lose!”

“Can’t really argue with alien logic. What are you doing out here all by yourself?”

“Just got done pestering my piano mommy for the day. Why do you ask?”

“Oh yeah, you and Toujou-san are doing music lessons together, aren’t you? How are those going?”

“Amazing! I’m already better at it than she is.”

“You might be jumping a little too far into the future. Only a few lessons an expert doesn’t make.”

“I’m still gonna play all the songs this planet’s lifeforms managed to come up with using their non-existent brain cells.”

“Hey now, don’t knock the human race too hard. They absolutely have their flaws, but not everyone can put together something like music off the top of their head. Don’t they at least deserve a little credit for the result?”

“Eh, I guess if I had to.” Ouma put his hands behind his head nonchalantly. “So, what’s a pretty face like Ran-chan doing? Ya come here often?”

“Like I really have a choice. I was gonna grab some lunch later. Did you wanna join me?”

“And why would I do that? Every day, I’m stuck eating barely edible slop with the kind that talks, so doing it past those times would be a waste of my time!”

“You sure? It seems pretty lonely wandering around the halls by yourself all day. Maybe sitting down for a spell with someone else could be a good break for you.”

“What’d be so in it for me that I would bother with you?”

“I’d have thought you’d be the one to escape boredom at any cost, so I have no problem helping you with that. And, if you really want, I could make you a little gift the next time I’m in my Lab. Whatever you want.”

“...Whatever I want?”

“So long as it’s small and realistic. I’m afraid building a super destructive cosmic death ray is out of the question.”

“Damn it. Guess I gotta do everything around here!”

“Well? How ‘bout it?”

“I dunno… can you make models of something that lights up with noises?”

“Yeah, I’ve had plenty of practice with those.”

“Sold. And I get to taste half your lunch.”

“Double sold. I hope you’re in the mood for carbonara.”

“What’s yours is mine. See you at say… quarter of six?”

“Don’t be late now. I’d hate to get stood up.”

Ouma waved Rantaro goodbye, the fake smile on his face quickly melting into dulled skepticism as he kept going. “What’s with him? How come so many people here are such freakazoids?” Up ahead in the distance, he spotted Kiibo, who was looking down the stairs leading right to the basement. “Speaking of freaks… hey! Kiiboi!”

“Ouma-kun?!” Kiibo rasped, turning his head spooked. “What are— what are you doing here?”

“Walking and just made lunch plans with Ran-chan. Your excuse?”

“Nothing… don’t worry about it. I was just leaving.”

“You know I know you’re lying. No one just stares at the place where their best friend got murdered and says it’s nothing.”

Kiibo looked struck by the reminder, but simply turned from Ouma. “I’m not comfortable talking about it right now. Sorry. Just forget you saw me. See you tonight, I hope.”

Kiibo fixes his messenger bag strap on the way out, Ouma staring after him, then down those dreaded steps. His eyebrows knitted somewhat, staying that way until he turned and went another way, too. Collective agreements aside, going anywhere near that library was far from his desire, so he couldn’t blame Kiibo for not being all too fond of it anymore either. Thoughtless people taking the lives of others for idiotic reasons, and now here it was, probably bound to happen for a second time! For what reason did fate have in screwing him over _this_ badly?

Crossing Hallway 1F, Ouma stopped before the doors, knowing it was a straight shot to the Dormitory. And lying in each of those rooms thanks to Monokuma… hmm. Would that work? Preventing a murder was pointless because everyone else was too dumb to comply with common sense, but it hadn’t meant he had to suffer all the way because of people yet again. Going in right then might not have been wise lest he be caught, but later on sounded like a different story.

Ouma grinned to himself, abandoning the door with a new scheme in mind. A little last resort just to do him some good…

* * *

Even later on, Kaede and Kaito were the only inhabitants of the Ultimate Tennis Pro Lab, taking a break from practicing the sport to instead focus on some normal exercises. Currently, the child caregiver was busy powerlifting using boxes containing burly athletic equipment found around the Research Lab, cheered on with every rep done. She moved to the bleachers, keeping up each raise and rise while taking hard steps up the stairs, then the same going down to the sound of Kaito’s hearty encouragement.

“Just like that, Kaede! A few more of those, and we’ll be moving onto doing laps!” Kaito rooted into a megaphone.

“That’s funny, I don’t see you doing nearly half the work I am!” Kaede grunted, trudging up the bleachers with the heavy equipment box. “You’re supposed to be coaching me, not just standing and looking pretty.”

“I am coaching! My full support and willpower is transferring right over to you, and thus is giving you the extra boost you need to get through this workout!”

“And yet, despite being an athlete, you act like you have the ok to just do nothing?”

“Never! I train myself every day and all day, pushing myself to my limit! This time, I’m just doing the same for you, bro! Well, girl-bro! ...Sis?”

“D, none of the above.” Kaede reached the bottom of the bleachers, squatting and putting the box down before tying her apron back on. “You wanna do some laps? Fine! We’re gonna do some laps!”

“Right here, right now?” Kaito felt his wrist be grabbed, pulled along by Kaede out of his Lab.

“Nope! _Courtyard_ , right now. If you want some serious running done, it won’t be inside some tiny little room!”

“Hey, my Lab’s plenty roomy! Would I be able to play full tennis matches if there wasn’t enough space here?”

“Let’s go, Kaito.”

When they finally reached the outside within the cage, Kaito spotted Tsumugi around the corner hauling a beach towel over her shoulders. “Hey, Shirogane! Are you headed off to the pool?”

“Actually, I just back from it,” Tsumugi answered. “I thought I could use a little pampering before I get all hyped up at the show tonight. I’ll need every last drop of excitement coursing through my veins to be let out all in one go!”

“You’re really excited for this concert, huh?”

“I’d be out of my mind if I wasn’t! Until Himiko and Toujou-san announced it, here I am thinking I was gonna die trapped here without seeing one more live performance by a full-on idol group! But, thankfully, I was wrong!”

“They’re not exactly an ‘official’ one. It’s just six of the others who aren’t even trained in music singing some songs and dancing.”

“It still beats nothing at all. Any entertainment is always something to enjoy when you’ve got limited options. Why, sometimes, my organization puts on improv skits for all to get a good laugh at! ...They still need work, but it’s the thought that counts.”

“Wouldn’t you hire professional actors for a good improv troupe?”

“No need. I’m very good at making sure my minions don’t blow the whole thing. Tough love and lots of persuasion makes up for not seeming to be very intimidating. It’s all about what methods you use to get your point across.”

“That sounds— really unsettling. How do your men feel about your methods?”

“Oh, they’re used to it. No one’s died under my rule, so it can’t be all bad, right?”

Kaito was further unsettled by Tsumugi’s smile. “Right…”

“Are you going to the show tonight?”

“Only to support my bro. I’m really not into the whole chick show thing, but I’ve still gotta be there for Shuichi!” Kaito pulled Kaede in by an arm around her shoulders, smiling brightly. “It won’t be so bad, though! I’ve got my sis-bro going with me to lessen the blow and show double support!”

“There’s no such thing as that…” Kaede muttered.

“Oh, yeah, that’s right,” Tsumugi sighed, disappointed. “I forgot Akamatsu-san’s gonna be there. I guess I’d better hire some people to replace my bodyguards since they’re on the outside world without me.”

“Hey! She ain’t bad! This here is our born-again leader who’s gonna make the comeback of a lifetime!”

“Well, coming from a leader, I personally don’t think she’s doing a good job. No offense.”

“All taken,” Kaede sneered. “Weren’t you gonna go back inside or something?”

“That’s right, I was! Umm, see you guys later, I guess? Maybe not after all.” Tsumugi left, secretly smirking maliciously at Kaede when she couldn’t be seen on her way into the school.

“Just forget her, you haven’t shown all your stuff just yet!” Kaito comforted. “With all the training you’ve done with me, you’ll be amazing!”

“I couldn’t care less what Shirogane-san thinks right now. I know what I have to do to step up,” Kaede said. “And, I’ve got people like you and Shuichi to have my back at times I need it.”

“Speaking of him, I don’t understand him. Why would any self-respecting man wanna be an idol? There’s nothing wrong with it in general, but that’s specifically a thing for girls to do! Name one guy idol, go on, I can wait.”

“Uhh, the entirety of SMAP?”

“They disbanded! That doesn’t count.”

“Yes, it does! They still existed! Besides, there’s lots of boy bands out there. Like Arashi and Johnny’s West to name a couple.”

“Okay, maybe you’ve got a point. I just couldn’t do any of that stuff without making a fool of myself. I’d never hear the end of it from anyone. Plus, I hear jumping into the idol industry’s kinda sleazy, anyway, even if it weren’t demeaning.”

“There’s no shame in being a little more in touch with your sensitive side. Lots of people actually dig that in a man because it outweighs them being total try-hards that just make it way too obvious they’re overcompensating.”

“Acting how you should in life isn’t overcompensating! It’s just how things are, and you can’t change that. Yeah, there’s no shame in showing how strongly you feel towards something, but that’s not code for suddenly throwing tea parties and wearing sparkles! That’s just silly.”

“No one’s saying to do any of that, but men don’t always have to do the same thing as the rest to be deemed respectable. One can like action movies and sweating it all out at the gym, while another can prefer arts and crafts or gardening, yet they’re both still equally men. That doesn’t just suddenly change just because of different past time preferences.”

“Then I have every right to like doing hard stuff and sports, by that logic.”

“Just like Shuichi has his own right to wanna do the idol concert without complaints from the peanut gallery. Doing softer things and having sensitivity aren’t shameworthy; they should be embraced because it means a man’s got the strength to be different, which isn’t something all are lucky to have.”

Kaito pondered. “Huh. I never really thought of it that way. No one right way to be a man…”

“If some words in a language don’t have one definition, then neither do people.”

“Didn’t you drag me out here to run some laps? Where do you want me going?”

“Five around the school without stopping! I wanna see some sprints and you putting your heart, your soul, your sweat and tears into every bit of it!” Kaede blew a sports whistle and started a stopwatch, pointing ahead. “Get on it!”

“Ma’am, yes, ma’am!” Kaito immediately leaped into his first run, disappearing around the corner of the Academy’s primary building.

From the corner of her eye, Kaede could see Ouma walking out of the Dormitory reading some sort of paper that he stuffed into one of his overall shorts’ pockets. Guessing him to be up to no good, she detoured and crossed the distance to confront him. “What are you doing?”

“Minding my own business. You oughta do the same, Nosy Pants,” Ouma teased, giving his typical childish smile.

“Don’t play dumb, I saw you put a piece of paper in one of your pockets. Are you up to something, or misbehaving again?”

“Pay me, and I’ll tell you. In money or more LunePies, doesn’t matter. I’m not picky.”

“I don’t give snacks to people I don’t know are behaving or not. Just tell me what you’re doing and I won’t bite your head off.”

“Okay! But, you should be more worried about getting your whistle back first.”

“My whistle? It’s not—” Ouma snatched the sports whistle clean from Kaede’s neck, running off with it and blowing it uncontrollably through his laughter. “Hey! Stealing is wrong, Ouma-kun! Give that back!”

“Catch me and take it back yourself if you want it so badly!”

Aggravated, Kaede chased him down, surprised at how fast someone so small was capable of being despite putting her maximum speed into the run. Luckily, Kaito hadn’t finished his sprinting yet, so there could still be time to get the whistle back if she could just get close enough to the thief and steal it back. Cackling like a madman, Ouma turned as many different corners he could find, making it all the more harder for Kaede to get him. He even climbed one of the school’s numerous coniferous trees, jumping out as soon as he was close to losing the race and the whistle both. Trying a leap, Kaede landed just inches from Ouma after he evaded her, growling as she pushed herself off the ground and kept going.

 _‘Does he have to turn everything into a game?! That’s not even my whistle!’_ Kaede barked internally. _‘If speed won’t get him, then stealth might be my best bet.’_

“You give up?” Ouma giggled, turning and seeing Kaede was no longer behind him. “Aww! Can’t even stay the whole nine yards and surrender with grace. Tsk-tsk, Akamatsu-chan, I almost thought you were better than—!”

“—Gotcha!” Kaede snuck up behind him before he could turn back around, arm clasped around his neck without causing asphyxiation, though plenty to keep the boy in place. She snatched the whistle, holding it high like she’d won a trophy after releasing Ouma. “Do _you_ give up?”

“How… did you do that?!” Ouma jumped up and down in front of Kaede excitedly. “You were like an apron-wearing kunoichi! I wanna try, I wanna try!”

“Whoa, settle down, please. It doesn’t matter how I did it, I just needed to get you to stop making me chase you.”

“And I’d say it worked. Well-played! ...A little too well-played, actually. You sure you’re not secretly some kinda ninja?”

“Positive. I’m just good at being stealthy.”

“Hmm… a little odd for daycare workers to be that stealthy, isn’t it?” Ouma had a catlike smirk on his face, his finger erect underneath. “That is, without some sorta extra training added onto the job.”

“T-Training? Well, I have been doing a lot of workouts with Kaito and Shuichi, if that’s what you mean.”

“It’s not. No amount of ball badminton or pushups could make you suddenly good enough to do that.”

“Y-You don’t say…?” Kaede grew nervous, even more at the dark smile Ouma was giving her.

“Oh, I do say! That you’re hiding something that you don’t want anyone to know about. And, it feels like it could be a very, very dangerous secret…” Ouma stepped forward, maintaining the same unsettling expression until he simply grinned with his hands behind his head. “Or, you could just have a history of sneaking around the house trying to get into the cookie jar without being caught. Either way, none of my biz-baz!”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah, so stop being such a little snoop! This doesn’t make you look any better in front of the others.”

“Big whoop. People already don’t trust me, so you can’t wreck what’s already busted. Welp! I’m gonna go see if I can get past RoboCop and see how badly setup’s going.”

“Please. Don’t do anything else that’s going to get you in trouble. Or potentially injured. Just wait a little bit until the concert starts.”

“Where’s the fun in that? I’ve already been given backstage passes!”

“That’s definitely a lie. Yumeno-san’s really strict with not letting non-cast or crew get first glimpses before showtime.”

“Eh, c’est la vie. See you in the movies!”

“You mean the—” Ouma left already, Kaede conceding defeat and going back to watching Kaito’s last sprint. “I wish he’d give himself and everyone a break already. He can be such a walking headache.”

“Kaede! How long was that?” Kaito panted, stretching out his joints from running.

“What? Oh, right, right! Your time was… 6 minutes and 38 seconds.”

“Ah, that long?! I can beat that! Let’s race around the school and see who can get back here first!”

“Fine, but we can’t do it for too long or we’ll be late for the concert. Also, you need to cool down first before you go again.”

“I haven’t reached that point yet! I’ll do my cool down period when I need it! Come on, you and me against each other!”

_‘Given I just chased someone around the courtyard for a whistle, I’m a little more than warmed up to go already.’_

Restarting the stopwatch, Kaede got on her marks with Kaito, waited some, then blew the whistle to bolt around the Academy by his side. They ran at equal neck speed initially, but soon came the need for flying ahead past the other and needing to keep up to avoid losing. It kept up for five entire laps as promised, Kaito winning a few on his own, and Kaede conquering the rest. At last concluding the whole ordeal, they stopped in front of the school for regaining some breath, looking at the stopwatch to see the final lap’s results.

“How’d I do that time?” Kaito breathed.

“You finished in… 4 minutes and 6 seconds! That’s an amazing lap!” Kaede cheered. “Way to go, Kaito!”

“See? It’s all about pushing yourself and overcoming your limits. And doing both helped me beat my own finishing record! Great job helping me out!”

“Let’s reward ourselves with some much-needed water. But, we’d better hurry; admissions for the show are starting soon.”

“Already? Man, time flies when you’re staying in shape. Won’t they have refreshments being handed out, though?”

“You’re really gonna wait until then to quench your thirst? That seems really pointless.”

“Fair argument. Let’s go.” Kaito headed inside with Kaede, taking back the whistle and stopwatch to return to his Lab later. “You know, I’d almost say it’s kind of a date, taking a cute girl to a concert. But, given it’s you, I ain’t about to do that to Shuichi.”

“Not that I’d consider this a date even if he weren’t a factor. Don’t take it personally, but you’re not really my type past being a friend.”

“Hey, can’t win ‘em all. Especially if you make a little mistake seeing someone from the back and then hearing them.”

“When was this?”

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s get our water and support our favorite workout buddy!”

* * *

At last, 7 o’clock in the evening had made its mark on every means of telling time in and around the school. The ones previously barred from entering Kirumi’s Lab were now lined up single file before Tenko, who stood outside the door accepting flyers as tickets inside and permitting entrance. On the guests’ way to their seats, Himiko offered a maximum of two glowsticks to anyone interested, some accepting out of obligation if not for thinking they looked well-made. Kaede was next to be let in, giving Tenko her flyer and seeing her push the door open amicably.

“Right this way, Kaede-san! I’m happy you could make it after all,” Tenko chirped. “It’d be a shame to have you be the only one missing out on all the fun.”

“I know. I’m as surprised as you are that I'm even allowed to go,” Kaede admitted. “I can’t really complain too much, though.”

“Move it!” Ouma demanded, attempting to march past Kaede until Tenko grabbed him by the hood. “Hey!”

“Back of the line, you degenerate male,” Tenko hissed, forcing him behind Kaito. “You’ve already gotten well on my nerves trying to harass the cast and crew today!”

“At least I got something interesting in. You’re just a lowly ticket muncher.”

“I am not! To imply otherwise is not only blatant robophobia, but it’s simply untrue! I made the offer to help Himiko-chan and Kirumi-san if they needed it, and they let me be a third pair of hands on their trip to the warehouse!”

“Oh, you’re right, Tinhead. You’re a ticket muncher AND a pack mule! Hahahaha!”

“Either give me your flyer, or turn around so my foot can send you all the way to the sun from how hard I’ll kick you out!”

“Chill, I’m all verified.” Ouma shoves his flyer into Tenko’s hands, still going in before Kaede was supposed to. “Oooh, glowsticks! I’ll take the whole box!”

“Ugh.” Tenko turned back to Kaede more calmly. “Sorry about that. Go right in and have a seat.”

“See you inside, Kaito,” Kaede said, entering the room and not staying to hear Tenko blandly demand the tennis player’s flyer. The frontmost row of seats had two occupied, but by portraits of Gonta and Hoshi from the memorial service as if they were really there to see the show (likely Kiibo's doing, she assumed). Smiling at that, she looked for an seat closer to people that still tolerated her existence, finding an empty one right next to Rantaro. “Is this seat taken?”

“It will be if you wanna sit there,” Rantaro answered. “Be my guest.”

“Thanks. Hope you don’t mind if I save a spot for Kaito. He’s kinda here with me.”

“Momota-kun’s here? I never took him to be one for idols.”

“He’s not. He’s doing it to support Shuichi— EEP! Hey, who did that?!”

“Don’t look at me,” Ouma lied in the seat behind Kaede, poking her again using one of his glowsticks. “It’s rude to get loud during a show, you know.”

“And equally so to poke someone when—! Ghh! Cut it out, Ouma-kun! I don’t wanna have to come back there.”

“Oooh, scary! Are you gonna use your ninja stealth on me again?”

“Why don’t you sit up here with me, huh?” Rantaro suggested, leaning over and picking up Ouma before putting him in the seat to his left. “You’ll get a much better view than sitting back there all by yourself.”

“I can see just fine! I didn’t give you permission to put your filthy hands on me, either.”

“Normally, I’ve got zero trouble keeping my hands to myself, but I can’t let you pick on Akamatsu-san all night, either. Wouldn’t enjoying the concert be a better use of your time?”

“There’s at least 50 other things that I could be doing right now, and a concert’s nowhere on the list.”

“Okay, then why are you here?”

“None of your business. I’ll stay here, but only ‘cause my butt’s warmed the cushion up by now and I’m fond of the atmosphere.”

“Hey, no complaints on my end. If you’re able to survive a quick lunch with me, then what’s one short concert?”

“With him? Probably a whole disaster if he acts up too much,” Kaede sighed.

“Oh, honey, you don’t need me for that,” Ouma laughed. “This show’s gonna turn its own head upside down, and I won’t have to lift a finger.”

“Come on, buddy, none of that,” Rantaro scolded. “You can take one night off from being a spoilsport.”

“We’ll have to see about that, won’t we?”

“Did I miss anything?” Kaito asked Kaede, taking his seat next to her while Tenko went to find her own spot.

“No, nothing’s started yet,” Kaede answered, seeing Kirumi and Himiko step on stage before the closed curtains holding microphones. “Ooh, wait, wait! I take that back, something’s happening!”

“Thank you for attending, everyone who did,” Kirumi spoke first. “And from the looks of it, it seems to be just that. We’re glad you could all make it tonight.”

“Because otherwise, I feel sorry for the poor suckers who have to miss out on what we’ve put together,” Himiko added. “For one night only, with some backup accompaniment by Kirumi herself in some songs, we now present to you…!”

“Sixth Sensation!” the girls announced at the same time, getting off the stage as the curtains were moved and the lights dimmed.

Initially, there was only darkness, six figures revealed to have their backs turned to the audience by a skinny spotlight each at a time. After speaking once per person, all did an about-face, perfectly timed when the music started in an immediate, upbeat hype while they started to sing as a group. The costumes were relatively similar in having sections of black glistening with rhinestones to alternate with the unique colors of the cast (who were all wearing a form of stylish, low-heel black boots), but still carried to them individual differences. It became more apparent when each member took on their brief verse solos going in a specific order.

Angie’s costume was primarily a deep gold color, puffy sleeves striped that color and black, and reaching no further than her biceps. She seemed to have a form of leotard under the split skirt, on her head a pronged headband nearly resembling some sort of crown. Korekiyo’s outfit was a bit less fancy and more… surprising on someone like him. Not only was part of his hair put into two odango buns kept together by studded hair cuffs with the rest let down, but the dress he had on was a bright, checkered green with a netted midsection hiding his naval to match his black forearm braces. Around his neck was a choker, the little symbol hanging from it the first character of his given name.

Kiibo had on something more simple. A knee-length dress with more sparkling black on the skirt and long sleeves, but enough white on the bodice to show a different color. Since his hair didn’t have much length to it, he had more of a spike-covered clip behind his antennae, large enough to glisten under the spotlight. Maki, on the other hand, had a red costume with black sleeves starting from off the biceps to the wrists. In place of a skirt, she instead had shorts, thin decorative chains hanging diagonally from both sides. Her hair had managed to be mustered into a swirled, high updo and pinned together using a tiara with four lengthy prongs sticking from it.

Miu was dressed in a magenta leotard split off to reveal her naval, dark gray long sleeves with black stripes covering the full length of her arms. She had a parted skirt like Angie, but hers was transparent with dark pink rims as opposed to being opaque. Using a single studded hair cuff, her hair was put into a high ponytail dyed raspberry from the middle downwards, two sections of it left out on the sides. Around her neck was a choker like Korekiyo’s, only hers had a character pertaining to her given name. Lastly stood Shuichi, who had plenty of blue on his costume’s torso and puffy sleeves, but wore black pants with more blue on the sides in place of his castmates’ fishnets. Under his bangs was a dark, studded circlet positioned to give them more emphasis while looking more side-swept.

“The costumes came out great,” Kaede whispered, applauding with the rest after the opening number was finished and proceeded to exchange some scripted banter. “I expected some frilly dresses and tiny hats, but this is a nice spin on things.”

“At least Shuichi’s wearing pants,” Kaito muttered. “Is this a play or a concert?”

“I’m guessing it’s a little of both. I’m not really following the storyline yet, but each might have their own tale to tell that smushes altogether into one?”

“Does that count as one show?”

“Probably! The whole might be greater than the sum of its parts.”

Singing the first solo song was Angie with a defiant pop number on refusing to stand for being tossed aside like garbage for someone lesser. It emphasized a lot of hardships, having to put up with a lot despite not wanting to, and getting nothing for it in return except more misfortune after others. The perpetual smile on her face deterred the point somewhat, but she did give off the vibe of not being someone to reckon with or cross in spite of her cheerful demeanor. Angie hit all her notes well, putting all her spirit and adamance into the song and standing with the big, finishing declaration.

“Huh, that was pretty good,” Kaito commented. “I never took Yonaga to be much of a singer. Except for like, folk songs or something.”

“It’s not surprising Yumeno-san wanted her to sing first,” Kaede said. “Well, besides some slight nepotism, I mean.”

“This time, it worked out just fine for making a good pick,” Rantaro replied. “Begs the question of why she’s not the lead singer when she fits every bill for it.”

“Going and being first doesn’t mean jack,” Ouma told him. “There might be someone else way better than Yonaga-chan will ever be. Like, say, the one coming right up next.”

“Huh? Oh, that’s right, now it’s Shinguuji-kun’s turn. You sound pretty excited to hear him sing, don’tcha?”

“Only to never let him hear the end of this! I can’t wait to see how he does on stage. Guy’s anxiety must be more through the roof than usual!”

“Shinguuji-kun’s got anxiety?” Kaede wondered, skeptical. “Funny. It seems to disappear really quick whenever he finds time to breathe down my neck about the littlest issues.”

“Yeah, being a pain in the ass for some people does that. Take it from the expert, toots.”

“Pipe down! He’s starting,” Kaito hissed.

Once again, Korekiyo’s role on stage managed to take everyone in the crowd by surprise just on the first electric guitar chord alone. It was entirely sassy, almost like that of an unapologetic, rebellious youth speaking the first thing on their mind dismissively, completely opposite to his actual personality. He was, essentially, “rocking out loud” as the other five provided the backing vocals and commentary all the way up to him discovering the consequences of not keeping his mouth shut. Even to the end of meeting a less than savory final fate and a panic at realizing what was going to happen, Kiyo sang in a manner that stuck to his turbulent ways to the very end, belting notes at the top of his lungs harder than anyone was used to hearing from him until it concluded on one more gnarly guitar strike.

“...Wow. He had all of that in him?” Kaito got out, blown away. “I thought he was stuck on ‘perma-whisper’ mode or something!”

“Whooo! Yeah, Kiyo-chan! Sing it! ROCK ON!” Ouma cheered, still whistling and applauding despite everyone having stopped.

“Don’t overdo it,” Rantaro demanded, pulling him back into relative silence in his seat. “I’m just as impressed as you are, but the show’s just started.”

“No fun. Looks like Mr. Detective finally found an outlet for his repressed rebel phase.”

“He was just playing into character,” Kaede insisted. “Though I wasn’t expecting such a jump done that smoothly. Yumeno-san and Toujou-san really made a gambit giving him a song like that.”

“A gambit which they won, I’d say,” Rantaro stated. “Oh, I think Iidabashi-kun’s next.”

“This oughta be good,” Ouma snorted. “I heard he was the last to nail his part down because he sounds like a flock of dying geese.”

“Remember, he was the first one to want you here,” Kaede bit. “Don’t throw that all away now.”

“Yeesh, take a joke. I’m not nearly as heartless as your species is. Let’s just see how he does…”

From the stage, Kiibo seemed to be looking directly into the audience, particularly at the seat Ouma was in to the astronaut’s bewilderment. He still smiled with melancholy, singing after Kirumi played the beginning notes live on piano. Compared to before, it was an improvement. Still a bit shaky, but enough to maintain the softer tone of his number the others thus far didn’t have, yet with equal power within it. And not just that, but he sang about holding onto a tenderness that was here to stay as a means of an emotional strength used to keep pushing him through for as long as possible. While declaring with all of his heart his unwillingness to crack under even the worst of hardships, Kiibo seemed to have moved himself to tears, a few of which ran down his face and took some of his eyeliner with its course, the song now done after a final press of simultaneous piano keys.

“Beautiful…” Kaede sniffled, wiping her misty eyes. “That song was right up Iidabashi-kun’s alley, I think.”

“Do you take back what you said about his singing?” Rantaro asked Ouma, who was still staring dazed at Kiibo on stage even with the banter progressing.

“Mmm,” Ouma uttered, too concerned with being the primary focus of the song until he chose to dismiss it. “Darn! Now I can’t give either of them Hell for getting stage fright or botching their performance! What a rip…”

“It could be a sign that you don’t need to keep ripping on people every chance you get. Why don’t you try saying something nice for a change? That could really make someone’s day when you least expect it.” Before Rantaro could receive an answer (though knowing Ouma, that itself was unlikely to happen), the room darkened again, only turning on with a strobe black light to reveal the idols wearing sunglasses that glowed in the dark by their rims. “What the—?”

The music instantly began on a fast-paced, party-like tempo, a stark whiplash from the previous song. “Now it’s some kinda rave party? I thought Maki was next!” Kaito commented, confused.

“Quit your whining, this is a bop!” Ouma cheered, dancing along in his seat.

“This is a weird concert…”

“Oh, wait, Kaito, it leads into her part,” Kaede noted, pointing to Maki being more centered on stage and prepared to sing as soon as the rave music was fully done. “Not my first idea of a transition, but it’s unique!”

“Wait, seriously?! Alright! Sing it loud, and sing it proud, Makks!”

“She will as soon as you shut your yap,” Ouma snarked. “Usually, loud, screaming babies aren’t allowed to come to plays because they’re so disruptive.”

“It’s a wonder you’re here, then.”

After the two finally stopped talking, Maki began her performance, still remaining as undaunted as ever and showing no indication of losing nerve. Oddly enough, the genre she was given sounded akin to that of hip-hop, centered around a confident life of luxury and having it made from getting out of a nasty situation the luckiest. The entire cast popped and locked to the hard beats and smooth-tongued lyrics, Maki still showing who was boss of her own life whilst giving them to the microphone. It ended on a single, booming note, everyone else presenting her as if she were really the one large and in charge.

“That’s my girl!” Kaito cheered, waving Ouma’s glowsticks around and waiting impatiently for them to change color. “Come on, these damn things— there we go! ALRIGHT!”

“Wow, noisy and a thief,” Ouma spat, stealing his property back. “You should’ve gotten your own instead of taking them from someone smaller than you.”

“Chill, it was just for a second. There’s still lots leftover in the box.”

“Hey, look who’s next.” Ouma pointed on stage, seeing Miu do a scripted roast of the other castmates that didn’t look too much differently than real life. “Now _this_ I gotta see.”

“Oh no,” Kaede sighed. “Let’s just pray her song’s at least G-rated. She’s bound to be showing off what I’d rather not see otherwise.”

“Look at the bright side,” Kaito said. “At least Shuichi’s next after whatever this is gonna be. Like an after-smoke mint.”

“Hey, give Iruma-san a little more faith than that,” Rantaro lightly chided. “She was picked to be on stage for a reason.”

“Yeah, because Toujou-chan’s out of her mind,” Ouma snickered. “Buckle in, boys. ...And Akamatsu-chan.”

In the style of a sultry dance-pop number, Miu started out boasting about her perfect looks that could attract any eye within radius. The eyes of most of her group mates and the audience rolled, no less reluctantly tuning into how she sang about going through her past paramours. As the song progressed, however, Miu started appearing less and less confident, actually appearing rather shaken with each verse. Even the lyrics themselves started sounding rather messed up, now being evident that her “suitors” didn’t actually have any caring feelings towards her as a person, but rather her physicality and the fact that they carried more power than she could ever hope to have.

Just when it started softening up and looking brighter, it only reached its worst and Miu started singing uncharacteristically unraveled with her castmates playing their part in making bodily contact that would make anyone feel disturbed. She barely had any control, her voice choking up and tears bursting from her eyes to ruin the mascara and eyeliner while the last remnants of composition flew away, leaving a visibly distraught version of herself behind unable to take anymore of the song’s abusive implications. It was finished, but hardly so when Miu forced out the last lines through her breakdown, everyone looking on highly uncomfortable in a different manner than they expected from her.

“Umm… at least Iruma-san’s a really good actress?” Kaede commented uneasily, watching Miu still bawling on her knees with her hands in her frazzled hair to the point of quaking.

“Yeah… she’s not acting,” Ouma pointed out, neutral expression.

“Oh.” Okay, now things were definitely uncomfortable.

“Yumeno-san, what’s wrong with her?” Tsumugi whispered in a concerned tone.

“Relax, it’s just part of the show,” Himiko reassured her. “And she’s really selling it, but she’ll stop soon.” Miu didn’t, still hyperventilating through her sobs for moments longer and making it clear Himiko was wrong. “...Uh-oh.”

Even her castmates were unable to hide their discomfort and stricken expressions, helpless to watch the scene unfold until Miu got up and made a flimsy attempt to continue with her lines, faking a smile and acting casual despite her ruined appearance. “Boy, that’s definitely not what I was expecting,” Rantaro winced, not at all reassured by the continuation.

“You and me both,” Kaito mumbled. “What hit her?”

“I don’t know for sure, but it’s not something she’s fond of.”

“Poor Miu…” Kaede sighed, looking on sympathetic.

“Oh, you mean like how you weren’t just ready to throw up at whatever song you thought she was gonna sing?” Ouma scoffed. “Now I can see why none of you got picked; you all suck at acting!”

“Zip it! You don’t know the first thing about empathy or any sort of compassion,” Kaito snarled.

“And you do, Mr. ‘Kiibo Doesn’t Deserve To Cry Over Gonta’? You can’t just go shitting all over someone that’s a daily nuisance, and then suddenly act all nice and friendly after it turns out they’ve been scarred for life. That’s not only hypocritical, but it’s just plain stupid.”

“Oh, you’re one to talk! You call Iruma dirty names every day of the week!”

“Yeah, and I’m consistent with it. More proof that I’m above you scumbag Earthlings in every single way. Seriously, all of you just make things way too easy sometimes.”

“Ignore him, Momota-kun,” Rantaro said. “Don’t give him the attention he’s trying to fish out of you.”

Ouma shrugged. “Okay, have it your way. I couldn’t care less.”

“Kaito, look!” Kaede exclaimed quietly, pointing on stage to Shuichi finally having the spotlight. “He’s next~!”

“Atta boy! Saving the best for last!” Kaito rooted, giving a thumbs-up to his friend.

Shuichi’s song was another one with a softer beginning courtesy of Kirumi playing the piano behind it, giving a lamenting goodbye to someone he has to leave against his will in order to not make things worse for his life. It picked up stronger, making more of a declaration that he had to retract because saying it would guarantee consequences, but continuing on with a mixture of his new tone and the melancholic one for the song's remainder. It ended sooner than the others’ had, continuing with Shuichi speaking to his castmates in hopes that they’d reconsider how they’d been going about things.

After more thought put into it, all six of them began to sing more as a unified group rather than trying to out-best one another. They came to the same consensus, declaring from then on, no one had any need to compete for something that didn’t matter in the end since they weren’t too different from each other after all. When that part ended, everyone kicked off the grand finale themselves after, singing about how they were all in charge of their own lives and no one else could say otherwise. It all came to a solid finish, everyone posing together on stage with raised, triumphant fists as the lights shone on all of them and earned applause from the crowd.

“Don’t go anywhere yet, folks!” Miu proclaimed. “Because we’ve still got one! Last! Song!”

“Are you ready?!” the six idols shouted, the music starting up for an extra number comprised of a short medley. When they finished, they posed all at once in different positions and did a group bow to the final applause round with confetti falling onto the stage, a bright sign reading “SIXTH SENSATION” behind them all.

“Thank you all for coming tonight,” Himiko spoke into the microphone, stepping on stage with Kirumi as the curtains fused and covered the cast backstage while the main room’s lights turned back on. “We may have put it all together, but this concert couldn’t have come true if it weren’t for any of you guys.”

“It’s entirely optional, but we’ll be reconvening in the dining hall for a short autograph and meet-and-greet with the cast,” Kirumi added. “Granted, you already know them, but it’s still a great opportunity to ask them anything that’s on your mind regarding the performance.”

“So, if that interests you, head downstairs. And if you’re not, then well… good night, I guess. I don’t know.”

When everyone started leaving the Ultimate Pianist Lab, Kaede was surprised to see Maki following her and Kaito out and fully changed from her idol uniform back into her usual clothes and hairstyle. “You’re not going to the autographing session, Maki?” she asked, now noticing the magician’s limp as she took another swig from a transparent red water bottle. “Are you okay? You don’t look so good.”

“Good eye, I feel even worse,” Maki groaned, rubbing her head. “I don’t know what’s up with me. I was fine during the concert.”

“Maybe you’re just worn out from all that singing and dancing,” Kaito suggested. “Want us to walk you back to your room?”

“I’m okay. The Dormitory isn’t that far.” Contrary to her words, Maki took one step forward and nearly fell if it weren’t for Kaito and Kaede rescuing her in time. “Gah! Thanks…”

“Let’s lend you a hand just for tonight,” Kaede suggested, already acting as the other human crutch besides Kaito and guiding Maki down the stairs. “After, you can go lie down to sleep this off.”

“Sounds like a plan to me. At least I got out of doing stupid autographs.”

“You never really struck anyone as the meet-and-greet type. But, may I just say how amazing you were in the concert?! I didn’t think you could hit so many sick beats like that!”

“It must be the experience she’s already got on stage that helped,” Kaito assumed. “Not sure what magic has to do with hip-hop, but they’re involved somehow, I’m sure!”

“Don’t be stupid. I only got that good from rehearsal,” Maki scoffed, wincing despite having taken more water. “I promised myself I wouldn’t perform in front of others again, but at least the concert was an interesting step up from death-defying tricks.”

“Mind giving us a little encore?” Maki’s glare said it all. “O-kay, that’s a no. Still! I’m proud of you. You came out of your shell and gave a performance like no other! Everyone wins when you try something new!”

“Shut up… I had nothing else to do.”

“Or lose,” Kaede stated, finally stopping in front of Maki’s room at the Dormitory building. “I am really glad you decided to do this. Life’s too short to miss out on the rest of it beyond your walls!”

“In a way, I kind of am, too. Not that I’m doing this ever again, but it was a nice try.” Maki stood up, somewhat wobbly until she regained her balance from the dizzy spell. Turning to open her door, her head faced Kaede and Kaito. “Well. Good night, you two. And… thanks for coming and supporting me.”

“Thanks for giving us a chance,” Kaito replied, taking note of the smile on Maki’s face. “Sleep tight, Harumaki. I’ll be seeing my favorite superstar in the morning.”

“Good night, Maki. Hope you feel better by then,” Kaede said, watching the other girl retreat to her room very content. “Ready to go?”

“Born it! I’ve got lots I wanna ask Shuichi about.”

On her way downstairs with Kaito, Kaede noticed Korekiyo underneath knocking on (of all people he’d be far more likely to choose) Miu’s door. Initially, she was tempted to see what was going on, but remembered neither would take too kindly to any eavesdropping from her and instead allowed them their privacy to head to the autographing session. After some expected vulgarity from the maid, Korekiyo for once didn’t get irritated and remained concerned, asking if he had her permission to come inside for a short talk.

“You? A two that wants to have a word with me? A ten?” Miu snorted. “Funny, I seem to recall you doing nothing but telling me to cut my tongue out or shut my yap.”

“I know, I’m fully aware of that,” Korekiyo clarified, “but this is important. Please, may we talk?”

“Make it quick. I’ve got my own shit to do and take, and you’re keeping me from it. Get in, but don’t expect anything if you pop a throbber in front of me.”

Kiyo ignored that, sitting straight up on Miu’s bed near her. “Iruma-san, please pardon me if I may seem intrusive, but I cannot ignore this both as a detective and someone who’s become very concerned.”

“You’re concerned? With what? Are you poking your schnoz into some imaginary case or whatever?”

“No. This is very unlikely to be all in my head, given what happened with you tonight at the concert.”

Miu gulped, turning her head away. “I— I dunno what you’re talking about. That was all rehearsed, remember? You were there during all those practices.”

“I was, which only further proves my point because in all the times you practiced that breakdown, it didn’t go anywhere close to how it did earlier. Now, don’t feel obligated to reveal everything to me, but Iruma-san… has someone harmed you in the past?”

“Huh?! M-Me? What dipshit would wanna do anything bad to someone this perfect?! Every client I’ve worked for has all but worshiped the very ground I stomp on! Geez, I get you’re a strange fucko and all, but this is much even for you.”

“Is everything you just told me the truth? I won’t accept being lied to, you know.”

“Butt out! You said I’m not obligated to tell you everything!”

“No, but I would like it if you gave me something. And so far, I’ve gotten none at all.”

“Why’s it matter to you to begin with? You hate my guts, and now you’re acting like we’re all buddy-buddy and friendly? Piss off!”

“My opinion of you isn’t important right now. I still have every right to worry when something is clearly awry with somebody. And since you say nothing is worth concern, I’m sure this means nothing to you as well?” Korekiyo held up something that made Miu’s eyes widen, her entire body starting to shake again.

“Where… the fuck… did you GET THAT?!”

“The Monokubs.” Kiyo got it out of her reach when she tried to steal it back, waggling his finger. “Not so fast. Remember what will happen if you try and reclaim this. And judging by your reaction, this just debunked everything you just told me.”

“Oh, it did not!”

“Didn’t it? If this meant nothing to you, you wouldn’t have reacted so aggressively. On top of that, this has your name on it.” Korekiyo pointed to Miu’s full name printed over the white bar, its pink border decorated with hearts and winking teddy bear heads. Above her name read something else crucial. “‘Meido 4 U’, hmm? I’ve never been as a customer and never will, but I am aware of its… uncouth business practices compared to most establishments like it.”

“Y-Yeah, and? Everyone and their granny knows not all maid cafés are pleasant to set foot in. ...O-Or…”

“Work in?” Miu didn’t answer verbally, instead hiding behind her released hair and nodding once without looking Korekiyo’s way. “Alright, now we’re getting somewhere. I don’t mean to interrogate you this late at night, Iruma-san, but—”

“—If that’s true, then why are you here in the first place?! To squeeze my private past outta me like a fat honkin’ turd?! Well, ya got it! I worked at a shitty maid café for some extra dough I didn’t have, hated it, and was lucky enough to get outta that place to work under richer management! Case closed!”

“I see. Yes, yes… that would certainly pertain to how you acted on stage. At least tell me this: were you treated fairly at Meido 4 U during the time you worked there?”

“Fuck no! My bitchy coworkers and I hardly got paid squat, I wouldn’t feed my dog half the crap on the menu, and the clients… well. They weren’t nice to me, okay?” Miu shrunk, eyes falling morose. “They really. Really. Weren’t nice.”

“Did any of them respect your boundaries as a worker? The majority of maid cafés have a strict rule against harassing the workers.”

“...If they did, would I have been in as much of a hurry to scram as I was? You know how people at those cafés are. They see a cute girl in a maid dress tending to their every beck and call, and suddenly it’s open season to forget the meaning of ‘personal space’! I get my body’s rockin’, but grab me and look under the hood when I say you can get a taste, bub!” Miu sunk again, messing with her hair. “Not that I could tell ‘em that out loud, of course. I’d get fired on the spot for talkin’ back to a customer. So. That was how it was. Managers so happened to turn a blind eye every time, too, even though they knew more than anyone what the rules were. They just didn’t give a damn.”

Korekiyo frowned, still listening considerately. “Yes, that is how it can go down in those establishments. You also mentioned moving onto ‘richer management’. Did your situation improve?”

“Sure did! Remember when I said I got to work in a bunch of fancy mansions? Well, that happened, and I made tons more dough than I could’ve hoped to at that dinky old food shop! I’m glad I left all those dusty bitches behind while I’m working the sweet life all day long!”

“Mmm-hmm? Is that the full story? Am I to assume your mansion clients were much more amicable to work with?”

“None! Of your business, Shitguuji! Besides, who the Hell cares how anyone treated me there? Maids would look like dirt to anyone, even those living in studio flats! I get paid by a buncha rich fucks, and someday walk out with more than enough to feed myself! Happily ever after, the end!”

“Look, I’m only here to get an explanation. That’s part of what I do as the Ultimate Detective.”

“Ha! Ultimate Nosy-Ass is more like it! What? You gonna go to your room and whack it to what happened to me in every last godforsaken mansion I set foot in?! How I couldn’t disobey or talk back and suffer the consequences by tickling my masters’ ‘special funny bones’ until I had more of a mess to clean after?! How, oh I know, my good looks were the only reason someone wanted a damn thing to do with me and it’d get used for fucked up reasons at every chance those shitty rich assholes had if I so much as missed a spot on the dishes?! That’s always the classic one, Inspector! Take your pick! Just take! Your! Pick!”

Korekiyo was speechless, seeing Miu pant heavily with a face reddened in outrage and hair flared up in disarray from it all. He didn’t get mad, only looking her way empathetically to only ask one thing. “...They’ve really hurt you, haven’t they?”

Miu’s eyes widened, fighting to stay angry, but ending up looking stricken as the tears she’d hidden could stay behind no longer. They dripped onto the sheets when her hands fell to it, gripping them as her body shook as hard as it had at the concert. “I-I… I tried so hard, at b-being the perfect maid for my masters. But, every time, someone would f-find something wrong with my work and punish me good for it. And it was always the same one again and ag-gain. Either I get thrashed around the old fashioned way and told to start all over, o-or… or!”

“Or?” Kiyo’s heart tightened when Miu proceeded to break down again, head bowed and letting the tears stain her sheets in heavy droplets as she lost all control of herself and sobbed just as hard.

“—Or make myself useful and k-keep my damn job! And all b-because I couldn’t do something so simple! What did I do, Shinguuji? What… wh-what did I do to deserve it? Am I that much of a cunt for others to be around that they go that far? Is it because I didn’t stand up for myself sooner? Is— i-is that it, too?” Miu continued to bawl, wiping tears that wouldn’t go away and dealing with the hard coughs leaving her body between the chest-aching sobs.

Korekiyo’s own thoughts invaded his mind, unable to help in a way seeing himself in the girl crying before him. “...There is not a single thing in the world that you could do that would ever warrant anyone putting their hands on you where they don’t belong. I may not fully understand being used… like that, but it’s doubtless that it’s such a horrid thing for anyone to go through however way it’s done.”

“I mean, it’s not like there wasn’t a reason behind it.” Miu sniffled, words still croaked from her throat raw from all the sobbing. “It was still bullshit, don’t get me wrong, but at least I could’ve learned from my mistakes and lessened some of the blows…”

“No, Iruma-san. People who act that way will find any reason they can to twist the narrative so the blame steers clear of them. As many times as it gets spun, it’s ultimately on them for doing it.”

“B-But, I…”

“Shhh…” Korekiyo fixed part of Miu’s hair, using his handkerchief to clean up some of her smudged eye makeup, tears, and mucus. “Take a moment to collect yourself. Let anything else out if you must. I’ll neither speak out of line nor go anywhere until you’re okay.”

Miu took the handkerchief and cleaned her face, blowing her nose into it after. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting? I mean, nothing went ‘in’ any of those times or anything, so it could have been worse.”

“That doesn’t matter. The damage done to you is still horrific enough to leave a scar. Abuse is abuse."

“Well, that doesn’t change jack, now does it? You can’t undo what I went through.”

“No, but I can at least lend you any support you may need. And I’m not alone in that regard, either. Kirumi and Iidabashi-kun seem rather fond of you, so I wouldn’t hold it past them to want to be your wings in this.”

“Yeah, sounds about right for ‘em. Too nice for their own good towards the weirdest people, namely given how I am on a daily basis.”

“And on that, too. I’m guessing from this that it’s some sort of coping mechanism to maintain agency, but I no less implore you not to be so excessive in your rather vulgar… mannerisms. That appears to be the primary issue in getting you into trouble with the others here.”

“Man, you and Kirumi really are a match made in limbo if this is coming from you too.”

Korekiyo blushed. “Knock that off. There are no such feelings between us, lovely as she may be. However, if this isn’t the first time you’re hearing the advice, perhaps it’s a sign to change.”

“And it’s like I told her: I’m not going cold turkey, and that’s final.”

“Very well, maybe I can’t do anything with that, but you still have the power to cut back on it and be more polite often. If you try that, then you’re bound to see less of a need to lash out and protect yourself from other people.”

“How do you figure?”

“If you can confide in three already, then drawing others in to like you will only increase those numbers and help resolve some deep-rooted trust issues that I’m sensing. And after those improve, you’ll feel less skittish around people and no longer rely too much on your defenses unless absolutely necessary— typically when dealing with Monokuma and his children, that is.”

“So, be a little more friendly with everyone when I can and I’ll get less scared of how people might react to me if I do?”

“More or less, yes. That would be a great way of teaching yourself that you aren’t in danger of losing control or being entirely powerless.”

“I guess it’s worth a shot. How’d you get so smart with this? I thought you were a detective, not a psychologist.”

“Psychology and crime go hand-in-hand more often that one would believe. A handful of crimes are caused in part due to askew mentalities in many people.”

“Yeah, lots of whack jobs out there are the reason the world sucks assballs.”

“I wouldn’t go and call every last crime-doer mentally unstable. A grand majority, yes, but crimes can also be committed due to unfortunate circumstances beyond one’s control. It’s exactly the second that Monokuma is using to his advantage, actually.”

“Figures… this doesn’t mean I have to be all friendly with Cockitchy, does it? That brat’s out to get everyone, but I get most of his bullshit!”

“I wouldn’t say to make a full exception for Ouma-kun as he’s not entirely bad like he lets on, but if it goes too far, then by all means put your foot down. Especially if he uses unsavory terminology with you.”

“What, you mean with him callin’ me slutty names? Yeah, I’m not too bothered by that, actually.”

“You aren’t? But, I thought—”

“—Talkin’ dirty is different from doin’ it for real without my say so! It’s all part of the imagination and I’m free to do whatever I want with it in my head~!” Miu shuddered delightfully, leaning back some and jerking around. “I’m able to get myself goin’ in all the best ways however _I_ please! Sky’s the limit with anything I choose…!”

“Alright, alright, thank you, but please cut that out. I could still do without such imagery tonight.”

“Oh, my bad. So, are we finally good? All this bawling like a little bitch has drained me.”

“Yes, we’re done if you are, but you also still have my handkerchief.”

“I’ll get this back to you cleaned and ironed tomorrow. Maid, remember?”

“Of course, I won’t be forgetting that. Thank you, Iruma-san.” Miu’s only way of responding was pulling a bewildered Korekiyo into a hug, his chin over one of her shoulders. “Oh! Is— this your thanks?”

“You’re the detective, figure it out.” 

The dampness Miu’s closed eyes left on his shoulder and the smile on her face was enough of an answer, Kiyo reciprocating the hug just as satisfied. “Will you be going to the autograph section still?”

“And have more people breathe down my neck about my breakdown tonight? No thanks! I gotta wash this cheap dye outta my hair anyway, then I might turn in early after. You go ahead without me, but don’t tell anyone I cried to you, got it?!”

“My lips are sealed. I’ll simply let them know you weren’t feeling up to it, and they should understand.”

Korekiyo got up from Miu’s bed and bid her good night, carefully closing the door behind him and hurrying off to the dining hall to make the small session. Although surprised at who it was that wound up being helped, he still felt… really proud that he was able to offer a hand to someone he never thought would need it. Parts inside him digging up the things he kept buried ached, but Kiyo kicked the dirt back over them and turned a blind eye without reacting. He knew better than to give it attention it never deserved.

* * *

The autographing session went on until a little before the Night Time announcement, giving everyone time to clean up before the dining hall could lock them all inside. All that showed on the monitors was a good view of Monosuke, who said nothing and instead put a paw to his mouth and did a sinister “Shhhh…”, the screen powering off right after. Nobody commented, simply going off to their rooms for rest until morning.

“It’s good to hear you guys liked the show,” Shuichi said to Kaede and Kaito in the foyer. “I haven’t performed in front of people outside of some plays when I was a kid, so it’s been a while.”

“And yet you still pulled it off like a natural!” Kaede cheered. “You’ve got the voice of an angel, too. Was it hard hitting those high notes?”

“Without warming up, a little, but we had time to prepare at setup. ...Do I really sound that high-pitched when I talk?”

“Not really. You’ve just range,” Kaito said. “There’s only so many people in the world capable of doing that.”

“Does this mean you take back what you said about idols being girly?”

“...I’m considering it. Kaede and I had a talk while you were off practicing, so I can’t just sweep that under my rug. I’m just happy to have you back at training full-time.”

“Count on seeing me there. If it helps, I still got some in doing the choreography. Dancing in a group while trying to sing isn’t easy work, you know.”

“And you’ll have more hard work sticking to my regimen! Rest up, because we’re jumping back into the circle first thing tomorrow afternoon.” Kaito waved to his friends, going to his room. “Night, guys!”

“Good night,” Shuichi and Kaede responded at the same time, the latter speaking up when the other was heading off himself. “Hey, Shuichi?”

“Yeah, Akamatsu-san?” he wondered.

“...Nevermind. I just wanna let you know I’m looking forward to seeing you more often again. Don’t leave me to put up with Kaito’s mouth all by myself!” Kaede’s tone was entirely lighthearted, to Shuichi’s amused laugh.

“He can be a bit of a handful when it comes to motivating anyone, so I won’t leave you hanging for too long. See you in the morning?”

Kaede gave Shuichi as light of a playful punch in the arm as she could gather. “And no later, Mr. Pop Sensation. Don’t let all this fame go to your head overnight, okay?”

“I promise. I’ll stick to only fifteen minutes of it any day of the week.”

Shuichi and Kaede went to their respective dorm rooms diagonally separate from one another on each side of the building. Doors shut locked, securing them inside in a personal fortress where none could invade. Everyone was officially tucked in and slumbering to welcome the next day, resting peacefully to free the fatigue built up from the concert, be it attending or performing. As far as they all knew, nothing had been disturbed in the still of night, content to let the dark hours pass and welcome brighter, longer ones soon.

* * *

_Knock, knock, knock!_

“Hey, Kaede! You up in there?” Kaito’s voiced asked from outside the door, Kaede having just finished bathing and getting ready for the new day. “I was gonna stop by Harumaki’s room to see if she’s feeling any better, and I want you to come with me.”

“Why do you need me? Her room’s right upstairs!” Kaede called back.

“Because Tenko sleeps— or whatever robots do— right next to her room and she’s standing outside. I figured having another girl around would lessen her screaming my head off.”

“Oh. Okay, be right out!” Kaede got her shoes on and opened the door, stepping outside and walking up the stairs with Kaito. “Tenko-san, it’s okay. He comes in— ...peace? Umm.”

“What’s wrong?”

“She’s quiet. Too quiet.” Approaching the robot girl, Kaede inspected her and saw her eyes were purely black, the rest of her not moving.

“Is she okay? Did she blow a circuit or something?”

“No, I think she’s just turned off. There has to be a button to fix that somewhere.” Kaede moved behind Tenko, spotting a button on the back of her neck just under where her hair split off into her odd braids. “Oooh! What does this button do?” Press.

In seconds, Tenko’s systems reactivated, eyes going from black to their normal appearance as she gasped from being pushed back to consciousness. “Gah! Where am I?” She spotted only Kaito, jumping into a defensive stance. “You! You were fiddling around with my software in my most vulnerable state, weren’t you?!”

“What?! No! Kaede and I just found you like this!” Kaito insisted. “Tell her!”

“It’s true, don’t worry,” Kaede comforted, going back to where Tenko could see her. “Why did you crash outside your room, by the way? Low battery?”

“Actually, no, I still have plenty to go before I’m due for another charge,” Tenko corrected, now sheepish. “Besides, I didn’t shut down by myself. Someone… pressed my kill switch last night and the next thing I knew, I’m right here seeing you two this morning.”

“Your what?” Kaito wondered.

“My kill switch! Otherwise known as an emergency stop button, or ‘e-stop’ for short. It’s for anytime I’m facing severe difficulties and I need to be shut off until they’re fixed.” Tenko grabbed Kaito by the collar. “But, now that you know about it, I forbid you from coming anywhere near me, Momota-san!”

“Kinda hard when you’re literally grabbing me, but alright…!”

“Break it up, you two, it’ll be fine,” Kaede reassured, separating them. “I don’t think Kaito’s got the guts to try and push your buttons anyway.”

“Hey!”

“Good, he’d better not!” Tenko demanded. “Now, what brings you two up here aside from seeing me?”

“We were gonna see if Maki was feeling any better today,” Kaede said. “She couldn’t make the autograph session last night because she got sick somehow.”

“Maki-san’s sick? How awful. Why don’t I come in and do a quick scan to see what the issue is if she’s still under the weather?”

“You can scan people, too?!”

“Mmm-hmm! I get a good reading of someone’s vitals for a super accurate check-up!” Tenko glared at Kaito. “And, some people are more trustworthy around sick girls than others…”

“I get it, I get it,” Kaito sighed. “Let’s go.” He knocked on the right door, listening for a response. “Harumaki? Are you feeling better today? ...Makks? Hello?”

“Maki! We’re just here to check on you—” Kaede started to say, twisting the knob and growing bewildered when it didn’t stay stuck in place. “What the? It’s open.”

“That’s odd. If there’s one person who always locks her door, it’s her.”

“Did she forget? She was really sick, after all,” Tenko suggested.

“Even so, she would have eventually gotten up to lock it and sleep in peace. Something ain’t right here…”

“Maki? Is everything o— MY GOD!” Kaede shrieked at the sight falling on her eyes when she turned the lights on.

While Tenko was frozen with horror seeing it, Kaito trembled. “No… no, this better be some sick fucking joke right now! This is NOT happening! Not to her!”

Contrary to Kaito’s demands, the unforgiving reality was just that. Laying in a slumped spread eagle atop her bed was none other than Maki Harukawa, eyes wide open and weeping as much blood as her nose and mouth onto her violated covers, her half-ingested red water bottle lolling on its side beside the slack hand hanging over the mattress’ left edge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daily Life END
> 
> Students remaining: 13/16
> 
> If I botched anything or made you guys feel uneasy with this chapter, I am very sorry for doing that since I know it's a pretty touchy topic in general and for some people in the world (plus this is Miu we're talking about, which makes it even more complicated to wrassle with 3:"). Other than that, I hope this chapter was satisfactory and finally scratched an itch some of you might've had! We're getting close to the very end of Ch. 2, so look forward to the second investigation! Sorry to any Maki stans out there, but she had to go because I'm changing up the survivors and she was never intended to make it out alive a second time. Nothing personal, but that's just how I made things bc letting her live any longer would've been a serious mistake (as one can argue things went south for her character/writing real fast from Ch. 3 onward in canon).
> 
> Okay, okay, enough from me. Thanks for tuning into this juicy update, I hope to see you all in the next tone! Stay safe and healthy, and I'll be meeting back up with you guys then! ♥


	18. Episode XVII: Deadly Life 02 - Divorced, Beheaded, Died

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MAN. The comments I got last chapter, I cannot thank you all enough! I woke up to like 8 new ones in my inbox the day after I updated, and I'm so thankful for each and every one of them! Thanks, y'all! It does my heart good knowing I'm... well, doing this whole kaboodle-doo right in some way.
> 
> So, because it's only the Deadly Life chapter and thus not as long, I got this up nice and early for you guys before I finish my tea and head off to bed (night owl, yo). I tried making it at least meet the minimum no. of pages since I don't go based on word count, and I managed to do it by adding some extra convos into the mix. This chapter was a little hard to write compared to the last investigation, but I did it, and here it is. Happy Reading!

_Ding-dong, dong-ding!_

“A body has been discovered!” Monokuma cheered, popping up on the monitor using his backdrop of city lights and holding a flute glass of fizzing champagne. “Everyone, please make your way to the Dormitory! More specifically, the upper level of the girls’ rooms!”

“Oh no, not again…” Tenko finally breathed. “First Gokuhara-san, now poor Maki-san, too?!”

“Kaito,” Kaede attempted to say, watching him kneel over Maki’s body and clutch her sheets shaking angrily. Unsurprisingly, he paid her no heed at all.

“Who…?” Kaito growled, eyes shut and teeth bared. “Who in their right mind would try any of this shit again? Someone here took an innocent girl that was just starting to let others in and adjust to what normally scared her…!” He punched the floor, unable to contain his fury. “I want names, and I want ‘em now! I’m gonna take the thoughtless jackass that did this to her and—! GAUGH!”

“Momota-san, calm down, we know how difficult this is to face,” Tenko said, concerned.

“Don’t you tell me to cool it! Another one of us just died right under our noses because someone couldn’t get their act together! Why’d this have to happen again?! To Maki of all people?! She didn’t deserve this!”

“No one does, but going haywire isn’t going to help! We know the protocol, unfortunately, but either we do that and deliver the justice she deserves, or refuse and… you know. Make it worse.”

“Tenko-san’s right. This shouldn’t have happened in the first place, but since it has, the person responsible needs to be exposed or no one gets closure,” Kaede concurred. “Pardoning what else will happen if we don’t find out who they are.”

“Come to the girls’ side of the dorms? What—” Shuichi wondered outside, looking in and figuring it out quickly. “Oh no, don’t tell me! Maki?!”

“Yeah. It’s her this time.” Kaede turned herself away from the corpse, unable to hide her distraught expression. “Just when it was all looking up for her, too…”

“Guys, I think Saihara-kun found the crime scene!” Tsumugi exclaimed. “And from the looks of it, it’s not pretty. At all.” Everyone poured inside Maki’s bedroom, surrounding her lifeless, bloodied body with murmurs of discontent and terror.

“Son of a bitch! She’s bleeding out of almost every hole!” Miu gasped. “What the Hell happened to her to make that possible?”

“Could she have been stabbed?” Angie suggested.

“I don’t believe so,” Korekiyo guessed, getting a good look at the body. “Harukawa-san’s skin and clothes are perfectly intact. Also, the bleeding’s purely internal.”

“Huh,” Ouma said. “Odd, I’d have thought Harukawa-chan would be the one killing instead. Go figure!”

“Not now, this is serious,” Kiibo scolded. “Keep any and all insensitive comments to yourself.”

“What? I’m not saying anything that isn’t true— odd for me, I know, but I don’t lie all the time. Definitely not when I saw this coming from a mile away, either! But, that’s none of my business, according to you concert-loving cretins.”

“Can you shut up for once?” Himiko snarled. “The world would be a better place if you lost your ability to talk.”

“No, he has a point,” Kirumi whimpered, guilty. “Our efforts were in vain and didn’t do anything it was supposed to. If anything, I think it might have sped this up! What was I thinking?!”

“Good going, you little moldy pube! You upset Kirumi!” Miu barked at Ouma. “Just had to open your fuckin’ mouth, huh?!”

“I didn’t say anything, but she sure did,” Ouma corrected. “I’m not doing a ding-dong thing here.”

“Kirumi, there was no way you could have foreseen this exactly,” Korekiyo said. “You did your best in trying to soothe the tides by doing something wonderful for us all, but there was someone that preferred to spoil it instead and further our troubles.”

“And like you said, nothing was a guarantee,” Rantaro included. “The concert didn’t cause the murder, and neither did you.”

“I know both of those things, but…” Kirumi sniffled. “I’m sure there had to have been some way of stopping this that I failed to take.”

“Easy as it may be believing your capabilities reach that far, we’re all only human,” Korekiyo noted, putting a comforting hand on her arm. “Which means there’s an unfortunate limit to what we’re able to stop, leaving the rest beyond our control despite earnest efforts. Observant as you may be and cautious in your steps, someone is always going to come along and interfere the moment it’s too late to act.”

“And if I were you, I’d get a move on finding who that person was this time!” Monokuma suggested, springing up on the side of Maki’s bed not occupied by her remains. “My little White Elephant Exchange Motive worked like a charm, and now look! I made the world’s most sour magician… disappear! Ta-daaaa!”

“You vile little bastard…” Kaito snarled. “I oughta pummel you for doing this! Gimme one reason why I shouldn’t! I ain’t got none on me!”

“Besides the fact that laying a finger on your Headmaster will send you to a happy reunion with Harukawa-san? Normally, most are smart and find that reason enough.”

“I’m gonna rip your fucking head off, you overstuffed son of a bitch!” Kaito immediately charged at Monokuma, held back by Shuichi clinging to him with all of his might. “Let go of me! He’s gonna pay for doing this! I’m done holding back just because he said so!”

“He’s only getting you riled up, Kaito, knock it off! You’ll just make this worse!” Shuichi pleaded.

“Wow, you’re a lifesaver, Saihara-kun!” Monokuma swooned, Shuichi not the least bit amused. “No more demerits for the rest of the semester, assuming you live to see it a second time!”

“Can you make this quick and leave us alone?”

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the Monokubs exclaimed in unison, popping up all at once.

“G-Good God! That’s way worse than the first—!” Monophanie gagged, vomiting all over her feet. “There I go…”

“MONOPHANIE, DO-YOU-REQUIRE-A-PAIL-TO-USE?” Monodam asked.

“A little too late for that one! She just spilled her guts all over the place!” Monosuke snapped. “Can’t say I blame her, look at what’s happened! Normally, people only cry that much blood when they look at themselves in the mirror!”

“Really?” Monotaro wondered. “I thought that just turned you to stone.”

“That’s only if you’re Medusa. Normal people cry blood from every spot in their body—” Monosuke was interrupted at the sound of Monophanie upchucking again. “Whoops. You really gotta take something for that, sis.”

“As I was saying, why don’t we get this—?” Monokuma began.

“Shut it, you deadbeat! You didn’t do diddly-squat during this whole thing except leave us hanging and drying after giving away a few junky artifacts!”

“Excuse me, young man? How dare you take that tone of voice with your father?!”

“At least I know how to do my job. Do me a favor, shut your yap, and let me handle this like you should’ve, but didn’t!”

“Hey! Don’t talk down to Daddy!” Monophanie demanded. “He’s getting up there and can’t handle everything like the good old days!”

“MONOSUKE, YOUR-BEHAVIOR-IS-UNACCEPTABLE—” Monodam scolded.

“Yap, yap, yap, blabbity, blabbity, SHUT IT!” Monosuke barked, intimidating his siblings into cowering. “I’ve been playing the goody two-shoes for too long! After getting pushed around by the likes of you and our idiot brother and sister, I’m takin’ a stand like I should’ve ages ago!”

“H-Hey, Monosuke, relax! Everything’s good here!” Monotaro laughed without ease.

“Dump that! I’m sick of being calm all the goddamn time! And newsflash, things stopped being ‘good’ after you decided to kiss up to Monodam just because you’re scared of him turning you into scrap metal for pissin’ him off! Just like, oh who was it again? Oh yeah! _Monokid_! Just like Monokid!”

“This isn’t good…” Monophanie whined.

“Aww! So cute!” Monokuma cooed, picking up Monosuke and slurping all over him with his tongue. “My little man’s all grown up and running the show! I can’t stay mad at you; rebellion’s given with growing up! I’ll tell you what; you can go ahead and pass out the newest Me File because you’re a big boy now!”

“Ghhh! Pops, c’mon! Knock it off…!” Monosuke cried. “Okay, okay, thanks! I’d be happy to kick off murder numero deux, actually.”

“Then the floor’s yours!” Monokuma tossed up the important tablet, which landed square on Monosuke and sent him onto his back. “TTFNT!”

“What does the extra ‘T’ stand for?” Angie dared to ask.

“Don’t you know your anagrams? I said ‘Ta-Ta For Next Trial’! As in the one taking place as soon as I call time on the investigation. Remember that? You should probably get a jump on it or you’re all dying for being unable to find the culprit. So… TTFNT!”

“Guh… umm,” Monosuke stuttered after his father left, randomly shoving the Monokuma File into Kirumi’s hands. “Here, you have it! Get investigatin’ or else, ya bastards!”

“SL, BW!” the Monokubs abbreviated, fleeing from the room.

“They even shortened their catchphrase…” Kirumi sighed, opening the case. “Alright, let’s take a look at what we’re dealing with.”

* * *

_Investigation: Start!_

On the main page, Maki’s grayed out headshot and full body revealed the information needed, a swipe of a finger showing everyone looking a photo depicting the state of her corpse and her face’s eyes, nose, and mouth covered in small pink circles to indicate interest points. Kirumi went back from the “Situation” half, reading out loud the deathly report.

_The victim is Maki Harukawa, the Ultimate Magician._

_The victim’s body was discovered in her own bedroom._

_The estimated time of death is 8:17 pm._

_The victim quickly hemorrhaged to death following an accidental overdose_

_Otherwise, the victim’s body is perfectly intact inside and out_

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Monokuma File #2**



“Obviously she bled to death! Look at her!” Kaito exclaimed. “Why does this stupid file have to tell us what we already know?!”

“Hold on now, there are some things we hadn’t known prior to opening it,” Korekiyo stated. “Such as the part mentioning an ‘accidental overdose’.”

“Was Harukawa-san taking anything? Perhaps for a secret illness?” Kiibo inquired.

“No,” Kaito answered rather quickly. “That’s not possible.”

“How do you know that?” Ouma interrogated. “Did you manage to actually wheedle some basic facts out of her that she was too pissy to tell anyone else?”

“She just wasn’t! Mind your own business before I pop your mouth in!”

“Kaito, Kaito, come on,” Shuichi spoke up. “We get this is affecting you pretty badly, but don’t start a fight when we’ve only got so much time left. The more we investigate, the closer we’ll get to finding Maki’s killer.”

“I’d prefer if we didn’t have to,” Tsumugi groaned. “As soon as that happens, it’s another execution.”

“Oh well, they shouldn’t have killed someone, then,” Ouma snarked unsympathetically. “They clearly learned nothing from Hoshi-chan’s big boo-boo.”

“Thoughtless male! Why do you make things worse?!” Tenko hissed.

“Because it’s a free country, and I’ve got more rights than you do by a longshot. Now! If you’ll all excuse me, I’ve actually gotta get started on not dying because someone’s miraculously more of a screw-up than the rest.”

“Get lost, then! No one’s waiting up for ya!” Miu barked, Ouma leaving the room without a care. “Stitch-N-Bitch is right; he really is better off shutting his yap.”

“It’s still not a good idea to let him investigate by himself,” Shuichi reminded her. “If Ouma-kun’s the culprit, he might tamper with the evidence he left behind.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right. Well— I’m not going after that undersized punk!”

“I will,” Kiibo volunteered. “I won’t make any assumptions about who the killer is until we have all the evidence, but Shuichi’s right in that we shouldn’t take chances.”

“But, Kiibabey, I wanted to investigate with you! What’s he got that I don’t?”

“This isn’t a matter of comparing you two or hanging out right now. It’s just an investigation and therefore serious business that needs to be tackled from lots of places.”

“Yeah, I know. That means I’ll have to saddle up with some limp-dicked— uhh, someone else, I mean.” Miu remembered the advice she’d been given, making sure not to backtrack too much on it. “You just be careful doing your share, ‘k, Keebs? I don’t want anything happening to you, too.”

“I’ll be just fine. Don’t forget to stay safe yourself. I wanna keep all my friends out of harm’s way.”

 _‘He called me his friend, too…’_ Miu smiled warmly, cheeks as pink as some of her dress. “Same to you.”

“Miu-san, would it be alright if we partnered up for this investigation?” Kirumi proposed. “Ouma-kun isn’t here to prevent that this time.”

“Huh? Oh! Sure, why not? It’s about high time we got together, if you ask me!”

“Wouldn’t you prefer to say ‘partnering up’? The other way implies we’re getting intimate.”

“Only if you wanna.” Miu laughed after a wink. “Nah, I’m screwing with ya! I know who you’re still waiting on.”

“ _Let’s go_ , Miu-san. Now.”

“I guess we’re doing this again,” Tenko sighed. “Okay! Himiko-chan, I’d be honored to be your investigation partner—!”

“—She already went off with Yonaga-san,” Rantaro informed her, making note of the duo’s absence.

“What?! Oh… I’m too late. Yet again, she’s been stolen off!”

“Cheer up, Tenko-san, you can partner up with me and Amami-kun,” Tsumugi offered. “I know you don’t get along very well with the boys, but it’s just once and never again, okay?”

“Hmm.” Staring Rantaro’s way, Tenko gave him a quick sizing up before making her decision. “This will be his reward for giving me fruitful advice. I’ll allow him to stay with us, but he’d better not think it’s an invitation to try anything on myself or Tsumugi-san!”

“I’m way more concerned with not dying than anything else,” Rantaro clarified. “My hands won’t be going anywhere except the evidence.”

“They’d better not be, Mister…”

“Wow! To think I’m solving a murder with help from a robot girl!” Tsumugi drooled. “Way better than any of Dr. Gero’s creations combined! Minus Androids 17 and 18, of course, they’re still top-tier.”

“Uh-huh?” Tenko wondered, not sure what she was talking about. “There isn’t any need to compare me to others you might have seen on TV. I’m the real deal, but those are fictional and may not be portrayed too accurately!”

“I still have the right to gush, don’t I? This has to be the longest we’ve talked to each other, so I’m making the best of it!”

Tenko smiled to herself, giddy following Tsumugi and Rantaro out. “Oh, you must say that to lots of prettier girls, I’m sure…”

“Well, that just leaves us,” Kaede noted. “You ready, Shuichi?”

“Sure am,” Shuichi answered. “Where should we start first?”

“ _We_ are going to start with the scene of the crime,” Korekiyo declared, taking Shuichi’s hand and separating him from Kaede. “You, on the other hand, are still well under my radar and shouldn’t be leading this investigation.”

“Here we go with this shit again…” Kaede groaned. “So, because you don’t trust me, I can’t work with someone that does? Where’s the sense in that?”

“Because Saihara-kun needs a partner that can be relied on, which until you give me a reason to think otherwise, isn’t you right now.”

“You’re not even giving her a chance to,” Shuichi growled. “If Akamatsu-san wants to work with me, then she’s more than free to and you’ve got no business saying she can’t.”

“Are you prepared to argue with me on this? Those are abilities that are better in the trial.”

“If he’s gonna be a baby about this, then I’ll work with someone else,” Kaede said reluctantly. “I’ll make my points after this case is solved, anyway.”

“But, Akamatsu-san!” Shuichi pleaded.

“Hey, don’t worry, man,” Kaito insisted, pulling Kaede close using one arm. “We’ve already been doing plenty together, so I don’t mind taking your place for now while you work with Shinguuji. Kaede here’s gonna be my trusty sidekick!”

“Sidekick says who? We’re equal partners here, and I’m not accepting any less!” Kaede objected.

“Whoa, no one said you were beneath me or anything. You’re just on the receiving end of my moral support whenever you get stumped during trouble striking, and I’m taking up most of the responsibility mantle as I should be! That’s the very definition of a sidekick! You’re still mega important to me as a hero!”

“Thanks, but that still doesn’t entirely get rid of the 'one-sided effort' implication. We put our heads together and work together as well as we’ve already been doing, not one being more important than the other. Got that, Mister?”

“Yes, ma’am. ...Can we check out here for another few minutes? I don’t feel right leaving Maki behind forever yet.”

Kaede looked at Maki’s body as somberly as Kaito did. “Neither do I. We’ve had some major disagreements before, but even she didn’t deserve this.”

“Take all the time you two need,” Korekiyo said, carefully shutting Maki’s eyes with one hand before putting on some gloves to start investigating her nostrils, mouth and throat using a flashlight. “But, don’t forget to do your share, either.”

“We won’t…”

“Death from an accidental overdose that caused excessive hemorrhaging… that doesn’t tell me much since plenty of drugs result in bleeding if taken in large amounts. And, overdosing doesn’t usually result in this much blood lost.”

“Maybe it was a specific drug that causes blood loss?” Shuichi guessed, spotting the red water bottle by the bed. “Look what I found. It’s… water. Just plain water.”

“Is it? Let me see, please.” Korekiyo accepted the bottle, twisting it open and sniffing it. “Hmm… Saihara-kun, could you get me some sort of rag? Or perhaps a towel?”

“Got it.” A quick trip to the bathroom gave Shuichi an unused washcloth, which he handed off to Korekiyo. “Did you find something funky about the water? Assuming it is that?”

“No, you’re right on it being water, but it’s not just that.” Wrapping the cloth around his finger, Kiyo poured a small portion onto it and watched it get absorbed. The wet stain wasn’t entirely clear, more of a mildly rusty tint. “Just as I suspected. We’ve just found our murder weapon.”

“That’s the murder weapon?!”

“Yes. Harukawa-san’s throat isn’t entirely dry, nor is this bottle completely filled. Which means, she drank from this and soon became an unwitting poisoning victim. My guess on the substance the killer tainted her water with is still a drug, but one that had to have been crushed into a powder and dissolved so she’d be none the wiser.”

“But, wouldn’t she have noticed? It’s a little hard to notice something up with your water since the bottle’s red, but Maki isn’t someone that lets you touch her things too easily. How did the culprit get anywhere near this?”

“That, I have yet to figure out, but we will very soon.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Poisoned Water Bottle**



“Hey, we’re all set here, so you guys can finish investigating the room,” Kaito noted. “My new sidekick and I will be looking at other places to see if the culprit went anywhere else!”

“And he’s still calling me his sidekick…” Kaede grumbled. “Let us know if something else big comes up here.”

Before following Kaede out of the room, Kaito went over to Maki’s body and untied her cloak, pulling it out from underneath and somberly draping it until it covered her entire form. “...Later, Harumaki. We’re not resting until you’ve gotten justice, mark every word of mine on that! This one’s not getting off so easily from me!”

“I’m sure she’d be happy to hear that,” Shuichi said, giving Kaito a sullen smile and sending him away. He looked at the red coffee table, picking up a little beige teddy bear… with a knife stuck inside its gut. Tapping it made him relieved to see it was only a plastic one, though looking underneath it lassoed his worries back. “Uh-oh.”

“What did you find?” Korekiyo asked, approaching Shuichi and growing annoyed when he hid the bear behind him. “Don’t refuse me any evidence, now let me see it.”

“It might not be important.”

“All evidence is crucial, no matter how small. Hand it over.” Without waiting, Kiyo stole the bear out of Shuichi’s possession, examining it using a magnifying glass. “Odd bear, but I’ve definitely seen stranger ones around this school. ...Wait a minute, what’s this?”

“Don’t get the wrong idea! You’ll just use it as an excuse to get more mad, I’m sure.”

“And with a very good reason.” Korekiyo showed Shuichi the lilac stitching under the bear’s rump reading “Kaede” and nothing else. “I’ll try not to jump to conclusions, but suffice to say, someone isn’t looking too innocent.”

“She never is in your eyes. One mistake and suddenly she’s not the girl who tried her best to help us anymore. Just a criminal.” Shuichi snatched the bear back from Kiyo, putting it down angrily. “Until you have all the proof you need, I don’t wanna hear you accusing someone I really look up to. I’m completely sick of it and your bad attitude.”

“Then, shall we get going? I didn’t find anything else in this room.”

“Let’s. I wanna be done with this.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Teddy Bear With Knife**



Shuichi wouldn’t say a word to Korekiyo on their way out of the Dormitory, instead choosing to go inside the Academy’s building and continue his half of the investigation to get a moment’s peace from him. Before he was to join him, the detective took the time to get some information out of Kaede, who was doing a short search outside with Kaito for any lingering evidence. While she was by herself for a bit, Korekiyo tapped her on the shoulder, showing no reaction to the dry leer she threw at him.

“What? Here to accuse me of murder?” Kaede hissed.

“Only if you did it,” Korekiyo answered. “And given I found something that makes you even more suspicious to me, I suggest you give me a solid alibi.” Kaede offered her wrists, her glare not letting up. “...What are you doing?”

“Saving you the trouble since the one thing you haven’t done is cuff me.”

“Very funny.” Kiyo moved her hands away. “Just tell me what you were doing before and after the concert since we were all there and share an alibi during that time.”

“If I tell you, are you sure you won’t just call me a liar?”

“Telling me is better than not because that would make you an even likelier suspect. Now, what’s it going to be?”

Kaede rolled her eyes. “Before the concert, Kaito and I were in his Lab doing workout exercises. Well, it was more like me doing them while he ‘coached’ me, but I pulled him out here to do some laps around the school.”

“Okay… how long before the concert was this?”

“A little over an hour. Also, while Kaito ran laps, I ran into Ouma-kun and chased him around because he took the whistle I’d been using and wouldn’t give it back.”

“Did you see him doing anything else prior to that?”

“Well… probably? I caught him leaving the Dormitory, but he wouldn’t say what he was doing. Not that I really expected otherwise.”

 _‘So, Ouma-kun left the Dormitory alone… I’m definitely looking into that one.’_ Kiyo finished writing everything down in his notes. “Do you have any other information I should know about?”

“No, that’s it and what really happened. Oh, wait! Shirogane-san had just left the pool when Kaito and I came into the courtyard.”

“Alright, excellent. And what about after the concert?”

“Maki said she wasn’t feeling too good and didn’t wanna bother with the autograph session, so Kaito and I walked her back to her room to sleep it off before we went ourselves.” Kaede frowned. “If only we’d noticed it wasn’t just her feeling woozy and let it be, then…”

“Akamatsu-san, anyone could have made the mistake. Nobody would have been able to guess what the real issue was in this circumstance. Well, except for one person.”

Kaede glared at him, hands on her hips. “You’d better not be implying what I think you are.”

“Oh, I never said a word. All I will say is that the truth _will_ come to light at the upcoming class trial. So, if there’s nothing to hide, then you shouldn’t have any reason for worrying about the results.”

“Don’t you have the rest of the case to solve or something?”

“Yes, and frankly, so do you. Good day, ma’am.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Kaede’s Testimony**



Going after Shuichi inside, Korekiyo found him talking with Rantaro, Tenko, and Tsumugi just outside the dining hall. Approaching carefully, he listened in to see what was being exchanged and waited for his moment to speak up in the event of anything being missed. What he could pick up on from the four talking sounded crucial, quickly scribbling it down so as not to lose it anytime later. In the midst of doing so, he felt something poke his back, a loud yelp from him startling the group he was observing into going inside to his disdain.

“Who did that? I just lost my lead!” Korekiyo demanded, turning and seeing Ouma hiding his hand behind his back and calming down. “Oh, it’s you. Could you please refrain from sneaking up on me next time?”

“Nope!” Ouma laughed. “I’d be mad to pass up a reaction like that just now.”

“This is no time for games, we’re in the middle of an investigation. Where’s Iidabashi-kun, by the way?”

“Dunno, don’t care, he’ll live. I’m more interested in finding you, anyways. You come here often stalking people like a creepo, big boy~?” Ouma batted his eyelashes, but Kiyo was less than amused.

“I was gathering important intel until you made me scare them off. But, since we’re speaking, did you find any evidence yourself?”

“Probably not, but I did make this all by myself!” Ouma shoved a folded piece of paper down Korekiyo’s coat, the detective digging it out and unfolding it.

“What on Earth is this?” Kiyo looked it over, discovering a list of everyone’s names matched to the motive items and whose room they were initially found in written in parentheses. The one pertaining to him made him pale secretly, but he refused to let that leave his mind and pardoned it. “All of these are— how did you get this information?”

“I have my ways. You can thank me later, if you want.”

“Now would be much better. Thank you, Ouma-kun, it’s very helpful of you to show me this rather than keep it to yourself.”

“Hey, I don’t want it, so I figured you would. You’re the only other person here that actually knows how to get things done the right way. Other than me, of course, but that goes without saying.”

“Oh, don’t say that. Everyone is doing their part to help differently than someone else, and certainly beats no help at all.”

“Maybe so, but they’d know taking things on my way would actually get results if the useless creatures on this planet had at least two brain cells.” Ouma shrugged. “But, hey! Can’t tell them that, remember? I’m a pretty little liar that’s not to be trusted.”

“You aren’t being forced to stay that way, you know. People would trust you more if you were less spiteful and gave others chances.”

“And why would I do that? It won’t stop the murders.”

“Ouma-kun. Such a paranoid mindset won’t do you any better than the rest of us. Nobody can tackle everything alone, and there will come a time where trusting people could really help you. Perhaps save you.”

“Ha! I’d hate to live in a world where that’s true!” Ouma saw the disquieted look on Kiyo’s face, sighing. “Don’t break your back over me. I’m doing fine now and will keep it that way. That’s a guarantee.”

“Then I guess I don’t have a choice but to leave you alone on this right now, don’t I?”

“Right! Smart as always, Kiyo-chan! Climbing that evaluation ladder like a caffeinated monkey!”

“Almost like the one I’m talking to right now…”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **White Elephant Exchange List**



“Ouma-kun! Where are you? Please don’t go off by yourself!” Kiibo’s voice called from a distance.

“Ugh,” Ouma groaned. “Nag, nag, nag, that’s all he does! What’s his beef with me?”

“Being concerned for your well-being?” Korekiyo suggested.

“Now’s not the time to be cute, Detective. It’s the time for investigating a murder. You’re good at that, aren’t ya?”

“I’ve grown accustomed… oh, wait! Before you go, could you please tell me what you were doing prior to the concert? Besides acquiring this list and harassing Akamatsu-san, apparently?”

“What? Oh, yeah, I was eating with Ran-chan a little after 5:30 until 6:00. It wasn't a long get-together, I know, but he struck me a deal involving some of his carbonara and making me new toys if I went with him for a bit. And I wasn’t harassing Akamatsu-chan! We were playing tag!”

 _‘Definitely a lie if it involved stealing her whistle.’_ Kiyo wrote it down. “Thank you, Ouma-kun. Your help will not go unappreciated today.”

“Nishishi! Anything for a pretty face like yours.” To Ouma’s further amusement, Korekiyo scoffed and turned to follow Shuichi inside the dining hall grumbling under his breath from the compliment. “Keep it in your trousers, Kiiboi! I’m right over here!”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Kiibo sighed, relieved as he met Ouma at the halfway point and left with him to another area. “Don’t run off like that again. We’re supposed to be partners and I’d hate to lose you.”

“Not possible. I’m unloseable!”

“That’s… not a word, I don’t think.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * ****Ouma’s Testimony****



* * *

“So, you didn’t see anyone come by here before the concert?” Shuichi asked Rantaro in the dining hall. “Are you positive?”

“Absolutely,” Rantaro answered. “I had lunch with Ouma-kun for half an hour, then he left closer to six, but to my knowledge, I didn’t see anyone else.”

“Did you hear anything that might be concerning?”

“That I did. The other entrance leading into here from outside opened and shut, but whoever left did it too fast for me to catch them.”

“So, you didn’t see anyone, but you did hear them?” Tsumugi wondered.

“Exactly what happened. Given the circumstances, it could have been the culprit that was sneaking around, but if that’s true, then why were they here?”

“Going out from the other entrance would allow him to escape without you or Ouma-san noticing,” Tenko speculated. “If he took the main way out, then he would have been caught right away!”

“‘He’—? You know what, don’t clarify,” Shuichi sighed, already knowing Tenko’s reasoning. “I’ll go check the kitchen since that’s closest to that door.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Rantaro's Testimony**



“You seem awfully eager to do this without me,” Korekiyo stated, popping up behind Shuichi and being grabbed to get instinctively flipped over until Rantaro and Tsumugi intervened.

“No, no, no, no, no, Saihara-kun, it’s just him!” they both cried, separating them.

“Oh,” Shuichi panted. “Sorry. What did you find?”

“A few alibis and something else that will come in great handy,” Korekiyo answered. “You?”

“I was just about to check out the kitchen for anything related to the murder. Since you’re gonna follow me either way, you might as well see for yourself.”

“A personal invitation? That’s certainly a first from you.”

“Don’t take it as a good thing. I don’t have a choice to begin with.”

Shuichi and Korekiyo went into the kitchen together, examining anything that could stand out as noteworthy. High and low they looked, digging through drawers for misplaced utensils and waste bins possibly containing tools that’d been disposed of. Their search eventually came to a fruitful conclusion, Shuichi calling Korekiyo over when he’d discovered something poking halfway out of the trash. He pulled it out, revealing an empty blister pack that had been flattened.

“Well, now we know where the drug came from,” Shuichi guessed. “But, now begs the question of what was in here.”

“Turn it over, it should still say what kind it was,” Korekiyo instructed. “That’s the very last step in finding the rest of the murder weapon.”

Shuichi did so, folding the puncture holes together and reading its contents’ original name. “An ‘anticoagulant’? Oh! Blood thinners, of course.”

“Goodness, no wonder Harukawa-san died the way she had. I knew it was no ordinary overdose. She bled so much and so fast while being helpless to stop even a droplet of it from draining her dry. Very gruesome to be taken out in such a way, I must say…”

Shuichi shuddered. “No need to remind me, I got the picture seeing her already. How come we only found one pack? Shouldn’t there be more?”

“They likely didn’t want to leave a trail and only brought enough from the box to kill, most likely stashing the rest somewhere deep within the warehouse they came from.”

“You can find medicine here? I didn’t think Monokuma would actually stock any up from how badly he wants us dead.”

“Indeed. It’s strange, but we’ve plenty of medication among our ample supplies. If there wasn’t, well… I would likely never know an average night’s rest.”

“So, you really do have insomnia?”

“Don’t press on that. My conditions, or lack thereof, are my business alone.”

_‘And yet, you just HAVE to know everyone else’s secrets. Okay, yeah, he is a detective and all, but there’s gotta be a line between investigating and snooping.’_

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Blood Thinner Pills**



“Now, to find what crushed up all those blood thinners.” Korekiyo meticulously examined the pack with a magnifying glass. “Hmm… intriguing. Saihara-kun, is there a rolling pin anywhere in the drawers?”

“How do you figure it’s a rolling pin? The culprit could have just used a cutting board or a pot. Something heavy like those.”

“While that is likely, I can say for certain that’s not what happened. If it were, the pack would be entirely flat, but it isn’t.” Kiyo showed it to Shuichi close enough to see past the surface. “See? The crinkles go forward, much like unbaked dough does underneath a rolling pin when you just get started. Thus, one or something similar had to have been used to crush the pills into easily dissolvable powder.”

“Maybe it was the water bottle? That’s round enough.”

“Not likely. There weren’t any scratches on it that would be left behind from applying that much pressure to the friction of plastic.”

“Alright, then I’ll see if one’s nearby.” Shuichi opened a few drawers, finding a wooden rolling pin inside the one closest to the trash. “Found it, Shinguuji-kun.”

“Excellent work. We now have all the pieces linked to our murder weapon.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Rolling Pin**



Deciding they were done examining the kitchen after finding no other viable evidence, Shuichi and Korekiyo took their leave from the entire dining hall, going upstairs only to the second floor and entering the Ultimate Pianist Lab as another involvement with the case. Looking backstage together were Kirumi and Miu, while the pair handling the main area was Himiko and Angie, currently going through the seats for anything that might have been dropped during the concert or setup. Since it was closest and had more people for a long period of time, the boys started near that same area, approaching the girls to retrieve their answers.

“Hello, boys!” Angie greeted, waving. “Did you want my alibi or Himiko’s? We were all performing in the concert at the same time, so that’s going to be a tad tricky.”

“Yes, but not everyone was together before and afterwards,” Korekiyo stated. “And since you were both at setup, would you mind shedding some light on what you were doing before that, but after the concert?”

“Don’t you remember? We were all at the autograph meet-and-greet,” Himiko reminded him. “Okay, not _all_ of us. Harukawa couldn’t make it because… yeah, but Iruma also ditched. Why is that?”

“She wasn’t feeling well, either. It wasn’t that big of a deal.”

“Maybe not, but I’d have preferred everyone in Sixth Sensation came. Oh well, it’s over now. By the way, why did you come in late last night? Angie I understand because she told me she had to freshen up and tinkle for a little bit, but what about you?”

“I was having a talk with someone in the Dormitory. I won’t disclose details because I’d prefer to maintain another’s privacy, but I did my best to make it after I was finished.”

“Nyeh, were you _just_ talking to someone? Kinda fishy given that’s the place Harukawa was found dead.”

“She wasn’t the one I was having a conversation with, and due to what I just found with Saihara-kun, me being the culprit is highly unlikely. As someone whose job is to catch wrongdoers, becoming one myself would be unforgivable.”

“That doesn’t automatically absolve you of being the perpetrator,” Angie pointed out. “If anything, the Ultimate Detective being the killer would make things all the more shocking because you’re whom everyone expects the least… and yet the most, too.”

“Yeah, the one thing keeping most people from guessing you is your title,” Himiko confessed. “Without that, you’d probably wind up being the primary suspect.”

“Oh, I don’t look that sinister; just a tad eerie because I’m pale and quiet. You’re all exaggerating,” Korekiyo insisted.

“We should still take the absent or late people into account,” Shuichi suggested, counting off his fingers. “That would be Maki, Iruma-san, and surprisingly Tenko-san who didn’t show up, plus yourself and Yonaga-san for being tardy.”

“It’s only fair, Korekiyo. Don’t disqualify yourself just because you’re our class sleuth,” Angie advised.

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Autograph Session Attendance**



“Very well, it’s only fair that I include myself as a suspect,” Korekiyo decided, writing the information down. “Now, back to the other question at hand, Yumeno-san. What were you doing prior to setup?”

“Getting supplies from the warehouse,” Himiko answered. “Around 5, Kirumi and I went together to get things underway. But then, Tenko came along asking if she could help us out, which was really convenient since we needed another pair of hands carrying all that up the stairs.”

“I thought non-cast and crew weren’t allowed inside until showtime?” Shuichi wondered.

“They aren’t. Tenko helped us get supplies, but she couldn’t come in to help us put it all together. If it weren’t for her, it’d have probably taken way longer than 20 minutes to get everything in here.”

“Did you happen to see anyone else in the warehouse with you three?”

“Uhh, no, we didn’t. It is a big room, but no one went in with us, either.”

“Were you doing anything else before you fetched Kirumi?” Korekiyo asked.

“Yeah. Saihara and I went to see Rantaro in his Lab to get the glowsticks he’d made for the concert because Kirumi was busy doing piano lessons with Ouma before 5.”

Kiyo smiled to himself at the thought of her. “And what an exquisite melody she always plays… ahem! Thank you for letting us know this.”

“No problem.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Himiko’s Testimony**



“Toujou-san, how are things going back here?” Shuichi asked after he and Korekiyo went backstage.

“We’re still looking, but I feel as though we’re close,” Kirumi replied. “To think a murderer might have left proof behind inside my own Research Lab, it’s terrifying just imagining it all happen behind someone’s back without realizing so.”

“You’re saying I could’ve been standing next to a killer this whole time?!” Miu whimpered. “Shit man, I just dodged the bullet of a lifetime! I c-could have been next just for some fuckwad’s way out of here and been totally unaware of it until I was rotting away on the ground like a half-eaten deer’s ass!”

“Ladies, let’s settle down, please,” Korekiyo hushed. “Yes, I understand this is all frightening to think about, but it will be even more of a nightmare if we let the killer go free.”

“Discovering their identity won’t be any better,” Kirumi sighed, tearful. “Another one of us killing and having to die themselves. I couldn’t do anything to stop it and I was only fooling myself into believing so.”

“That isn’t true, Kirumi. Doing your best and thinking of us all is far better than nothing. It may not have been foolproof, but that heart of yours was in the right place, and no one holds that against you.” Korekiyo put his hands on Kirumi’s shoulders, holding them delicately. “It takes a lot to try and tame an uneasy crowd, and yet you took on that challenge regardless. Your bravery isn’t a fluke that worsened things; it’s a strength that encouraged you to do… well, something in general.”

“Besides, it’s kinda like what you told me once,” Miu added. “You’re not responsible for anyone else’s happiness, and yours shouldn’t be built around that. Being able to do everything perfectly just ain’t realistic, so try, but like… don’t try. That makes sense, don’t it?”

“I don’t understand,” Kirumi said. “Trying is good, but bad?”

“Trying in general when it seems easy to do nothing is good, but doing it too hard isn’t for yourself or anybody else,” Shuichi guessed. “Everyone has their limits, and even though it sounds nice, you can’t please every last person you meet. Maybe a lot, but not all of them.”

“But, if I don’t, then what good am I as a musician? I can’t subject myself to a booing crowd whenever I sit and play. The point of being a performer is to gauge a positive consensus, otherwise you’re an embarrassment.”

“While you always wanna strive for the best result, some people out there just won’t like or want you and never will,” Miu admitted. “It doesn’t mean you’re horseshit at your job, that’s just someone’s clearly wrong opinion and you can’t change that. Fuck ‘em! No one cares what they think!”

“The thing that matters most in the end is the rest enjoying what you do,” Korekiyo stated. “If you feel you have room for improvement, then by all means do it, but always look to value the majority that knows you have a gift over a minority that will never care for it.”

“You’re still as much of an Ultimate as everyone else,” Shuichi concluded. “If at least a few people are happy with what you do, then you’ve already done plenty right.”

“Guys… I don’t know what to say. I—” Kirumi sniffled, wiping her eyes dry and stopping upon feeling something shift underneath her foot. “What’s this?” She picked it up, recognizing it as one of the leftover flyers for the concert and tapping a large, darkened area. “It’s damp. How did this get wet?”

“Well, you did provide a case of bottled water for anyone to take from in case they got thirsty. Maybe someone had a drink backstage?”

“I told you all to drink those in the main room to avoid making a mess everywhere else. And now look! Someone could have easily slipped and fell, or caused a short circuit if you got water near the electrical equipment, or— anything! I only ask you guys not to get careless in my Lab, and it doesn’t get followed…”

“Spills happen, I could clean that up in a heartbeat,” Miu said. “Besides, the water’s probably all dried up by now.”

“This might not be any accidental spill,” Shuichi conjectured. “Maybe… it got dumped onto the floor on purpose.”

“Well, that just makes things even worse!” Kirumi griped. “Accidents are understandable, but just carelessly throwing water wherever you feel like is just plain inconsiderate.”

“I don’t think their intention was to dirty up other people’s Labs,” Korekiyo said. “With how much a water bottle has been involved, it’s highly possible they were trying to trick the victim into dying.”

“By spilling some water?” Miu inquired. “You’re makin’ less sense than usual.”

“This can be determined by one last thing. Did any of you see a trash can back here?”

“Yes, I have one set up in the back just in case,” Kirumi answered. “Go towards the wall and take a left.”

“Kukukuku… exactly the answer I was hoping to hear.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Wet Concert Flyer**



“Oh, hey! I found something,” Shuichi announced, pulling a red water bottle out of the trash bin. “Wait, didn’t we see one like this in Maki’s room? Why are there two?”

“May I take a look?” Korekiyo requested, being given the bottle and closely examining it. He saw the bottom, tapping the marker writing and showing his assistant. “Ah-ha. See here?”

“It says… ‘Maki’? This belonged to her, but what’s it doing in the trash while the poisoned one’s in her room?”

“Simple. She took a decoy believing it to be the right one, but she neglected to look underneath. It also explains the water spill on the floor since this bottle isn’t entirely full.”

“Because this one already had a few sips taken out of it! And to avoid her catching on, the culprit took care of that with the murder weapon.”

“Elementary. You’re really getting the hang of this, Saihara-kun. I’m rather proud of you.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Maki’s Water Bottle**



“Shuichi, Shinguuji, you in here?” Kaito called from the Lab’s main area. “Did you guys find out who the culprit is yet? ‘Cause I’ve got some great intel you both could use!”

“You do? Let’s hear it,” Shuichi answered, stepping down from the stage and meeting his friend.

“Okay, so! Kaede already let Shinguuji know we were the last ones with Maki after the concert, but there’s something else with that. It’s got to do with what happened on our way to seeing her this morning.”

“Go on.”

“Well, when I picked up my sidekick-in-denial on my way to see if Maki was feeling better from last night, there was someone else we bumped into upstairs, and that was Tenko.”

“You saw Tenko? What was she doing there?”

“Nothing at first. She said last night, she got turned off until after the morning announcement. Something about someone else pressing her e-stop button behind her back, so she has no clue who did it, but I’m guessing it’s the same jackass we’re looking for! Coward did it to cover their tracks and not get busted!”

“Do you know what time she got shut off last night?”

“Well, no, she didn’t give us one. But, since she wasn’t there when we dropped Maki off a few minutes after 8 and missed the autographs thing, I’d guess… between around then and 8:30 since everyone long settled into the greet by then? I didn’t see her go into the Dormitory when we all hit the hay, either, so she’d probably already been inside.”

“It definitely had to have been the culprit that did that. And if they turn out of be a guy, I’m not looking forward to seeing Tenko-san’s reaction at the trial.”

“That makes one of you because that’s exactly what a bad guy deserves! Whoever thought it’d be smart to kill Maki had better count every blessing they’ve got if I don’t get my hands on ‘em!”

“You know you won’t have to since as soon as we expose them, Monokuma’s gonna… yeah. Question is, what are you gonna do then? It’s not fair for any of us to go down like this. Remember Hoshi-kun?”

“Don’t remind me. Whoever did it this time better have the excuse of a lifetime for me to even consider getting off their back! Otherwise, nuh-uh! No! Screw whatever sympathy I could possibly have for them!”

“While I don’t completely blame you, you have to remember the reason any of this is happening. No, killing Maki isn’t excusable, but when you boil it all down, there’s someone even more to blame than the culprit.”

“I know. I hate him more than anyone else I’ve ever met, but the killer ain’t totally innocent, either. Accidental like Hoshi or not, one of my friends is dead because of them, so I’m sticking to my guns on this no matter what they have to tell me.”

“You’re really dead set? No changing your mind on anything to do with this?”

Kaito’s eyes flared up, burning angrily with flames. “Fat chance! Before was already bad, but when you make things personal with me, it’s on!”

_‘Forget what I said before. NOW I’d hate to be in the culprit’s shoes.’_

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Tenko Getting Shut Off**



_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“Time’s up, you slowpoke bastards!” Monokuma announced on the monitor. “You should all know the drill at this point, but if you don’t, head on over to the Shrine of Judgement for another fun-packed, side-splitting class trial! See you in a little, and don’t be late!”

“Well, that’s it,” Shuichi noted. “Ready to go?”

“I’m not waiting,” Kaito growled, storming off without Shuichi.

“My, he certainly seems prepared,” Korekiyo said. “Don’t stray too far behind now, Saihara-kun. You’ll be the one leading the trial, after all.”

“Me? Why me?!” Shuichi rasped.

“Because you were my investigation partner, and thus the one who spotted all the key points to this murder.”

“And you can’t just tell me who those key points lead to best because…?”

“Same reason as before. You’re old enough to use deduction and put everything where it should be with a few hints from me. Good luck.”

“I’m definitely gonna need it.” Shuichi left as well, spotting Kaede out in the hallway by herself. “Kaito leave you behind, too?”

“Yep,” Kaede said. “I get why, but I’m not really looking forward to seeing anyone else get executed, even if they did kill Maki.”

“Neither am I, but it’s either we vote for the right person, or we take the punishment instead, and that’s not an option.”

“I don’t need you to tell me that, but I’d rather not do either. Not that we have a choice in the matter, but this can’t keep going on until there’s almost none of us left.”

“We’ll put an end to this. We weren’t so lucky this time, but the killing game isn’t gonna go on for what’s literally the rest of our lives.”

“Don’t say it like that. That only makes it sound like we’re next.”

“Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to have it come out that way. What I mean is! This has to be tackled from a faster, but more careful angle the next time we get the chance. Problem is, I’m not sure what we’ll have to do.”

“There’s not much time to think of that right now. It’s better to focus on getting out of this trial alive.”

“You’re right. Akamatsu-san, let’s do this.” Shuichi and Kaede headed down the stairs and out the main entrance, traveling across the courtyard to the Shrine of Judgement with everyone else arriving at that time.

* * *

Everyone left alive gathered in the Shrine of Judgement, waiting on the muscular Monokuma statue holding the giant chalice to permit access to the trial room. As they all stood in the same spot, a good handful were eyeing others warily, likely accusing them of being the one behind the murder. Others spent their time quivering and fretting, far too anxious to look at anybody else and dreading losing another classmate. Some still talked amongst themselves in hopes of settling their shaken nerves, Kaito meeting back up with Shuichi and Kaede when he noticed them and appearing somewhat calmer than he had earlier in the main building.

“Hey, sorry for ditching you guys before,” Kaito apologized. “I got a little too impatient to get this trial over and done with. Dunno why, considering it can’t bring anyone back from the dead. Actually, it just adds more to it.”

“That’s okay, Kaito, we know how much this is on you,” Shuichi said. “None of these class trials are really a cakewalk for anyone, but it’s worse when it’s for somebody you were close to.”

“Funny, it’s nothing but a cakewalk for him.” Kaito bitterly turned to Ouma, who was sitting on the fountain edge without a care for anything going on. “The guy treats these like a trip to the movies and can’t wait to see us all die! It makes me so sick seeing people like that!”

“We don’t have to think about him right now. Ouma-kun’s got his own business that we don’t know of, but touching on it isn’t a good idea right now.”

“Shuichi has a point,” Kaede agreed. “All of our focus needs to go into the rest of this mystery and the road ahead! Which means, you have to have a thicker skin than you do right now.”

“By ignoring someone’s crap behavior while they’re free to make things even more unbearable for the rest of us? No way! Something needs to be done one way or another!”

“Kaito. Ouma-kun’s one person that people already pay little attention to while rightfully worrying about something that can actually hurt us. Why can’t you?”

“Because the last time I tried doing that, my shirt got ruined. You can try every trick in the book on that kid and nothing will work!”

“So? It beats wearing yourself out putting up with someone that’s always gonna go out of his way to annoy you,” Shuichi fought. “That won’t get you anywhere, and you’ll wind up forgetting to deal with the more important things.”

“Like getting out of here safely,” Kaede further reminded. “Which would you rather focus on in the long run?”

“...I don’t want anyone else going through this,” Kaito muttered. “Dying too soon before you’ve even lived out half your life just because someone else thinks they have the right to put an end to it.” He punched both fists together, now revved up more. “Real heroes don’t sit nice and let more lives go down the drain! This has to stop, and it’s gotta stop now!”

“Damn right, it’s gotta! You get that head of yours in the game and keep it there from here on out!”

“My head’s never left! For the right results in life, I’ll be putting my mind, body, and spirit into all of it! Nothing’s getting away from me, even if it seems impossible! I’m gonna reach out and touch it with my own two hands!”

Kaede hesitated. “Well, I wouldn’t say you’ll be able to get every last thing. But, getting lots works fine, too!”

“No, Kaede, that’d be holding back everything I’ve got, and I won’t do that! Didn’t you say I have to put my best foot forward?”

“Well, I didn’t say not to, either, but there’s bound to be a limit to what you can accomplish. It’s not a big one, but it’s still there.”

“Only if you let it be! I’m pushing past that and proving otherwise! The impossible is possible so long as that’s what your heart’s chanting!”

“There’s not much someone can tell you, is there?”

“No, no there isn’t,” Shuichi answered. “As soon as he’s set on something, that’s how it’s staying. I’ve got a hard time telling if that’s admirable, or just really daring.”

“Yes.”

“Anyways, let’s make this statue thing move,” Kaito ordered. “How did it work the first time?”

“It might have just done it by itself,” Shuichi stated. “None of us really touched it last time.”

As if deliberately timed, the Monokuma statue rumbled to the tolling bells along with the shrine, crushing its goblet into pieces and welcoming the trial room’s passageway during its sinking into the water. The falls separated so no one would get drenched, allowing for everybody to cross the stone bridge and board the elevator. When thirteen were on, the doors closed and allowed the whole contraption to descend to the final resting place of a killer hiding among the spotless.

“With this again…” Himiko quivered, legs like jelly. “I dunno how ready I am to face another execution if it’s anything like the last one.”

“Atua understands your fear, but He beckons you to know everything will be okay for those that are deserving,” Angie comforted, hugging Himiko close to her chest and petting her hair. “That includes you, my dear Himiko. Atua adores you and will stop at nothing to give you guidance when you’re in need of it most, even if you aren’t able to see Him.”

“He’s really that dead set on it, is he? I feel… really warm. Is this Him, Angie?”

“Yes! Agape is one of the world’s four main loves. The love of God, and the love towards Him, too.”

“Nyeh, what does Atua look like, by the way? In His rawest form, I mean. I know He can shapeshift for other people and whatnot.”

“To look upon the divine in their raw form would cause you to spontaneously combust, I’m afraid. But, universally, He is very, very handsome.”

“Like a bodybuilder? I could get behind that, in that case.”

“Hold on there, Himiko-chan! Don’t get too carried away,” Tenko warned. “There’s no one source to seek comfort in the world, even if it is from some invisible God. You can devote yourself to lots of things, whatever you’d like!”

“Oh, absolutely,” Angie agreed. “Humanity is all about living life in a plethora of ways and loving many you encounter, but it is still Atua’s wish for His mortal children all the more. Would you dissuade poor Himiko from life, Tenko?”

Tenko glared at her. “No, that’s not what I mean. What I’m saying is everyone should be allowed to live life to the fullest in a way they see it fit, and not just because they were told to use a certain method.”

“But, whether you’re aware of it or not, it’s still written the way the divine see the most fit. None of it takes away from the individuality of all mankind, but it still fits into His plan like a shining glass slipper.”

“Don’t put such ideas in her mind! You’ll corrupt her…!”

“Girls, girls, you’re both pretty,” Himiko interrupted. “All this fighting is giving me a migraine, so, uhh… don’t do it. Okay?”

“It won’t happen again,” Angie vowed, giving Tenko an almost smug look. “Right?”

“...Yes. I’m sorry,” Tenko growled, holding Himiko close to soothe any discomfort she might encounter without letting up on the scowl she was giving Angie. “That’s the end of it.”

The elevator finally clicked into place on solid ground, releasing the Ultimates into the trial room from its open door. Sixteen podiums remained present, but of them, only thirteen were occupied by living people. Much like Gonta’s, Hoshi’s former stand was replaced by a sign depicting a grayed out portrait of his mug with red chains on it making an “X” and a black ribbon on top of it. Maki received the same treatment, only hers had a scarlet infinity symbol widened to emphasize the cross-out hidden inside of it.

“Come one, come all! Come to the Ultimate Academy’s second class trial!” Monokuma whooped from his throne, the four Monokubs in their positions with Monokid’s postmortem blue ribbon portrait seated at the very end. “I was so scared none of you would make this happen, but color me stoked! You can be counted on after all! Bravo, everyone, bravo!”

“THIS-CLASS-TRIAL-WILL-BE-VERY-PEACEFUL,” Monodam said. “WITHOUT-ANY-RABBLE-ROUSERS-LEFT-MAKING-IT-DIFFICULT.”

“Boy, you can say that again!” Monotaro laughed. “It’s so peaceful without Monokid alive running his mouth!”

“It’s pure music to my ears!” Monophanie sighed contently. “You made the right choice getting rid of him last time, Monodam.”

“Don’t go praisin’ him too soon,” Monosuke warned. “Four’s an unlucky number for a good reason.”

“How come you’re not afraid? Last time—”

“—Last time, schmast time! This is everyone’s second chance, and how!” Monosuke glanced at his siblings maliciously, particularly Monodam. “I’ll guarantee it.”

“WHAT. ARE-YOU-SAYING, BROTHER?” Monodam gulped, getting no response.

“Enough on that, save it for after the show, cutie pies!” Monokuma told his children. “Because right now, it’s a 13-way battle of life or death! Do or die, and someone will this morning! Upupupupu! What are we waiting for?! Let’s get this hullabaloo on the road already!”

Second trial, second death, and eventually, second execution. From his podium, Shuichi felt all focus on him even if no one’s eyes were save for Kaede and Korekiyo’s hoping he does well to take charge. Another test of everybody’s abilities to solve a tragedy, but it was now up to him to steer them all in the right direction, all lives but one the bargaining chip again. Someone was responsible for a gruesome, sudden murder and pretending they’d had no part of it, and the evidence he’d gathered was the key to bringing that person’s identity to light and putting a stop to their thoughtless ruse for good.

They were _not_ getting away with this.

_Class Trial: In Session!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really hoping I didn't make the culprit too obvious with the evidence. Of course, I'll be the judge of it based on the guesses you guys form throughout the trial (I've already gotten some last chapter, actually!) and you won't know it because... well, spoilers. Duh. Let's just see what conclusions you guys come to; they're usually pretty good!
> 
> See you all after the second trial officially kicks off! Thanks for reading this time, and stay safe and cool in this heat and trying times. Love you guys lots! ♥


	19. Episode XVIII: Class Trial 2.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after Himiko and Kirumi's initially successful idol concert, Maki is revealed to have died in her own bedroom. Since Kaede has yet to be deemed trustworthy again, Shuichi must take up her old mantle and get everyone through another trial safely. The question is, can he do it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyy, guess whose head stopped hurting writing this bc I finally got the idea to write down a layout of the whole trial in Keep? Meeee... =w="
> 
> That aside, I feel more confident in getting the trial done smoother. Granted, I should have done that last time, but oh well. It's all in the past. I also got a L O T of guesses and speculation for the culprit last chapter and Jesus, guys. Slow down, okay? By all means, thanks for being this into the story, but I can only read so much with my simple mind. Also, try not to look too deeply into it. For most things in life, it's never a good idea to go to the extreme end for anything because you overlook lots. That's all I'll say though, keep on guessing!
> 
> Hopefully, this part of the trial clears up some suspicion and updates your theories a tad since there's more evidence on the table and whatnot. I'll just get right to it, and I hope you guys have a great time reading! ^w^

“You all know how the class trials work at this point, don’t ya? I don’t have to do an annoying recap?” Monokuma tested. “Good. That means I can kick back, relax, and answer the smaller questions if you guys have any.”

“I have one, actually,” Korekiyo spoke up first. “Since the one being punished is who’s responsible for killing someone else, what if this were a suicide?”

“Ugh, then that’d just take the fun out of everything I’ve ever worked for! ...But, to answer your question, if one of you is your own killer, then I can’t really send anyone else to their death because they’re not a murderer.”

“Does that mean no vote would ensue?”

“Oh no, one would! We’d just vote for the victim because they thought it’d be funny to play both roles at the same time! Buuut, if someone else had a part in it, I suppose I could spare some votes for them.”

“What just happened to ‘I can’t kill anyone that’s not a murderer’?” Kirumi wondered.

“Slow down, sister! I never said they’d be getting got, just exposed as having a part of it. No, the graduation rule only applies to _killers_ who aren’t caught. Not accomplices, not witnesses, not the creepy old lady next door with the house full of cats! Killers.”

“Does this mean Maki’s death was a suicide?” Angie gasped. “How awful! To throw away something as precious as a life well-given is no less tragic, but just as much of a shame to do.”

“She would never!” Kaito roared. “The girl may have had her troubles, but she wouldn’t resort to doing anything that crazy!”

“I’m sorry, how long have you known her?” Ouma retorted. “Like a few weeks? Yeah, thought so.”

“Everyone, please, that was not the implication I was trying to make,” Korekiyo said. “I assure you, Harukawa-san was very much murdered, but there’s no harm in asking questions to get my facts right.”

“And you do that by asking about suicide,” Kaito sighed. “Can you stop giving people the creeps for just one day, dude? I’m not asking for much from that.”

“My words are harmless. You’re the one becoming unsettled over trivial things.”

“Poor Momota-chan’s already forgotten another one’s bit the dust,” Ouma pretended to bemoan. “That sure was fast!”

“No. I’ll never forget,” Kaito said, awfully stoic. “Not for as long as I live. We’re all here today to stop her name from getting tossed away while her killer goes free.”

“How romantic!” Tsumugi beamed. “The self-proclaimed champion swears himself to the sweet-and-sour girl who’s been killed before his eyes! I never thought I’d see it past the TV screen!”

“I’m not sure if ‘sweet’ is the right word to use for her,” Himiko disagreed. “But, this is common in a lot of anime… and movies for kids. Still a classic, but I’ve been there and done that.”

“What are you two talking about?” Kaito wondered. “This isn’t some anime, it’s actually happening! Focus, people, focus!”

“To be fair, a lot of what you see in fiction has a basis in the real world,” Angie supported. “Himiko and Tsumugi aren’t exaggerating too much.”

“Yeah, but maybe this should be done when we’re not about to possibly die,” Shuichi insisted. “It’ll be way safer by then.”

“Someone can’t appreciate classical romance, can they?” Tsumugi scoffed. “Fine, have it your way. I don’t wanna be here long, either.”

“Are you guys ready to start, then?”

“Where do we?!” Miu badgered. “Everyone was in the same place at the same time around the murder! Kirumi and Yumeno made sure of that!”

“Yeah, clearly not well enough,” Ouma snickered, receiving a slap on his head from Tenko. “Ouch! I’m calling assault!”

“Behave!” Tenko scolded. “I won’t be putting up with any lip from you today after all the comments you have a history of making.”

“How about we go around that?” Shuichi suggested. “Yeah, we were all in Kirumi’s Lab for the concert, but just for that little bit. Something’s bound to come up outside of that.”

“The murder took place after the concert, though,” Angie said. “Should we not look into that?”

“You wouldn’t wanna miss any important details. We need to look into what led up to the murder, too,” Rantaro noted.

“And, like Iruma-san said, it’d be tough picking out who stands out the most from a point where we were all together,” Kaede reminded. “Every little point counts, before or after.”

“Then let’s pick one and go off it,” Himiko decided. “Preferably something easy.”

 _‘Nothing about this case is easy, but we can at least go with the bare facts first,’_ Shuichi thought. _‘Some of us really haven’t decided where that point is, but I’ll find one!’ Let’s do this!_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Himiko’s Testimony >**

**|| Monokuma File # 2 >**

**|| Blood Thinner Pills >**

**|| Autograph Session Attendance >**

**|| Poisoned Water Bottle >**

“Everyone was doing relatively well during the concert, but I don’t know what happened **afterwards** ,” Kirumi brought up. “The rug was pulled out from underneath everyone.”

“Should we have had it happen sooner?” Himiko wondered. “That’d give the culprit **less time to act** if we had.”

“For want of a nail, the shoe was lost,” Korekiyo said. “Don’t dwell on what might have happened because there’s nothing to be done on it.”

“Then let’s focus on what did happen!” Kaito encouraged them. “Harumaki definitely died **after the concert**! Right after she’d just been singing and dancing as alive as ever…”

“While that’s true, how could she suddenly **bleed out** when she was fine one moment, and dead the next?” Angie wondered. “Unless it was inflicted upon directly…”

“But, her bleeding was **coming from the inside** ,” Kiibo reminded her. “There’s not much that can cause that much in lethal amounts.”

“Wasn’t she the Ultimate Magician?” Miu asked. “I’m sure that skank had to have all sorts of **poison brews and doodads** on her, and the culprit used it against her!”

“Don’t call her a skank! Have some respect for the dead!” Kaito roared.

“Heeee! S-Sorry, Master Momota, it just slipped out! That’s not an excuse, but…!”

 _‘Wait. What did Iruma-san just say?’_ Shuichi wondered internally. _‘Something wasn’t right, and I know how to clear that up!’_

Shuichi reviewed the debate, picking out Miu’s statement on Maki’s alleged “ **poison brews and doodads** ” being behind her murder.

**|| Blood Thinner Pills >**

“That’s wrong!”

_Break!_

* * *

“Maki didn’t die because the culprit had her drink anything she made herself,” he continued to correct. “The so-called poison used was actually **too many blood thinners** for being safe to swallow.”

“Sheesh, just blood thinners?” Miu gagged. “It’s one thing to want lots of drugs, but that’s one of them you shouldn’t go crazy with! Or else this happens. Less of a high and more of a hospital trip.”

“A little too late for the second, Iruma-san,” Rantaro stated.

“I know, dingus! I don’t need you to tell me that.”

“There’s a medicine that thins out your blood?” Tenko wondered. “Why would humans make such a thing if it ends in a person dying?! That’s horrifying!”

“Actually, Tenko-san, blood thinners don’t ‘thin’ out your blood,” Kiibo corrected. “Referred to as anticoagulants, they’re meant to prevent newer or bigger clots from forming and gunking up your body, which would cause serious issues for those with certain heart conditions. Think of them as medicine that lets your blood flow more freely.”

“Oh! Like plumbing, but in your bloodstream instead! That part makes sense, but why did Maki-san bleed out if there weren’t any cuts made?”

“Well, that’s the thing. Since blood thinners are meant to stop new clots, that leaves nothing to stop the flow. And because Harukawa-san ingested an excess, nothing is preventing her blood from going out of control, thus increasing the risk of lethal hemorrhaging.”

“Essentially, she bled to death and nothing in her could hold it back,” Korekiyo added.

“It may not have been a typical poison, but anything turns into one when given in high enough amounts,” Shuichi stated.

“Medicine’s tricky, even with a given prescription,” Kaito concurred. “It can either cure you, or make you worse. And that’s pardoning the taste.”

“You sure seem to know a lot about medication,” Ouma brought up. “Is Nurse Retching over here hiding something the rest of us should know about?”

“What? No! What would I be hiding that’s important?!”

“Given your reaction just now, definitely something big. Big and shameful.”

“I’m not hiding anything! You’re just trying to get a rise outta me, and it’s not working this time!”

“Oh, please, a crying baby could get a rise out of you. It’s not that hard.” Ouma turned more sinister, looking right at Kaito. “But, you still can’t cover up how you all but confirmed you’ve got a deep dark secret inside you that you’re ashamed of. What is it, I wonder~?”

“Th— There’s nothing! Cut that out already before I come over there!”

“And resorting to more threats against me. Yup! Definitely hiding something now!”

“Ouma-kun, drop it and leave him alone,” Kaede chided. “If it’s got nothing to do with the case, then it’s not worth discussing. Now, you’re just prying into personal business, and that’s not right for you to do.”

“Maybe it does have to do with the case. After all, secretly having that much knowledge on medicine could point to him being… the killer!”

“What?!” Tsumugi gasped. “Momota-kun is the culprit?!”

“No! I’m not! I’m the one trying to help find Maki’s killer in the first place!” Kaito objected. “Why would I for any reason be who I’m looking for?!”

“Easy, it’s called lying,” Ouma scoffed.

“Oh, you mean the thing you’re known best to do? I’m nothing compared to you, and I never will be!”

“Right, right, so… you’re telling me right to my face that you’ve _never_ told a lie before in your life? Never ever? ...Well, if that’s so, then at least I know how to do it right, because that’s a load of cow patty I just heard.”

“I still don’t do it as much as you do. Who’s got more credibility here?”

“Also, Ouma-kun, it’d be really difficult for Momota-kun to just slip Harukawa-san blood thinners,” Kiibo politely argued. “Even if she was fond of him, you don’t just take random pills when someone gives them to you.”

“Who said she knew about them?” Ouma giggled. “You’re right, giving someone sketchy-looking drugs out of the blue would never work, but! The drugs were no less taken, just in a more secret way. Kinda like when you have to hide them in little cheese pieces so your dog can take them without fighting you.”

“Creative analogy, but how would she get the blood thinners inside of her?”

“Any way the killer wanted! Her food, knocking her out and dumping them down her throat, taking a bamboo rod and shooting it into her Amazon style, you name it!”

“Please don’t fool around with this,” Kirumi pleaded. “We need to do a proper deduction and not go based off of your wild imagination.”

“I’m just laying the cards out on the table, Ma! It never hurts to think outside the box sometimes.”

“And yet you’re a little too colorful with it,” Korekiyo sighed. “Saihara-kun, could you end this? You and I know how this was possible, and I’m sure the rest would love to hear it.”

 _‘He’s right. Maki got slipped the lethal drugs by one way that even she’d have trouble noticing…’_ Shuichi pondered in his mind.

**|| Poisoned Water Bottle >**

“This is it!” he continued. “The blood thinners weren’t handed off to her by themselves, but rather, the culprit slipped them into her water. When she drank enough, it caused an overdose and made her bleed out.”

“Knew it,” Ouma gloated. “While it’s not as fun as shooting it like a blowdart, now we know how the culprit poisoned poor little Harukawa-chan. To think that slipped your mind, huh, Momota-chan? Forgetting your own murder method!”

“I’m not. The killer!” Kaito growled. “You’re just accusing people for the sake of it, but you haven’t got a single leg to stand on!”

“Wouldn’t it make sense for it to be you, though? She did oh-so stupidly decide you’re worth trusting, so you could get close enough and poison her water bottle while her back was turned! It comes to show what happens when you don’t stick to your initial plan of watching out behind you.”

“Beginning to trust people didn’t kill her. No matter what she thought of me, Kaede, or anyone, Maki was a smart girl and stayed careful. It’s impossible for her to just up and be so reckless with her stuff.”

“Kaito’s right, Ouma-kun,” Kaede supported. “She was starting to see not everyone’s that bad to be around, but even I could tell she wasn’t that open a book.”

“Which means, she’d know better than to not notice anyone tampering with her water bottle,” Rantaro claimed. “Give the girl a little more credit than that. Coming out of your shell doesn’t make you ignorant.”

“If that’s what the kids these days are saying,” Ouma hummed.

“They are, you just don’t have anybody,” Himiko snarked. “If you were a μ's song, you’d be ‘Loneliest Baby’.”

“More like Loneliest Abortion! At least some people like babies!” Miu cackled.

“Don’t use such a classic song in vain,” Tsumugi lamented. “It’s a waste on Ouma-kun.”

“You’re still talking about dopey idol songs? After someone just died after a concert?” Ouma questioned. “Wow, I gotta say… this is a whole ‘nother level of impressive. And no, not in the good way because I’m close to having an aneurysm.”

 _‘This is starting to get out of hand,’_ Shuichi thought. _‘I’d better find proof that Kaito couldn’t have slipped Maki the blood thinners right away!’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Wet Concert Flyer >** **  
******

**|| Maki’s Water Bottle >**

**|| Kaede’s Testimony >**

**|| White Elephant Exchange List >**

**|| Monokuma File #2 >**

“You say it’s because you’re tired of hearing me, but you’re still really defensive when accused,” Ouma pointed out. “ **Why is that** , I wonder…?”

“Anyone would jump at being blamed for a murder they didn’t commit!” Kaito fought. “That’s not me being short-tempered, just common sense!”

“In no way am I outright agreeing with Ouma-kun nor accusing you, but the killer would still have to be **close enough to Harukawa-san** to get the pills in her water,” Kirumi stated.

“Yeah, true, but it ain’t me! Why would I even need blood thinners in the first place?”

“The killer doesn’t inherently need them **for medical reasons** , but definitely to commit murder!” Tenko exclaimed. “And for all I know, you could have had a different reason for wanting to see Maki-san…”

“What? By tampering with the evidence right in front of everyone? Get real.”

“No need for covering anything up,” Ouma said casually. “You just had to get the blood thinners in the water, wait for her to drink it, then boom! Dead.”

“You say this so casually, I’d almost think **you were the killer** ,” Kaede winced.

“Pffft! Like I could go near that girl and not get my head bitten off! She’d kick me away from her on the spot.”

“Kokichi has a point. Maki would definitely want **nothing to do with him** , and vice-versa,” Angie stated.

“Good for her, frankly,” Tenko scoffed. “Ouma-san’s the biggest of all degenerate males here or anywhere else in the world!”

“But, but, but!” Ouma cut in, ignoring Tenko. “Harukawa-chan wanted almost everything to do with Momota-chan. And last night when he found a chance to get close, **he poisoned the water and let her die**.”

**|| Kaede’s Testimony >**

“That’s wrong!” Shuichi interjected.

_Break!_

* * *

“While it’s true Kaito and Akamatsu-san were the last to see Maki alive, I seriously doubt that’s when the poisoning happened,” he resumed.

“Really now? How do you figure?” Ouma pressed.

“Because, they walked Maki back to her room **very shortly before she died**. Here’s both problems with this. Assuming the pills _were_ given at that time by themselves, they wouldn’t just dissolve on the instant like antacids. It’d take longer, which 10 minutes isn’t enough for.”

“And what’s the other issue?” Himiko wondered.

“The fact that blood thinners, like most drugs, need time to kick in and won’t work as soon as they’re swallowed. So, how could Kaito give her the poison and yet still have her die only minutes later?”

“Either way, I didn’t do it, drop it,” Kaito hissed before giving Shuichi a grin and a thumbs up. “You never fail to have my back, bro! Nice deduction work in clearing my name!”

“Hang on, Jerk-Off-Ules, you’re not clean yet!” Miu objected. “Now, we just need to know how the pills got dissolved easily.”

“Wouldn’t you simply drop them inside and wait?” Angie inquired.

“Not quite. To commit a fast crime, you’d take the easiest method to procure the best results as soon as possible,” Korekiyo told her. “And as we’ve already established, waiting for solid pills to dissolve in drinking water isn’t a likely option.”

“Isn’t there a trick to making them melt faster?” Tenko asked. “Oh! Maybe the culprit used hot water to do it. Usually, heating it up causes anything to dissolve on the spot!”

“Or, it could have been vinegar to replicate the stomach’s acidic contents,” Kiibo suggested. “That would also be a great way to do it.”

“But, wouldn’t Harukawa have noticed her water bottle being considerably warmer than usual for the first one?” Himiko questioned. “You’re giving it to her right away, so it’d still be heated to the touch as soon as she grabbed it.”

“And, she’d definitely taste the vinegar solution, too,” Kaede debunked. “That’s definitely not it.”

“Well, that’s not to say the culprit couldn’t have cooled down the water after the pills were melted,” Kirumi said. “Ice is always a factor.”

“Yes, but it would still take some time for it to chill unless you use a lot of ice cubes,” Korekiyo refuted. “Not to mention, during my investigation of the kitchen, the tray wasn’t nearly empty enough for that possibility.”

“Nevermind, then,” Tenko sighed. “Then tell us, Detective! How were the blood thinners dissolved so quickly?”

“Our culprit certainly didn’t put them as they’d come in their packaging. You could say they were altered for speed, yes.”

 _‘They weren’t put in whole at all,’_ Shuichi agreed mentally. _‘Because the culprit…’_

  1. Blended them
  2. Rinsed them
  3. **Crushed them**



“That’s it! In order to make sure the pills melted faster, the culprit crushed them into a fine powder and put them in the water for Maki to drink.”

“Precisely,” Korekiyo confirmed. “Powder is usually the easiest to mix into drinks of any temperature with little to no detection.”

“Well, normally you want at least lukewarm water, because ice water would make the powder sift at the bottom,” Miu explained. “You could stir it and stir it, but it’d take forever to mix in unless the water melts it.”

“Considering why we’re here, I think it worked,” Tsumugi replied. “And since you can’t taste a lot of pills, Harukawa-san couldn’t notice something wrong with her water even if she tried.”

“That’s not all,” Kaito deplored. “Pills are meant to be taken whole so they have time to work their magic in your body. When you take them crushed, all of those effects go right through you a lot faster.”

“No wonder they wasted no time in killing her,” Rantaro sighed. “What a way for someone to go.”

“Yeah, yeah, swing low, sweet chariot,” Ouma dismissed, more attentive to his nails. “None of us can go back in time to stop it, so quit your bellyaching.”

“It wouldn’t hurt you to show a little more compassion,” Kiibo said, somber with Ouma. “You didn’t have a very hard time doing it whenever I shared my honeycomb with you.”

“Nor when you brought me back from… a dilemma I was experiencing,” Korekiyo reminded. “Kindness isn’t a weakness, and you must understand that. You’d actually have a far easier time if you do.”

“Hmm? Were you guys talking just now?” Ouma quizzed, finished tuning them out.

“...Nope. Not at all. It clearly wasn’t important to you,” Kiibo replied, distant.

“Yeah, you’re right! Good thing we’re not gonna talk about it anymore. Next question, if anyone’s got one!”

“It’s like his heart is a black hole,” Tsumugi breathed. “From which nothing bright or nice can get out of it.”

“Rude, Shirogane-chan! Black holes have lots of gravity in them to accomplish that, and I for one am light as a feather! You don’t see me commenting on your weight, do I?”

“Don’t forget he’s got a head like a lead brick,” Miu spat. “Poisonous, _and_ too hard to get anything through.”

“It would be best if we dropped this,” Kirumi decided. “Ouma-kun has his own predicaments that now isn’t a good time to discuss them at in front of everyone.”

“My only predicament is being stuck here with a bunch of weirdos that like wasting time, but other than that, you’ve got the right idea,” Ouma praised, much to the pianist’s dismay.

“Let’s get back on track by looking more into the pill powder,” Kaede suggested. “We know now that the blood thinners were ground up, but how? It’s not that easy to crush pills.”

“You can using the really chalky kind that melts on your tongue,” Angie responded. “Those usually melt in a cinch!”

“We’re dealing with blood thinners, not molly!” Miu snapped. “Get your shit together, Dildonaga!”

“Plus, if that was the kind used, there wouldn’t be any need to grind them into powder. And we’ve already established why they weren’t just dropped into Maki’s water," Kaede added.

“Oh, yes, that’s right. Nyahaha! A simple slip of the mind. It is still relatively early in the morning. Sumimasorry, everybody!”

“Well, since we have it all cleared away, it’s best if we proceed,” Korekiyo advised. “There are plenty of other topics to debate while we’re in this dreadful trial room a second time.”

“Shinguuji-san is right. There’s no use fighting about it forever,” Tenko agreed, nodding. “The killer had to have used something to crush the pills, right? Nobody can do that with only their bare hands. Pills are very hard!”

“Firstly, you’d need something hard and heavy,” Kiibo answered. “Something capable of applying enough pressure to make a powder out of them.

“There are a lot of heavy objects in this school, it wouldn’t be hard to find one to make powder,” Rantaro stated. “You could use a paperweight, a really big book, maybe a chair if you’re careful enough.”

“Which doesn’t narrow down anything!” Tsumugi cried. “There has to be something the killer used for crushing the pills that gives us more info on the murder!”

“Shirogane’s right. General items like that don’t really speak to us,” Himiko conceded. “Because you can grind pills into dust anywhere you want, but what was used should tell us where the culprit was at one point during their plan.”

“Do you have any ideas?” Miu interrogated. “Because I’d love to hear ‘em! That’d get me out of here a lot faster! And alive!”

“Give me time, will ya? I’m trying to think, so don’t rush me until I’m done.”

“Yeah, and you’re not doin’ it hard enough! Harder and faster, that’s what I say!”

“We can’t narrow it down that easily, don’t push her like that,” Rantaro scolded. “Besides, I have yet to see you pitch any ideas instead of a tantrum.”

“I could come to something faster than you could try to! How tough could it be with a mind like mine?!”

“The answer isn’t just whatever pops inside your thick head!” Himiko snapped.

“Yelling isn’t gonna do anything, you two,” Rantaro sighed. “We’ll never be able to find it at the rate we’re going.”

 _‘Now they’re starting to talk all at the same time!’_ Shuichi gasped inside his thoughts. _‘I can only listen to one at a time, but who’s gonna crack first?’_

* * *

_Mass Panic Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Rolling Pin >**

**|| Tenko Getting Shut Off >**

**|| Poisoned Water Bottle >**

**|| Rantaro’s Testimony >**

**|| Teddy Bear With Knife >**

“It just comes to show who’s really backpacking this trial!” Miu cackled. “Imagine being unable to pinpoint even one puny little pill crusher!”

“Miu, try to cut people some slack,” Kiibo warned. “We’re all trying just as hard as you are to stay alive and find the real culprit among us.”

“Some of us might be trying, but others are barely contributing shit!”

“No, we’re all doing our part in ways big and small. I get you’re afraid of voting for the wrong person; believe me, I am too. Knocking down everyone else won’t make that go away, however.”

“Ghh… come on, Keebs, why do you have to say that?”

“Because I don’t want you to feel like you can’t put any faith in our classmates. We’ve done this all the first time, and it can happen again.”

“Oh… alright, I guess it did take lots of input from different parts of the school to not kill us.”

“See? Not so bad! Putting our heads together and focusing is gonna do great for us!”

“Then one of us better be quick and figure this one out, ‘cause I’m stumped right now.”

“Hey, Amami-kun, weren’t we investigating the dining hall together?” Tsumugi wondered. “Because you figured something felt seriously off there?”

“We were, but then Saihara-kun and Shinguuji-kun kinda stole the show,” Rantaro laughed sheepishly. “I’m not complaining because they’ve been working so hard with this mystery, but they never mentioned whether or not they found anything.”

“To be fair, no one asked. It’s hard getting an answer when you don’t ask for one.”

“You got me there, but I wish we had a little more time looking. Any guesses for how the pills got crushed?”

“My first guess would have been the culprit using a pestle and mortar. Lots of people use those, don’t they?”

“Yeah, but they’re not too common outside of a Research Lab or something. Unless they **brought one out and put it back later** so no one could catch them.”

“Himiko, has Atua’s word given you the knowledge you seek?” Angie inquired.

“No, I’m still coming up dry,” Himiko groaned. “Can Atua speak up, because I really can’t hear him.”

“Then it must be that He too is trying to put His thought process together. Worry not, because He will always arrive when you need Him most.”

“Now’d be a very good time for that. I don’t wanna rush him either, but I’m starting to get to my wit’s end here. What’s He saying to you?”

Angie got into a prayer pose, humming as if processing word from above. “He has reached a conclusion… that the piece of evidence we’re missing…”

“Yes?”

“Mmm-hmm… I see! Wonderful, simply wonderful!”

“Yes? Yes?! What’s the scoop?”

“He says… He says! ...Well, it could have been anything you imagine. If the culprit was outside, they could grab a large enough rock. Or if they were short on opportunities, simply stepping upon it also works.”

Himiko fell disappointed. “We’re be better off with the first one. Using their foot doesn’t pinpoint where they ground up the blood thinners…”

 _‘Hold on. Amami-kun actually said something that might help us,’_ Shuichi realized. _‘What was it again?’_

Picking out Rantaro’s statement, he focused on him speculating the culprit “ **brought one out and put it back later** ” regarding a pestle and mortar.

**|| Rolling Pin >**

“I heard it!”

_Break!_

* * *

“The culprit didn’t need to borrow anything and put it back later,” Shuichi explained. “Everything necessary could be found in a single drawer.”

“Just one drawer, and that’s it? How?” Kiibo quizzed.

“Simple. They used a **rolling pin** to crush the pills before taking them out of the packet. I know this because of how it looked after it was thrown away.”

“You can tell that? Even when it’s been flattened like a pancake?” Miu tested.

“Indeed,” Korekiyo confirmed. “Had the blister pack been underneath something flat, like a shoe or a heavy book, then there wouldn’t be any signs of the individual spaces going forward. Thus, it was the work of an object that is capable of both flattening and moving.”

“Kinda like getting out wrinkles and dents in unbaked pie crust! ‘Cause lemme tell you, if that thing’s not flatter than a pre-surgery implant patient’s hooters, it’s gonna crack and fall apart as soon as you’re not the only thing all hot and bothered.”

“The— point is,” Shuichi continued, “the rolling pin was found in the same place as the blood thinner container.”

“Which means, the culprit went to the kitchen at some point!” Kaede concluded.

“I really wish someone had said that sooner,” Himiko sighed.

“Look on the bright side!” Tenko encouraged. “Now, we can move forward with this trial just as we were hoping!”

“Just because we know the culprit went to the kitchen at some point doesn’t mean we know when it happened,” Kirumi corrected. “The best course of action would be finding out that first so that narrowing down our suspects is easier on us.”

“You mean to tell me you wouldn’t rather point to who seems the most fishy and get a confession out of them?” Ouma questioned, acting disappointed. “Great going! Now we have to do this the longer, harder way!”

“This trial’s basis is corrupted enough. The least we can do is salvage some logic and debate amongst ourselves like reasonable people.”

“In other words, don’t jump the gun and accuse whoever you want out of pure bias,” Shuichi warned. “That won’t help you or anyone here.”

“You shouldn’t have any issue making conclusive arguments, anyway, Ouma-kun” Korekiyo said. “Last time, it was you that helped narrow down the culprit, so why not do it again?”

“Pay me, and I just might,” Ouma teased.

“And I thought getting sugar-high preschoolers was tough to do,” Kaede sighed. “We’ll just have to do it ourselves if he doesn’t speak up.”

“Which he won’t, so we’re basically on our own,” Kaito included. “So! How can we narrow down the time the killer got to work on their fucked up plan?”

“Uhhh… just a shot in the dark, but,” Himiko started, “how about we look into what happened before the concert? Lots of talk has been on after, but that’s gotten us nowhere yet.”

“Before it?” Rantaro probed. “You don’t think that’s kind of a large gap?”

“Hear me out. All of us were there at the concert at the same time, right? That means, nobody went to the dining hall— and by extension, the kitchen— until the autographing session afterwards. How could the culprit have any opening going in to crush up pills without getting caught if it all went down after the fact?”

“That’s… a really good point,” Kiibo remarked. “I’m surprised we missed that.”

“Amazing analysis, Himiko,” Angie chirped. “You truly are using Atua’s gift for you for good.”

“It’s not the work of Atua, that’s her own brain!” Tenko snapped. “Stop taking credit away from her where it’s due!”

“Nyeh, I don’t have to pick if I don’t have to,” Himiko yawned. “Maybe it’s Atua, maybe it’s me, maybe it’s butter after all.”

“See? There are no wrong answers, Tenko,” Angie reassured her.

“Except when there are and relying too much on gods won’t do any good without your own brain,” Tenko muttered. “Anyways, continue. We’ve found our first possible mark of when the killer indirectly struck!”

“About time!” Kaito bellowed. “Culprit, whoever you are, consider yourself cornered and trapped like the dirty little roach you are!”

“Ironic since roaches are usually murder victims and not murder causers,” Ouma snickered.

“For reasons people don’t normally consider, such as the risk of them carrying diseases,” Kiibo informed. “But, they also have their share of benefits.”

“Eugh! How?!” Miu retched. “I see those things anywhere near me when I’m cleaning and I break out the spray! Little fuckers are crazy fast, too.”

“Well, cockroaches also feed on decay, such as that from dead animals, plants, rotting wood, and even feces. So, yes, they have their share of downs, but don’t forget them too much next time something’s decomposing in your backyard.”

“Gross! They eat shit, too?! Like dung beetles?!”

“Well, yes, but cockroaches don’t roll them into balls like the roller type of scarabs or tunnelers that bury it for later. There’s even dweller dung beetles, which live in the—!”

“—Eww, eww, eww, knock it off!” Tenko squealed, her collar reading “Gross!” over and over to signify her disgust. “What is it with you males and talking about poop and bugs?! Is there anything sanitary you find interesting, or are you really this much of a lost cause for humanity?!”

“Funny you mention scarab beetles, Kiibo,” Angie brought up. “Although they are technically mere dung beetles, they were heralded during Egypt’s earliest years as a symbol of the sun’s manifestation, Khepri. Others often associate them with Ra because of their similarities and association with the sun, but his overshadowing of Khepri is also to blame for it. Kind of like comparing Helios and Apollo, as both are sun gods, but—”

“—Yonaga-san, this is getting us even more off-topic,” Shuichi interrupted. “Tell us this later when we’re not in the middle of a trial, okay? Same to you, Kiibo. Time and place.”

“Sorry…” Kiibo apologized, embarrassed.

“If we’re going into what happened before the concert, when exactly?” Tsumugi asked. “There’s an entire day preceding it!”

“Well, admissions were at 7:00 last night,” Kaede said. “So, that’d be the latest the culprit could act before going in for the show.”

“Okay, that gives us an ending point,” Angie hummed. “But, we still have no beginning point aside from when everyone awoke.”

“And breakfast didn’t seem any different,” Miu noted. “The kitchen’s my territory only during meals!”

“Then we can cross off 8 am yesterday, too,” Korekiyo said. “Good, smaller steps are better than no steps at all.”

“But taking bigger steps would be fantastic,” Rantaro replied.

 _‘Everyone’s starting to get into another heated discussion,’_ Shuichi imagined. _‘We’ll need to prioritize what happened before 7 pm because that’s our biggest lead at the moment. And if it doesn’t solve anything, then it’ll lead us into what might.’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Ouma’s Testimony >**

**|| Blood Thinner Pills >**

**|| White Elephant Exchange List >**

**|| Monokuma File #2 >**

**|| Poisoned Water Bottle >**

“So **anytime before 7 at night and after breakfast** is the time period we’re looking for,” Kaede guessed. “It’s a really big gap, but we’ve managed worse!”

“Eh, I’ve seen smaller gaps,” Miu joked. “Although, the killer would have to **know where Harukawa is** to kill her, yeah?”

“I’d hope so, otherwise it’s more difficult taking a wild guess,” Angie giggled. “Especially with her distrustful demeanor.”

“Yeah, getting close to her would be almost impossible,” Tsumugi commented. “That extends to her property.”

“Not that she’s typically found in many places,” Korekiyo said. “Aside from the dining hall during meals, she’s either **in her bedroom or her Research Lab**.”

“Don’t forget mine,” Kaito murmured, solemn.

“You let her into your bedroom?!” Tenko squawked. “I’m giving you until the count of one to back that up! Five…!”

“ **My Lab, I meant my Lab**! You know, for training and all?”

“She only joined us **a few times** , Kaito,” Kaede refuted. “It’s not unusual seeing her there, but she’s definitely no regular.”

“I’d bet she could have been if the killer hadn’t picked her to use! When I get my hands on them, I’ll throttle them myself!”

“Do that, and you’ll get executed, not them, idiot,” Ouma flatly said.

“It seems **almost impossible to find the closest point** where Harukawa-san was poisoned,” Tsumugi lamented. “Back to the drawing board, everybody…”

**|| Monokuma File #2 >**

“That’s wrong!” Shuichi refuted.

_Break!_

* * *

“It’s not impossible, but we might have to think back and forth to start finding the point we need,” he stated.

“Back and forth? But, we’re already going in reverse with what happened prior to the murder,” Tsumugi answered.

“Yes, but we still need to bounce around to lock in a solid point. And we’ll start by remembering **what time Maki died at**.”

“That was 8:17 or so, wasn’t it?” Kaede recalled. “Just over ten minutes after Kaito and I last saw her…”

“Yes, which means Maki couldn’t have had the poisoned water on her for too long before she started drinking it. And even if she did, the culprit still timed it in a way that ended with her dying that late last night.”

“So, we could rule out it happening too soon after breakfast,” Korekiyo expressed. “I’d estimate sometime towards the later afternoon at the very earliest.”

“Unless one of us saw her drinking water yesterday?” Kirumi suggested.

“I didn’t,” Kiibo answered.

“Neither did I,” Shuichi said.

“She wasn’t carrying one when I came in,” Angie confirmed.

“That means she probably picked it up later on,” Rantaro guessed. “And if it was later in the afternoon, but before the concert, the best time the culprit could prepare the poison would be 5 or 6’oclock.”

“Most likely five because that’s when Harukawa would be around every possible suspect,” Himiko stated. “They’d have limited access as soon as the clock struck six.”

“Assuming someone didn’t sneak around my Lab when we weren’t looking,” Kirumi noted. “But, ideally, you’d pick a time when you’re the least likely to get caught.”

“It doesn’t necessarily matter how many people can spot you,” Ouma corrected. “If you’re stealthy enough like a phantom, you can get away with just about anything and it’d be too late for anyone to look!”

“Don’t remind me…”

“Wait a minute, Yumeno,” Kaito spoke up. “You said something about ‘limited access’ to Maki as soon as 6 pm struck. Does that apply to _everyone_ here?”

“Nyeh?” Himiko wondered. “What are you getting at over there? It’d better not sound like you’re accusing me…”

“I’m not, I just wanna ask something on how there was ‘limited access’ to Maki after six. Wouldn’t that mean at least a few people would be near her at that time?”

“Uhh, yeah. Because of concert setup that went right up to admissions. You know this and so does everybody.”

“Why do you ask this, Momota-kun?” Kirumi wondered.

“Because even though it wasn’t many, someone had to have been near her at that time!” Kaito declared. “Was someone else around when you guys were putting everything up? Who was it?!”

“No one except Himiko-san and myself. Oh, and Tenko-san, but she didn’t go in my Lab until the show started.”

“You three, huh? Interesting~!” Ouma pondered. “But, take out the talking ticket muncher, that paints our two little showstoppers as the main suspects.”

“Us?! Never! How could you say such a thing?!”

“That’s right! Kirumi-san wouldn’t harm a soul, and Himiko-chan even less!” Tenko defended. “Your harassment of the opposite sex has gone down for the last time!”

“And just because they had the most proximity to Harukawa-san doesn’t automatically incriminate either of them,” Korekiyo added. “Without evidence, this is a baseless accusation.”

“Oh, right! You’re only saying that because you can’t handle the thought of your lady friend killing someone,” Ouma scoffed.

“That’s not just it. I don’t want anyone doing so, but the possibility is highly likely in our situation. Now, while I say that, I refuse to make such a large claim without at least a hint of proof that it happened.”

“But, it adds up, don’t it? Toujou-chan and Himiko-chan run a concert and know exactly who they’re gathering and when they’ll pop up. You’re really gonna tell me right to my face that no one would take that chance to murder undetected?”

“That isn’t what I’m saying. Lots would do so, but you need to look at the full picture to see the truth. Otherwise, you’re only making a very harsh guess.”

“And an incorrect one!” Tenko barked. “Either prove it, or zip it!”

“Yeah! Nobody’s gonna entertain you trying to stir up trouble!” Kaito further yelled.

“Who said you had any business agreeing with me? You were the first to accuse them, you hypocrite!”

“No, I wasn’t! I started asking something and he twisted it around into that!”

“You must think I’m pretty dumb, don’t you, Momota-san?”

“Oh, he doesn’t think; he knows!” Ouma exacerbated jokingly. “We ‘degenerate males’ all gossip about how thick-headed you are!”

“Shut up, Ouma! You’re making it worse…!” Kaito grunted.

“Animals! You’re both just animals like the rest!” Tenko growled, infuriated.

 _‘I have to douse the flames Ouma-kun just fanned,’_ Shuichi thought. _‘It’s not practical, but if it worked last time, I might have to resort to something extreme to bring everyone back to focusing!’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Wet Concert Flyer >**

**|| Himiko’s Testimony >**

**|| Maki’s Water Bottle >**

**|| Autograph Session Attendance >**

**|| Kaede’s Testimony >**

“It’s completely like you two to play dirty and accuse the innocent when you’re likely guilty yourself,” Tenko mocked, expression complacent. “You may as well **fess up to the crime** right now while you can still attempt to save yourselves!”

“No one knows about Ouma, **but I’m not the culprit**!” Kaito pleaded. “Harumaki meant the world to me, and It’s my job to catch her real killer!”

“And you think you’re doing her any justice by accusing Himiko-chan and Kirumi-san? What’s your problem?!”

“You’re the one who thinks **someone can’t kill because they’re a girl** ,” Ouma chided. “At this rate, I’m gonna die because of you, Tin Can.”

“Look, everyone, we shouldn’t be fighting over this,” Kirumi advised. “There’s a very good reason neither of us are the culprit.”

“Hmm? And what’s that, Maestro?”

“Because the two of us plus Tenko were **getting supplies from the warehouse at 5 until 20-past** ,” Himiko answered.

“And so, we **wouldn’t have any time** to stop by the kitchen around then, or after 6 pm,” Kirumi included.

“I was with them **the entire time** , too, so you can’t say I don’t have proof of their innocence!” Tenko gloated. “In your face!”

 _‘Yumeno-san’s statement seems right on the money, but I gotta make sure everyone else believes her, too,’_ Shuichi imagined.

Going back on Himiko’s remark on “ **getting supplies from the warehouse at 5 until 20-past** ”, Shuichi toyed with it a little to make it clearer.

**|| Himiko’s Testimony > —> || Himiko’s Lie >**

“I’ll reveal the truth!”

_Break!_

* * *

“Is that really what happened, Yumeno-san?” Shuichi interrogated. “Because I’m really doubting you right now.”

“Saihara-san, don’t you do this either…!” Tenko snarled.

“Of course it happened,” Himiko argued. “We worked our tails off going back and forth between the warehouse and Kirumi’s Lab. There’s just no time for detours.”

“I disagree. For two reasons. Not only does the warehouse have plenty of medicine, but it’s **right across the hall from the kitchen**. Going back and forth wouldn’t be that hard.”

“This is very true, but we were all together,” Kirumi retorted. “If one of us went astray, the other two would have noticed.”

“And, all of our strength was necessary for moving equipment!” Tenko affirmed. “Someone walking off would be the same as— losing your right arm! Or your left leg!”

“Or your whole body,” Himiko noted. “Don’t fiddle with the laws of equivalent exchange, kids. Even if you miss your mom that badly.”

“Not to mention, Himiko-san came to get me right at five,” Kirumi said. “After I was finished teaching Ouma-kun piano for the day, of course.”

“That still doesn’t change much,” Shuichi pretended to doubt. “One of you definitely took the time to pick up medicine when the other two weren’t looking, took a trip across the hall and ground up the blood thinners in the kitchen before going to catch up upstairs.”

“What? Do you even hear yourself right now?” Himiko tested. “I know for a fact that didn’t happen.”

“All of us stayed together in the warehouse to look for everything we needed to include in the concert,” Kirumi continued to argue. “Setup was going to start no later than six so we could do admissions on schedule, so we had only one priority.”

“Explain that,” Tenko snorted. “If we stayed in the same spot until all of us got up to Kirumi-san’s Lab, how could any of us sneak off without getting caught and asked what in the world we were doing?”

“They’re right, it’s impossible,” Kiibo agreed. “None of those three could have ground up the blood thinners.”

“See? I told ya,” Himiko said. “We’re not murderers.”

“Exactly what I was trying to prove,” Shuichi admitted, smiling. “That still leaves us with a lot of suspects, but now there’s a more solid time for the killer to have acted.”

“And you think… a good way to discover that is by being dishonest?” Korekiyo hissed, gripping his podium angrily. “Committing perjury is not only unprofessional, but highly illegal during any kind of trial.”

“To be fair, Kiyo-chan, this is no normal trial,” Ouma whistled.

“It doesn’t matter. I won’t stand for this— foolishness. The point of this is to discover the truth, and he thinks resorting so low will do any good.”

“And it did,” Shuichi bit. “I just proved three people innocent in one swoop.”

“Which could have been done by everything else you were doing previously, but I suppose you’d prefer to stir the pot any way you see fit.”

“Lay off him!” Kaede defended. “Shuichi’s doing a fine job with this trial. You’re just upset that he didn’t do what you would have!”

“You aren’t someone that should be snapping at me, Akamatsu-san, considering you aren’t any better with this.”

“And you are? You just barely help us by giving minimal information and hints while keeping the rest all to yourself!” Shuichi snapped. “Maybe we don’t go about it in the most practical way, but it’s still doing something worthwhile!”

“Instead of constantly berating us and making the trial even harder to put up with, you could try— I don’t know— actually cooperating better?!” Kaede barked.

“Oh. So, you think I’m the reason these trials are so difficult, do you?” Korekiyo tested, eyes darkening into a glare. “Very well. If you’re really this confident in persevering with your own rules, then why don’t I stir the pot myself? Try and find your way out of this one. Monokuma, I have another question.”

“Again? This may be a school, but this isn’t an actual classroom, you know,” Monokuma groaned. “But, I can find it in my little heart to answer it. Whatcha got?”

“It’s about the motive. Your children explained it somewhat, but did a poor job overall.”

Monokuma gasped. “They did?! For shame, little ones!”

“We did not!” Monotaro argued. “He’s lying, Father!”

“For someone so against lying during a trial, you seem to have no problem doing it to us,” Monosuke growled. “That motive was explained perfectly.”

“I stayed up all night rehearsing the script and all of it gets thrown away with a white lie?” Monophanie whimpered. “All for nothing!”

“WE-ARE-SORRY, WE-FAILED-YOU,” Monodam brooded. “WE-TRIED-OUR-BEST.”

“Bah, that’s okay! I forgive ya!” Monokuma laughed. “I’ll give you all some ‘forgiveness licks’ after the execution to prove I mean it!”

“Yay…?” Monotaro said, half-hearted.

“Anywho! The motive. You know those white elephant gift exchanges? The ones where you’re at a crummy Christmas party and you have one chance to rid yourself of a gift you just can’t stand and you let your worst enemy have it instead? Well… this is like that, but backwards!”

“Backwards?” Kaito inquired.

“Yes! Backwards. Because, rather than give you all gifts nobody wants, I made sure some very promising presents were dropped off at your rooms that someone _else_ wouldn’t be able to stay away from! And to get ‘em— meh, you know the rest. It’s way too early for this malarkey.”

“The presents were all from us and by us, but you could say it’s a case of giving out the wrong ones on purpose!” Monophanie elaborated.

“IT-WAS-A-CHRISTMAS-MIRACLE,” Monodam cheered monotonously.

“Which means, the culprit of this case most likely killed because Harukawa-san had something they’d want from the Monokubs for themselves for any given reason,” Korekiyo further explained. “And while Saihara-kun and I investigated, he found something that would point us to a suspect we should all begin looking into.”

“No… Shinguuji-kun, you don’t have to do this!” Shuichi pleaded.

“You’ve left me no choice. Play with fire, and you're going to get burned. For the sake of our lives, we’re bringing this up whether you like it or not. Or would you rather keep such important evidence from the rest of us and risk damning all but one person? What will it be?”

“Go on, Shumai, all of us are waiting to not die,” Ouma sang, too cheerful for comfort.

 _‘Why does he have to act like this?! Can’t he be the kind of detective that’s less strict and never on anyone’s ass for not being him?!’_ Shuichi growled in his thoughts. _‘But, as much as it pains me to reveal this… I don’t know if I have a choice anymore.’_

**|| Teddy Bear With Knife >**

“This is it!” he announced, going back to being reluctant. “The time we found in Maki’s room was… **a teddy bear**.”

“That’s it? That’s not so bad,” Kiibo said.

“No, it gets worse. Besides the fact that the teddy bear had a fake knife sewn into it… there was a name underneath.”

“And that’s our killer, right?!” Kaito asked.

“Oh, I wouldn’t make so big of a jump,” Korekiyo refuted. “In fact, this will be _my_ way of proving someone’s innocence if it’s really there, since Saihara-kun would prefer to play things rough so badly.”

“You’re— proving their innocence?” Shuichi asked, bewildered. “How is this—?”

“—Unlike you, I fully plan on progressing this trial using the bare truth, not by lying. If you’re so sure of how good of a job you’re capable of doing, then providing us all with evidence on why they aren’t the killer should be no issue for you, yes?”

“I… guess. No, yeah! I’ve got the spirit and balanced mentality of a fighter in me, so I can take on your little challenge, too! Do your worst!”

“Remember, these are your words, not mine. Please. Tell the court the name of the individual that was stitched onto the bottom of the unsettling teddy bear.”

_‘This isn’t gonna be fun. But, only one person could be associated with it.’_

**_Whose Name Was On The Bear?_ **

**_Select Someone!_ **

“It has to be you!” Shuichi pointed his finger directly across from him, gulping before he forced out the person’s name. “The teddy bear was related to Akamatsu-san.”

* * *

_Class Trial: Intermission_

“Ah! And so concludes another first half of a class trial!” Monokuma sighed, content beside the stump with his four living children standing upon it. “Who will be the blackened this time around? I’ve already heard some great guesses!”

“Is it Iidabashi-kun? I’m pretty sure it’s Iidabashi-kun,” Monotaro accused.

“The killer’s not Iidabashi-kun, Monotaro, you just want it to be!” Monophanie scolded.

“Serves him right for not accepting me as one of his own last time around. Besides, his innocence hasn’t been proven yet!”

“Yeah, so it very well could be him,” Monosuke suggested. “Don’t count your beans before they start sprouting!”

“AND-DON’T-CHOP-THE-STALK-BEFORE-YOU-HAVE-THE-EGGS,” Monodam warned.

“Or kill the giant! Also important,” Monotaro snickered.

“Wait, I thought it was the goose you take down the stalk with you,” Monophanie guessed. “The eggs would have been too heavy!”

“Same diff!” Monosuke blurted out. “You’d still be making bank either way!”

“Let’s— cut to black while my silly little dumb cubs are discussing a bedtime story they’ll never have read to them,” Monokuma laughed. “Starting right… now!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I had to look up some fun facts on cockroaches and am now severely regretting doing so. Apparently those motherfuckers can sometimes sprout WINGS??? 38")
> 
> Sorry to leave you all on a cliffhanger, but it'll pick up nicely for next chapter. BTW, hopefully the motive was better explained here since some of you were under the impression that the items came from/were made by the cast themselves? No, they were 100% Monokubs property and just had to /do/ with the students (IE: The "replica" of Kiibo's childhood chem set from his mom, Rantaro's family portrait, Miu's old workplace name tag, etc.). In fact, none of the students even knew of their presence (or should I say, "presents" XD) until the motive was released. I hope that clears up a misunderstanding, guys! My bad. -w-'
> 
> Anyways, more evidence will be discussed in-universe over the next two chapters so that these peeps know what we do (or might/might not >:3c). We'll see where that road goes. Thanks for reading, I mega appreciate all the new comments, bookmarks and kudos and I'll be happy to see you lovely, lovely folks in the next update! ♥


	20. Episode XIX: Class Trial 2.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Second time attempting to upload bc bAd GaTeWaY 38< 💢💢💢)
> 
> Wow, this didn't take as much time to get done as I was expecting, even if it felt a tad off while I was trying to write it because some things didn't seem right. I did go back and rectify them (if applicable) and added a bit more dialogue, which actually brought the page count up from just barely 19 to a little over 21! I'm pleased I went back and checked it over a little more to make sure it made sense for this part of the case, so here's hoping it's good enough.
> 
> Now, without further ado, have fun reading the update! Since all the trials are only 3 parts long since I don't the skill to stretch them out anymore than that, you'll see how this case continues and answers any questions you might've had. Enjoy, guys! ^w^

_Class Trial: Resume_

“Harukawa-san got your item, Akamatsu-san?” Kirumi asked. “Is this true?”

“Well, if the shoe fits,” Tsumugi murmured. “Or in this case, if the detective found it.”

“And we did,” Korekiyo affirmed. “It was sitting on Harukawa-san’s coffee table where Saihara-kun picked it up.”

“Don’t remind me,” Shuichi muttered, not looking forward to the slew of accusations about to take place.

“I should have known,” Himiko scoffed. “All that talk about wanting to do better wound up being a cover-up.”

“No, it wasn’t!” Kaede argued. “I didn’t even know Maki had my motive item!”

“Lying bitch!” Miu roared. “Quit playing dumb, you’re caught!”

“Miu, please, there has to be another explanation for this,” Kiibo insisted. “Akamatsu-san wouldn’t hurt anybody for Monokuma’s motives, no matter how tempting.”

“And not only is it stupid to kill over some teddy bear, but I say without a shadow of a doubt that Kaede’s clean!” Kaito declared. “We were together the whole time from training to the concert!”

“The whole time?” Ouma challenged. “‘Cause I seem to remember it a little differently. It’s hard to keep an eye on you when she’s busy chasing me around playing tag!”

“Yeah, right! I’d have definitely seen that!”

“No, Kaito, that part’s true,” Kaede grumbled. “And it wasn’t a game of tag; you stole the whistle I was using and made me hunt you down for it!”

“Details, details,” Ouma shrugged. “You still wandered off from Momota-chan for a little bit.”

“That doesn’t mean I could go and commit murder! You saw exactly where I went while I was chasing you!”

“Now, no one’s saying that exactly—” Korekiyo began.

“—Yeah, we are!” Miu interrupted.

“— _Iruma-san_. Hold your tongue.” When Miu got quiet, Korekiyo went back to talking. “Thank you. As I was saying, this doesn’t have to be an accusation if it needn’t be. However, it must be brought up.”

“Only because you got pissed off!” Kaede barked. “If you don’t really think I did it, why bring it to light?”

“Because if you didn’t do it, you’ll be fine. And if you did, everyone else lives to see another day. Either way, Akamatsu-san, you are still involved with this case and I won’t ignore that.”

“It doesn’t help she tried to kill someone before, either,” Tsumugi pointed out idly. “What makes you think she won’t do it again?”

“Her intelligence?” Rantaro spat. “There’s being cautious of someone, but you guys are just outright quick to jump on Akamatsu-san after one mistake she’s made very clear she won’t make again.”

“That ‘one mistake’ would have killed somebody,” Himiko bit. “Maybe you if she’d actually pulled it off.”

“And did she? No. Is she gonna attempt to do it again after all the consequences? Double no.”

“While Kaede has adept common sense, it’s not uncommon for even the smart ones to take the last resort,” Angie stated. “People do what they must if pressured enough.”

“Yes, we know,” Kirumi said. “But, Akamatsu-san being the culprit is nonsensical. As Momota-kun said, a teddy bear isn’t worth taking a life.”

“Not to mention, her and Maki were getting along much better,” Shuichi added. “Why would a stuffed animal be enough to throw that to the wind?”

“Maybe not the toy itself, but what it could mean,” Ouma giggled. “The items have to do with all of us, right? So, Akamatsu-chan’s teddy bear could represent something of hers she can’t afford to have anyone see. A _symbol_ , if you will.”

“Huh? Wh-What do you mean?” Kaede gulped. “It’s just a toy, n-not a symbol.”

Ouma smirked deviously at her stutter, taking her by surprise when he just shrugged lax and resumed a matching persona. “Eh, don’t think too deep on it. That’s all I’m saying right now. Anymore from me and I’d suck all the fun dry like a juice box!”

“Knock it off! She’s innocent, and the bear doesn’t mean jack else!” Kaito yelled. “I believe in her _and_ can prove it this time!”

“Yeah, right!” Miu objected. “You’ll probably just flap your gingivitis-ridden gums screeching on how she ‘just can’t be’ the culprit! Look where it got you with Ho-shit’s case!”

“This is different. Even if she split off from me for a bit, that doesn’t add anywhere up to being a killer. None of it makes a lick of sense.”

“Well, if Momota-kun actually has proof this time, then who’s to say he’s totally wrong?” Kiibo asked. “I’ll give Akamatsu-san the benefit of the doubt until further notice!”

“So will I!” Tenko agreed. “Kaede-san is a strong figure to this Academy and our shining positivity beacon! I forbid slandering her for any reason!”

“There also might be a very good reason you saw the bear in Harukawa-san’s room,” Kirumi noted. “While I don’t doubt it seems suspicious, another part of me is saying this isn’t what it seems.”

“Don’t you mean it’s not what it ‘seams’?” Himiko joked. “Because Akamatsu’s item was—”

“—Yes, Himiko-san, I’m fully aware of what you were getting at. Now isn’t at all the time to laugh.”

“Toujou-san’s right,” Rantaro agreed. “There’s still a big chance that she’s got nothing to do with the case after all.”

“No, she definitely does. The bear has her name on it and was found in the victim’s room,” Ouma reminded. “We can’t let that go no matter what really happened.”

“And assuming Saihara-kun truly is as capable of eliminating her as a suspect as he claimed before, there shouldn’t be any issues” Korekiyo tested, turning to the glaring martial artist. “Right?”

“I am capable,” Shuichi reaffirmed. “We may be a little at war with the truth right now, but I’ll—!”

“—HOLD IT! Hoooold everything!” Monokuma interjected. “You say you’re all… ‘at war’? Interesting! That’s all the cue I need!”

“Don’t tell me,” Kaede groaned. “Another split-off?”

“You betcha! I can’t have you all squawking back and forth like this without getting somewhere! That’s unjust and careless for me to do as a Headmaster!”

“Split ‘em up! Split ‘em up!” the Monokubs cheered.

“Not again…” Kiibo sighed. “Can we go one trial where we actually agree on something?”

“Like life’s that easy,” Ouma replied. “Grab on tight, y’all!”

Just as he had the previous time, Monokuma pulled out a key resembling him and twisted it inside a gear’s keyhole, his judge’s chair floating up with the students’ podiums after the floor started lighting up electric blue. Sitting between the two new rows, on the left side had Ouma, Himiko, Tsumugi, Miu, Korekiyo, Angie, and both Hoshi and Gonta’s death portraits. Up against them were Shuichi, Kaede, Kaito, Rantaro, Kiibo, Kirumi, Tenko, and Maki’s very own postmortem substitute.

* * *

_What does Kaede Akamatsu have to do with the murder?_

**> | Everything! >**

**< Nothing at all! |<**

_Debate Scrum Start!_

“You can’t deny there’s definitely a reason for the **teddy bear** being in Harukawa-chan’s room, can you?” Ouma questioned.

“Just because the **teddy bear** is Akamatsu-san’s item doesn’t mean she’s the culprit!” Shuichi fought.

“I beg to differ,” Himiko inputted. “She’s **sneaky** enough to not get caught right away.”

“Being **sneaky** is one thing, being in two places at once is another,” Kaede refuted.

“Remind me where that other place was again?” Tsumugi challenged. “Oh, that’s right, I saw you in the **courtyard** after my swim.”

“Big deal! Just because the Dormitory’s in the **courtyard** doesn’t mean she went in there!” Kaito exclaimed.

“You don’t know that! Bakamatsu could have **walked** off behind your back and you’d be none the wiser!” Miu spat.

“How can you confirm she **walked** anywhere except where Momota-kun is?” Rantaro questioned.

“If the time adds up for her to see her **motive** as much as the place does, Akamatsu-san well may be guilty after all,” Korekiyo hinted.

“But, she never even knew about what her part of the **motive** was in the first place,” Kiibo said. “That makes it a little hard to kill for something you’re not even aware of.”

“She could be keeping the truth from us all,” Angie suggested. “It isn’t easy to **confess** when under pressure.”

“There isn’t any reason for her to **confess** to a crime she likely had no part of until after it was committed,” Kirumi concluded.

_Crouch Bind_

_Set!_

**< Nothing at all! |<**

“This is our answer!” Shuichi’s team all exclaimed.

_Full Counter!_

_Break!_

* * *

“Akamatsu-san’s motive item might have been found in Maki’s room, but that doesn’t mean she killed to get it herself later,” Shuichi argued.

“Oh, really?” Himiko tested. “Explain how she couldn’t have committed the crime, then.”

“Yeah, the motive was sitting right in front of her face!” Miu fought. “She had all sorts of time to crush up some blood thinners, find out who’s got her item, and sneak off the poison to Harukawa’s water as soon as she knew!”

“And don’t give me the excuse that she said she didn’t know. You’re really gonna believe everything she says during a murder case?”

“It’s better than being so quick to call her a liar,” Kiibo scolded.

“Yeah! Everyone knows I’m the liar in this school!” Ouma exclaimed. “Get off her case!”

“Weren’t you just on the team accusing her of murder?” Kaito sneered. “Pipe down over there and let the grown-ups willing to cooperate speak.”

“See, you’re just in love with that word, aren’t ya? ‘Cooperate’. Did we just get split off into another debate because we were all cooperating? Was that the reason why? I dunno, something doesn’t sound right to me on that.”

“Who cares? You’re the only one of us here who doesn’t know how to think for anyone besides himself. And it hasn’t made you anymore trustworthy, so why should your input count towards anything here except entertaining Monokuma?”

“To be fair, he is pretty fun to watch from the sidelines!” Monokuma snickered.

“I don’t believe that was code for your input, either,” Kirumi hissed at the talking bear.

“Ouch! So harsh!”

“You can’t bully Daddy like that!” Monophanie defended. “He’s the reason most of you will walk out of here alive!”

“So, if you don’t want him to change his mind, behave!” Monotaro snapped.

“MIND-YOUR-TONGUE, YOUNG-LADY,” Monodam chastised. “IT-WILL-GET-YOU-IN-BIG, BIG, TROUBLE.”

“Are you done yakking or what?” Monosuke yawned. “I liked it better when you didn’t speak to anyone because our brother scared you shitless.”

“My point is, getting all high and mighty won’t do you anything,” Kaito continued talking down to Ouma. “So, unless you’re ready to actually be a better team player, it’s better if you just say nothing. You won’t prove any points you’re trying to make; just cut it out.”

“...Welp! Your wish is my command, Master!” Ouma laughed, smiling after he’d just given Kaito an emotionless glance. “No mo’ lip from me, no sirree!”

“Fuckin’ finally! Homota, you’re my hero!” Miu praised.

“So, anyways, weren’t we just about to convict Akamatsu-san of murder?” Tsumugi brought up.

“Not convict,” Korekiyo rectified.

“Right, we weren’t done accusing her,” Himiko stated.

“We aren’t accusing, either. It will turn into one if no concrete evidence pops up to acquit her. Now, I’m sure there’s someone here who has some?” Korekiyo looked at Shuichi, waiting for an answer.

 _‘I know Akamatsu-san didn’t do it!’_ Shuichi told himself without speaking. _‘And there’s a great reason to back that up.’_

**|| Kaede’s Testimony >**

“This is it!” he declared. “You’ve all been focusing more on the place she was at, but you’re neglecting to look into the time, too.”

“What would that matter? She could still have been in the courtyard well after making the poison,” Himiko commented.

“But, she wasn’t. Yumeno-san, you said you, Toujou-san, and Tenko-san were all at the warehouse around 5 pm, right?”

“Yeah…? And?”

“And! Since we determined it was between then and 6 the culprit went to the kitchen to make the poison meant for Maki, how could Akamatsu-san have done if she was **still in the courtyard** at that time?”

“Wait… she was in the courtyard at five?”

“No, she wasn’t,” Tsumugi argued. “It was closer to six because that’s around the time I got done my dip in the pool.”

“So? That still doesn’t incriminate me,” Kaede hissed, arms folded. “Kaito and I stayed there from quarter of six for an hour so we could catch the concert in time, leaving me with no opening to get the pills from the warehouse and crush them up.”

“Which also officially puts me in the clear, too,” Kaito emphasized. “Besides chasing Ouma, my sidekick never left my side for too long during our training, outdoors or in!”

“Oh,” Himiko realized. “Yeah, I guess it wouldn’t make sense for you to be in two places at once. That makes sense.”

“Shit, I guess Pig Tits is clean after all,” Miu sighed.

“Alright! Two less suspects on the list!” Tenko cheered. “I’m so happy you’re not the killer, Kaede-san! ...And I guess Momota-san, too. For now.”

“Thanks,” Kaito said unenthusiastically.

“So, everyone, I hope that’s enough proof for you to stop attacking Akamatsu-san for a crime she didn’t commit—” Shuichi began.

“There is always only one truth!” Korekiyo objected.

“Oh, what now?! I did what you wanted me to and proved her innocent!”

“While you provided us with a very impressive argument, I’m afraid there are still some holes you’ve yet to seal. Give me one more definitive reason why Akamatsu-san isn’t who we’re looking for, and I’ll accept my defeat with grace.”

* * *

_Rebuttal Showdown_

_-Truth Blade-_

_Start!_

**|| Wet Concert Flyer || X | ######]**

**|| Monokuma File # 2 || X | ######]**

**|| Autograph Session Attendance || X | ######]**

**|| Tenko Getting Shut Off || X | ######]**

**|| Rantaro’s Testimony || X | ######]**

“You point out that Akamatsu-san couldn’t have killed Harukawa-san because she was in the courtyard all day.”

“But, while plentiful, that’s still not enough evidence to clear her entirely.”

“One of us could find some way around that and discover a loophole to how she could still commit the murder.”

“Very little in life is always as it seems, and it’s a sleuth’s job to see past that and find out what really happened!”

“Look. Please, do not take any of this to be a personal attack from me. I’m not acting out of malice.”

“I know what it’s like wanting to protect someone you love dearly, but that has to be set aside for the greater good if they’ve done anything harmful.”

“That means… you have to consider a person that may not look dangerous on the outside, but is a completely different story on the inside.”

“And that undoubtedly applies to our mysterious culprit.”

“Whether or not it’s Akamatsu-san, you cannot exclude someone automatically just because you care for them.”

“You know all of this deep down, don’t you?”

_Advance!_

“ **A** **kamatsu-san is innocent**. **She never left the courtyard in time to commit a crime** ,” Shuichi further argued.

“Then you’ll have to prove it more. You’ve already done a great job so far, so why stop now?”

“It may not always take much to reach a not guilty verdict, but if it comes to that, you must be as airtight with this as possible.”

“So I ask you, Saihara-kun, is she necessarily innocent just because she wasn’t inside the Academy?”

“The dining hall has more than one entrance, which leads directly into the courtyard.”

“It hasn’t been locked for a while, so there would be nothing stopping her from taking it to appear as though she never left.”

“No matter who the killer really is, elusiveness is a common tie in getting this far with their crime.”

“I’m not fully saying it’s Akamatsu-san we’re looking to incriminate for today, but hypothetically…”

“She could easily **go in and out of the dining hall** leaving nary a trace, thus being the one who’d crushed up the blood thinners.”

**|| Rantaro’s Testimony || X | ######]**

“I’ll cut through your words!” Shuichi proclaimed.

_Break!_

* * *

“No, Shinguuji-kun, she couldn’t have taken the courtyard entrance to the dining hall,” he continued. “Besides her and Kaito going outside together and thus leaving her open to being caught, it’s all a matter of the other door.”

“Is that so?” Korekiyo pondered.

“Yeah. Around the time Akamatsu-san was outside, **Amami-kun and Ouma-kun** were eating together. If she came in during that time through either door, one of them would have seen her, and Amami-kun only heard the courtyard entrance open once without spotting anybody near the kitchen.”

“Because they left,” Rantaro supported. “Someone was clearly already in the kitchen when I’d sat down since no one went near the hallway door during our little get-together. That’d expose them to two witnesses right away.”

“Meaning, that door only opened to let out the culprit, who couldn’t be Akamatsu-san since she never went inside using either entrance.”

“Is that proof enough for you, or do you want to waste our time with another argument?” Kaede growled at Korekiyo.

“...No. I believe that’s more than enough,” Korekiyo admitted, applauding mildly. “Well done, Saihara-kun. I hereby concede defeat.”

“Finally, I thought you’d never say that,” Shuichi groaned. “That was nerve-wracking to pull off.”

“You did it, Shuichi!” Kaede cheered. “I knew you could lead this trial where it’s gotta go!”

“Nothing but the best from my bro!” Kaito rooted, proud. “Instead of letting too many of your nerves get the better of ya, you stomped them into the dust and kept going on past danger!”

Shuichi blushed, smiling flattered. “Oh, it wasn’t much. I’m no detective, but I’m trying my best here.”

“Hey, this isn’t something to just think of as any little thing,” Rantaro stated. “You cleared two more people of suspicion, and helped us determine exactly what time the poison was made at.”

“I did?”

“Yeah. My little dine-in with Ouma-kun didn’t happen until around 5:30, which is roughly the time the culprit left after making the poison. To be more specific, I’d say they left at 5:35 or so.”

“That explains why we didn’t see anyone near the warehouse,” Kirumi realized, “because the killer didn’t act until the three of us were long gone!”

“Oh no! If we’d stayed longer, then we could have saved Maki-san…!” Tenko cried. “I’m so ashamed!”

“You and me both,” Himiko sighed. “She was crabby and not too fun to work with, but that doesn’t mean she should have died or anything.”

“Even if you’d stayed longer, it’s likely the culprit would have still gone through with their plan, but improvised,” Korekiyo reassured them. “No one is at fault here except for them.”

“And now that we’ve narrowed down what time they tried to pull a fast one at, there’s no way out for ‘em!” Kaito declared.

“But, if it wasn’t Kaede that killed Maki for the teddy bear, why did someone else?” Angie inquired. “It doesn’t make sense to try and take something you shouldn’t have.”

“Yeah, that’s a good point,” Miu agreed. “How come some other freak offed her for nothing? Did they hate her that much?”

“Maybe it was someone looking for their item, and they needed a way to steal it back without getting punished,” Kiibo speculated. “Even if Harukawa-san wasn’t the one, there still needed to be a murder happening in order to safely switch.”

“Is that right? I was under the impression that it was kill whoever had your item,” Tsumugi said.

“But, you wouldn’t know that until you asked around or snooped,” Kirumi answered.

“So, they just— used her?! For some crummy present?!” Kaito roared. “Just when I thought they couldn’t get more evil!”

“That’s one possibility, yes,” Korekiyo calmly spoke. “But, I’m thinking of another you might come to find more likely.”

“Another reason why Harukawa got killed over a bear?” Himiko asked.

“Sort of, but the bear is no longer a necessity for the murder. Well, it is, but not for the reason you think.”

 _‘I’m starting to think so, too,’_ Shuichi agreed mentally. _‘The teddy bear was found in Maki’s room, but…’_

  1. Maki actually owned it
  2. **It didn’t belong there**
  3. Korekiyo dropped it by mistake



“That’s it! The bear wasn’t supposed to be with Maki in the first place!”

“Excuse me?” Tenko quizzed. “Why not?”

“Maybe there was some sort of mix-up,” Rantaro figured. “A present that was meant for Akamatsu-san wound up in the wrong room when the Monokubs handed them out.”

“Nonsense! It may have been dark, but that list of ours was checked twice!” Monosuke bellowed. “The items we put down were exactly where they should have been.”

“WHAT-DO-YOU-TAKE-US-FOR?” Monodam asked. “IDIOTS?”

“More than that,” Kaede said bluntly. “But, now we’re back at an impasse. If the Monokubs say they didn’t put any items in the wrong room, why was mine in Maki’s when the killer wasn’t looking for it in the first place?”

“There’s still the ‘kill Harukawa-san to get out of punishment’ strategy,” Kiibo theorized. “But, that’d require going around interrogating everyone until you come across your present.”

“Which didn’t happen, and wouldn’t because that would give the culprit’s identity away as soon as the body was discovered,” Miu stated. “Something ain’t right, but what is it?”

“Perhaps the reason for Akamatsu-san’s item being in an unusual room has more… deceptive motivations behind it,” Korekiyo hinted. “Would you not all agree that’s very likely?”

“Deceptive? Like— trying to throw us all off track with a trick?” Kaito guessed.

“That’s right. And there’s only one trick they could think to attempt.”

 _‘I’ve got some ideas on why the bear wound up in Maki’s bedroom when it had nothing to do with the culprit, but I’ll need to go over them carefully and pick the one that makes the most sense,’_ Shuichi decided.

* * *

_Psyche Taxi_

_Start!_

_3_

_2_

_1_

_GO!!_

Now inside of a bright yellow cab, Shuichi buckled up and drove off down a tropical boulevard lined with palm trees and headed for a city colored abstractly only with different shades of pink underneath green clouds drifting along a red sky. Along the roadside, billboards depicted the same moment, where he was taken from his seat by Himiko and Kirumi to join the idol group before knowing of it at the time. Prismatic boxes were scattered far apart across his driving path, running into them only causing absorption and insight rather than an untimely collision. Considering it was all in his mind, no accidents happening had been understandable. He’d run into enough boxes to get the question he needed to answer first, taking him into a new area.

**Who had the teddy bear in their possession first?**

_☆ THINKING TIME ☆_

He passed through flashy, electric pink scenery that would look more in place at night for a bustling, big city. Street lamps also lit his way, two abstract ladies with answer bubbles above their heads waiting to be picked up if they could answer the question unlocked recently. One said “Maki Harukawa”, and the other read “The killer”, Shuichi driving right into the second when he found her to be the one and letting her hitch a ride in his cab. They kept going, leaving the city life behind under rows of green signs reading “Next Question” repeatedly until it brought him to the desert and several more colorful boxes of letter bits. More came his way, the car’s hood smashing into them until yet another inquiry popped up.

**When was the teddy bear planted?**

_☆ THINKING TIME ☆_

The night life of the bright pink city returned after he got past desert billboards showing him revealing to Kiibo he’d received the dangerous replica of the entomologist’s childhood chemistry set from the Monokubs overnight. Another pair of pink ladies waited for him, giving him the option of picking up “Before Maki died” or “After Maki died”. Driving more towards the second, Shuichi rammed into her and picked her up unscathed, now chauffeuring both of his passengers along the lengthy road for discovering the next question. He now passed tall, glowing blue buildings and billboards showing Sixth Sensation performing in Kirumi’s Lab before a small crowd the fateful night of the concert, hitting more hint boxes under rows of street lamps. Enough had broken against his taxi, revealing the final question and allowing him to progress.

**Why was the teddy bear placed in Maki’s room?**

_☆ THINKING TIME ☆_

Now approaching him in the pink city scenery were a third pair of abstract women awaiting their ride. He had the option of choosing just one; either going with “Left behind by accident” or “To frame Kaede for the murder” for his last and most definite answer. The car turned, ignoring the incorrect answer and instead running over the latter to let her hitch a ride. Shuichi now had everything he needed sitting in the back seat, every piece coming together nicely for his deduction.

_Phase 1: Who had the teddy bear in their possession first?_

**The killer**

_Phase 2: When was the teddy bear planted?_

**After Maki died**

_Phase 3:_ _Why was the teddy bear placed in Maki’s room?_

**To frame Kaede for the murder**

“It connects!” Shuichi exclaimed.

_Complete!_

* * *

“The Monokubs may have known what they were putting down that night the motive was released, but they couldn’t have seen what happened after,” Shuichi concluded. “In fact, they never gave the teddy bear to Maki at all.”

“Wasn’t it found in her room? Where else would she get it?” Kaito asked.

“Maybe she traded with someone!” Kiibo suggested. “We weren’t allowed to trade for our own items, but no one said anything about trading for a different one!”

“Tell me why she’d do that, though,” Rantaro argued. “Harukawa-san wouldn’t cover for anyone and risk getting axed, nor was she the type to care about what someone else might need to get.”

“Also, you can’t assume trading for an item that’s not yours doesn’t violate the rule,” Kirumi noted.

“Well, it doesn't, but none of you knew that!” Monokuma cackled. “You all could have just asked me or one of the cubs, but no! Communication is deader than—”

“—Don’t. Say it,” Kaito snarled, glaring burning swords at him.

“Ah, you’re right. You get the point, and saying it won’t bring her back anyways, will it?”

“YOU HEARTLESS PIECE OF—!”

“—Kaito, cool it. Don’t feed the shark bait and you can’t get bitten,” Kaede cautioned. “He’s not worth any of our troubles.”

Still seething, Kaito gave in reluctantly. “Got it…”

“Okay, if she didn’t willingly trade for it, how did the teddy bear get in her room without risking punishment?” Kiibo quizzed. “This was while no one knew about the full conditions of the exchange.”

“Easy. Not only did **the killer** have Akamatsu-san’s item initially, but they planted it in Maki’s room **after getting rid of her** to get out of potential consequence.”

“What?! Why go through all of that effort and switch her motive item in out of the blue?” Tenko wondered. “And wouldn’t she have had her door locked being so cautious around most of us?”

“It wasn’t done out of the blue. Because the killer was trying to **pin the crime** on Akamatsu-san so no one would find out they were trying to get their item back from Maki’s clutches. As for why her door wasn’t locked, she probably wasn’t feeling well enough after ingesting so many blood thinners and couldn’t get up from her bed as easily.”

“Couldn’t she have done it before crashing?” Rantaro queried.

“She likely prioritized laying down for a short while first before locking her door because of how unwell she’d felt,” Korekiyo refuted. “However, Death clearly had another idea in mind and refused her the last say.”

“And of all the people, the killer chose me to take the blame for them?!” Kaede exclaimed amid everyone’s shock.

“Well, not to defend a murderer, but you aren’t exactly the most trustworthy anymore,” Tsumugi said, her mild tone betraying how blunt the statement was. “No one could be blamed for believing you did it.”

“Tsumugi-san… don’t,” Tenko scolded. “Kaede-san’s already been through a lot today alone; she doesn’t need this from you. Leave her alone and knock it off.”

“Hey, I’m only just saying. No one knows what she’s capable of.”

“She said drop it,” Rantaro bit. “It’s over, she’s clean, we’re not touching it again. End of story.”

“Okay, okay! Sorry…”

“If Akamatsu was framed and the real killer got her item first, how are we supposed to know who it is?” Himiko asked. “No one saw them switch it around and we don’t know everyone’s motive items.”

“I’m starting to regret not talking about this sooner,” Shuichi sighed. “Before it all went from bad to worse, that is.”

“And just tell everyone who’s got what and speed up my death? As if!” Miu spat.

“None of this is about you!” Kaito yelled. “Maki still died because of this motive whether or not we talked about it! Quit turning someone’s death into a way to gloat! That’s sick!”

“Heeee! I’m so sorry! R-Really, I am! That one just s-slipped out, but I’m not enjoying a second of this either…!”

“Iruma-san, just remember this and move forward,” Korekiyo advised. “You cannot take back your words, but you can prevent others from being spoken later.”

“O-Okay…”

“As for you, Momota-kun, I understand your loss,” Kirumi clarified, “but under no circumstances should you take it out on other people like this. Not even Miu-san acting crass is an excuse.”

“Besides, remember the last time you started a fight during a trial,” Korekiyo reminded him. “This won’t end well for you either.”

“Fine,” Kaito sighed. “Sorry about that, Iruma.”

“Yeah— whatever. I-I just got over it!” Miu insisted. “Do you wanna find Harucaca’s killer or what?”

“I’m only taking one of those options and it ain’t ‘or what’! Shuichi, there’s a way to determine who had Kaede’s item and you know so! What is it?!”

“Slow down, we haven’t gotten that far yet,” Shuichi said. “There’s not many people that could get close enough to Maki, and we’ve already ruled out the two that could. Being you and Akamatsu-san.”

“And no one saw her during the day outside of breakfast, did they?” Kaede asked.

“How could we? She only trusts three people enough to be around them willingly, and that’s you guys,” Angie spoke up. “Besides that, her approaching anyone else is virtually impossible.”

“Wait, go back for a moment, Yonaga-san?” Korekiyo requested.

“To which part? On how Maki doesn’t get close to very many people?”

“A tad further.”

“‘How could we’?”

“Not that far.”

“Oh! ‘She only trusts three people enough to be around them’—”

“— _Willingly_. But, was she only around them and no one else? From yesterday morning until her demise?”

“I don’t see why she wouldn’t be,” Tsumugi said. “Loner types still shun the rest of the world even after finding people they like.”

“This has nothing to do with Harukawa-san’s preferences. Her interactions with other people were mandatory.”

 _‘Mandatory… who would those people be?’_ Shuichi imagined.

  1. **Sixth Sensation**
  2. The Monokubs
  3. Rantaro & Ouma



“That’s it! Maki was around us in her free time, but the rest of it was spent rehearsing with the idol group, plus Yumeno-san and Toujou-san.”

“Which means, everyone who was involved in working on the concert had the most access to her yesterday,” Kaede noted. “Because after 6 pm, Maki would be around plenty of people."

“But, how would the culprit get in and poison her?” Himiko pressed. “No one was allowed inside Kirumi’s Lab except cast and crew.”

“It’s true,” Tenko admitted. “As soon as I finished helping get supplies, I wouldn't set foot past that door. Hence why I was the ticket counter outside during admissions.”

“You were still a very big help for us,” Kirumi praised. “Don’t think of it as being too small to make a deal of.”

“And, you did a good job at making sure people didn’t come in without a flyer,” Himiko added. “We still needed your help, and you gave it to us.”

“Really? I was doing that well?” Tenko squeaked, blushing. “I mean, I’m sure someone else would have done just as good of a job and everyone gets let in as long as they have a ticket.”

“Now that you’re bringing this back up, Yumeno-san, that locks down who our culprit could be,” Shuichi said. “To get close enough to Maki, and it wasn’t Akamatsu-san or Kaito, they’d definitely have to be allowed in Toujou-san’s Research Lab to be around her long enough to poison her!”

“You mean one of the cast members is the killer?” Kirumi gasped. “To think we sealed a victim in with her future murderer…”

“The concert didn’t cause Harukawa-san’s death. It’s hard tying a fun event and one of Monokuma’s motives together,” Kiibo said.

“And, we made plans for this well before the motive was released,” Himiko reassured Kirumi.

“Yes, yes, this is all very true. But, that doesn’t exactly soften the fact that somebody died very well, now does it?” Kirumi sighed. “So, how do we narrow down which of the cast is the culprit?”

“One of them had Kaede’s item, so it has to be them!” Angie pointed out.

“Which we still have no way to figure out,” Rantaro reminded her. “Does anyone know what any of the cast members were doing before setup?”

“I’d bet it was that good-for-nothing deadbeat, Iidabashi-kun!” Monotaro claimed. “He looks fishy just standing there all nervous and whatnot!”

“How is Kiibo-kun a deadbeat?” Shuichi wondered.

“Don’t pay any mind to them. These bears all have a screw loose that I’m not fixing,” Rantaro sighed. “But, we might as well ask Iidabashi-kun about this.”

“Aaaand this is back, ladies and gentlemen!” Kiibo griped, throwing his hands up annoyed. “Is this going to be a recurring thing of me being accused of killing someone due to untimely circumstances?”

“We’re not saying you did it this time,” Himiko said. “But, since you’re now on deck, you ought to start spilling the beans.”

“I— umm, I don’t know if I should say it. In fact, that might make things even worse.”

“Keebs, it’s cool,” Miu comforted. “If you didn’t do it, you don’t have to be worried! What could you have been doing that was so bad?”

“Believe me, if people are quick to jump onto Akamatsu-san’s case, who’s to say they aren’t gonna do the same to me for telling them my alibi.”

“Were you planning a murder?”

“No!”

“Then it’s all good.”

“So you say right now. I was… somewhere I probably shouldn’t have been, and I don’t want you all getting the wrong idea. But, it wasn’t the kitchen!”

“You’ll still need to tell us where and when you were before setup,” Kaede encouraged.

“Oooh, I’ve got a guess!” Ouma spoke up after staying quiet for so long.

“No, you don’t! You’re just gonna tell us tall tales and then accuse Iidabashi of murder he didn’t commit!” Kaito barked.

“You were doing well staying quiet, don’t break it now, you degenerate male!” Tenko growled.

“Guys, I think my headache has come back,” Himiko groaned, pulling her hat rim over her annoyed look thrown at Ouma. “I can’t imagine why…”

“Aww, I still can’t speak? Too bad, ‘cause I had some really good info for all of you,” Ouma fake-whimpered.

“We said shut up!” Kaito yelled, finally getting Ouma back to silence. “Geez. Are class trials mandatory for everyone?”

“Yes,” Monokuma answered. “Rule number two states the class trials must be attended by every living student, no exceptions!”

“Kiibo, you can tell us where you were, and we’ll understand,” Shuichi said comfortingly.

“Promise?” Kiibo uttered.

“Heart crossed and hoping not to die. Go on.”

“Alright. Everyone… I was in the basement. The library, to be exact.”

“Why were you in there?” Tsumugi wondered. “Didn’t we all agree it’s off-limits after what happened?”

“Yes! But, I can explain why I was down there. And it wasn’t to go near the D-O-O-R, either. It was… well, I couldn’t just leave it behind forever.” Kiibo recalled his visit to the library, kneeling adjacent to yellow police tape sealing off the Mastermind’s shelf and leaving offerings near the dreaded empty spot where misfortune had ensued. “I could still at least pay my respects to Gonta. Even if it still leaves a scar, I don’t want him forgotten just because he’s gone. So, I spent a little time down there to mourn a little before the concert.”

“Oh,” Himiko rued, feeling bad for him. “Why didn’t you say that sooner? No one would have harped on you for it. ...Right?” She raised her eyebrow at Kaito, who turned his head away.

“ _Right_ ,” Kaito emphasized. “You guys really don’t know how to drop shit in the past, do ya?”

“We only seek to avoid upsetting one whose heart still aches for those they miss,” Angie said. “Kiibo was doing nothing save for honoring the fallen Gonta where he’d met his end.”

“Okay! I get it, I said I was sorry; leave it in the past. I was never gonna get on his case to begin with…”

“And before any of you ask, this was done at 5:30 and I was only there for 20 minutes before I had to hurry to set up,” Kiibo clarified.

“Which also rules out the culprit being you and leaves four more suspects,” Shuichi noted. “Our options are now just Shinguuji-kun, Yonaga-san, Iruma-san, and… myself.”

“So, Mr. Detective is a primary suspect after all,” Himiko commented. “And you tried to discount yourself earlier and everything.”

“How suspicious…” Tenko pondered, leering at Korekiyo. “I had a feeling the alleged sleuth would pull off the perfect murder that no one would notice. Anything for a male to make a poor maiden suffer in horrible ways!”

“Rather than allow you two to accuse me of this crime, why don’t we quickly disprove it?” Korekiyo suggested. “One of us here was so kind as to loan me cold, hard proof for why I’m innocent during the investigation.”

“Oh? Who was it?” Kirumi asked, deeply hoping Korekiyo wouldn’t turn out to secretly be the culprit after all.

“Probably Shuichi, I’d bet! Always the man anyone can rely on!” Kaito cheered.

“No, not him, though he was helpful. Rather, it’s somebody you’d expect the least that’s responsible for providing this to me.”

 _‘Someone we’d expect the least… who could that be?’_ Shuichi asked himself.

  1. Kaede Akamatsu
  2. Tenko
  3. **Kokichi Ouma**



“That’s it! Shinguuji-kun, the one that helped you out earlier… was it Ouma-kun?”

“Yes,” Korekiyo answered. “I ran into him on my way to meet back up with you, and he provided me with the one thing that can help us determine Harukawa-san’s killer.”

“Him?!” Kaito blurted out, pointing to Ouma idly paying no heed to the rest of the class. “Are you pulling my leg or something, man?”

“Yeah, excuse me if I have a hard time believing Ouma-kun did something right,” Tsumugi mused. “Maybe part of him is joking just a little…”

“Shinguuji-kun isn’t the joking type, here or outside a trial,” Kaede hissed. “He can’t even move his mouth past a flat line or a frown.”

“And I assure you all, I am not messing with your heads,” Korekiyo insisted again, unfazed by Kaede’s remark. “He can best explain what he’d done.”

Ouma was dead silent, but smiling whilst bobbing his head and ignoring everyone. “Hello?” Shuichi called. Still nothing. “We know you can hear us, Ouma-kun.”

“Say something! You were talking all that good shit a second ago!” Miu shouted, still getting no response. “Hey! Earth to Cockitchy, quit blue-balling us!”

“Great, he’s ignoring us because we all told him to shut up earlier,” Kaede guessed.

“Be careful what you wish for, I guess,” Himiko sighed. “The one time he knows we actually need him and he instead puts up the silent treatment attitude like a spoiled brat.”

“That’s not helping. Stop. We just need to take a careful approach to getting him to talk is all.”

“Iidabashi, Shinguuji, why don’t you guys try something?” Kaito suggested. “You’re both usually around him a lot, so he might listen a little better if you reason with him.”

“Us?” Kiibo repeated. “It’s worth a shot. What do you say, Shinguuji-kun?”

“There won’t be a guarantee, but it’s better than doing nothing,” Korekiyo agreed. “If we can’t get anything from him, I fear we’re all doomed.”

“You’ll do just fine,” Kirumi told him, a soft smile sent his way. “Your way with words certainly knows how to bring just about anything out in people.”

“Do you really think so? Well, then maybe I won’t have too much of an issue if I’m fortunate…”

“Good luck, you guys,” Kaito wished. “You’ll need as much of it as you can get.”

 _‘We need Ouma-kun to give us the full story of Shinguuji-kun’s evidence, but that first requires him speaking,’_ Shuichi thought. _‘Let’s see if we’re able to do it, because I don’t wanna think about failing this.’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate_

_Start!_

**|| Ouma’s Testimony >**

**|| White Elephant Exchange List >**

**|| Monokuma File #2 >**

**|| Rolling Pin >**

**|| Blood Thinner Pills >**

“Doesn’t he realize that if he doesn’t speak up, **we’re all done for**?!” Tenko cried. “That includes him!”

“If that were enough to convince him to stop being stubborn, this wouldn’t be happening,” Kirumi sighed. “Ouma-kun, we need your help this time. Please tell us what you found that will **cut down the motive**.” Despite her polite plea, Ouma stayed silent.

“Wow, he’s really holding onto this,” Himiko remarked. “I’d almost be proud of him if this wasn’t about to kill me.”

“Over my dead body!” Tenko objected. “Ouma-san, please tell us how you’ve **proven the killer’s identity**! I promise not to scold you as much if you do!” Nothing, in fact ignoring Tenko even harder. “So much for that…”

“He’s bound to listen to you and me the least,” Kaito sighed. “If only Harumaki made a **persuasion potion** before she died…”

“This isn’t a game,” Kiibo told the astronaut, who continued denying him words. “I get it. You’re mad because you got yelled at before and no one likes being on that receiving end, but think of **what’s at stake** here.”

“None of us here deserve to die while the culprit goes free,” Korekiyo reasoned. “That includes you when I say that.” He managed to get a glance, but was ultimately disregarded.

“Ouma-kun, if you won’t do it for anyone else… then at least remember to save your own life. Because if we don’t vote for **the right culprit** , you’ll be one of the people dying.”

“Which means, no more blowing up the planet and the human race with it. You haven’t forgotten that part, have you?”

“Hmm…” Ouma uttered. “You know, it’s the darnedest thing. None of you need me or want me saying a peep until the very moment you actually realize I’m useful. **Pretty ironic** seeing that, ain’t it? You need _me_ to save a bunch of selfish, talking meat slugs who don’t and won’t deserve my help at all.”

“It’s over, we’re all cooked!” Tsumugi wailed.

“Pack it in, everyone, it was a good shot…” Himiko sighed.

“But, I don’t want anybody to die here!” Tenko whined. “Especially not you, Himiko-chan! You’re too cute and cuddly to die!”

“Nyeh, don’t say it like I’m your pet bunny or something, Tenko. That’s embarrassing.”

“It is? Sorry.”

“No! **I’m not giving up on him or anyone else here**!” Kiibo declared. “Ouma-kun, we might not be the most deserving of your help right now or ever, but whether or not you decide to speak up will determine whether a killer goes free or not. Think what you may of everyone, but would you rather let that happen personally?”

“You have the option to either do the right thing— even if only for yourself— or to completely forgo it and get dragged under with all of us who haven’t committed murder,” Korekiyo wagered. “What do you think is the smartest choice?”

“Busting a murderer or dying too soon…” Ouma pondered, tapping his chin. “What’s the magic word?”

“PLEASE!” Korekiyo and Kiibo shouted.

“Nishishi! No need to yell, all you had to do was ask!” Ouma grinned, his arms behind his back.

“Finally, he’s speaking up…” Kaito sighed. “So, tell us. How’d you find out **who initially had Kaede’s bear**?” No answer. “...Ouma? Didn’t you hear me?”

“We’ll do the talking here,” Kiibo politely insisted. “Well? What did you do?”

“Oh, that’s an easy one,” Ouma said casually. “I **compiled a list** of everyone’s motive items, including the identity of the ‘sender’.”

**|| White Elephant Exchange List >**

“I agree!” Shuichi confirmed.

_Break!_

* * *

“I didn’t get to read the list myself yet, but apparently, Ouma-kun showed Shinguuji-kun the list of who got what present,” he spoke.

“An entire list?!” Kiibo gawked. “That’s amazing!”

“I know,” Ouma boasted. “See where you Earthlings would be without my input you said wouldn’t help anyone? Dead. You’d all be dead.”

“We get it, stop rubbing it in,” Kaito groaned. “My bad and others’ for telling you to clam up like that.”

“Eh, I don’t even care anymore. It happens all the ding-dong time.”

“Then why did you—?! Bah, forget it.”

“Hold on! If it’s a list of everyone’s items, that means you busted into 13 whole dorm rooms!” Miu gasped. “And don’t gimme the cop-out of how they might’ve been unlocked; I seriously doubt that in a killing game unless you were dropped on the head as a baby!”

“Because they weren’t, cum dumpster fire. I broke in and got the information all by myself.”

“C-Cum dumpster—?!” Miu shivered, her cheeks red hot while unable to help grinning. “Oooh, that’s definitely a new one…! Not bad!”

“As I was saying, I took action when none of you bothered to because you were all too busy pretending ‘teamwork’ and ‘cooperation’ doesn’t do diddly-dee squat! And yet, here I am generously sharing with you people the most crucial piece of this trial retrieved on a solo mission in the definite event of a murder going down. You’re welcome.”

“Well, how do you know your evidence is legit?” Tsumugi questioned. “Just because you wrote down every item doesn’t mean it couldn’t have been updated.”

“Yeah, and we’ve figured out that Maki-san never had Kaede-san’s item until the culprit put it there on purpose,” Tenko added. “If your list has that on it, then I’m afraid it won’t help us very much at all!”

“Good news for you, then, because it doesn’t!” Ouma chirped. “Everything’s completely up-to-date, and proves who killed Harukawa-chan.”

“Ah, but how can we confirm that?” Angie pressed.

“Yes, how indeed?” Korekiyo asked rhetorically, turning his head to Shuichi. “Although the list is highly valid from my checking of it, I’m sure one of us still has proof in case others remain skeptical, yes?”

 _‘For once, Ouma-kun doesn’t seem to be lying to us if Shinguuji-kun believes him,’_ Shuichi imagined. _‘A way of proving the list isn’t outdated…’_

**|| Ouma’s Testimony >**

“This is it!” he exclaimed. “The list is up-to-date because since Ouma-kun was eating with Amami-kun at 5:30 and stayed for only half an hour, he could leave and go put the list together, which was the last time he was at the Dormitory until it was time for bed.”

“And the victim didn’t die until 8:17, after which the teddy bear got switched in to frame Akamatsu-chan,” Ouma expressed. “Even if I wanted to dick off until the last minute, I’d get caught before red-handed I could finish the list!”

“So, if you knew the entire time who really had my item, why did you act like I’m the culprit earlier?” Kaede hissed.

“There’s no harm in building up a little tension. We still had a lot left to go over, and I was saving the best for last! You got proven innocent after, didn’t you?”

“It still would’ve been nice to not have to go through all of that.”

“Listen, Akamatsu-chan. If you want something so badly, sometimes you need to do a little digging to really have it. That’s a philosophy you’ve been following lately, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, but I still don’t think it was that necessary…”

“It is when my testimony saves the day in the end. You knew you didn’t do it either, so you had nothing to be afraid of!”

“Speaking of which, you and Amami-kun almost have matching testimonies, but akin to being ‘two sides of the same coin’,” Kirumi commented. “I guess one person doesn’t always have the full story on them.”

“Do we? I guess that makes us soulmates!”

“I dunno if I’d be interested in that sorta commitment, sorry, Ouma-kun,” Rantaro chuckled. “Kind offer, though. I’m sure there’s better fish in the sea.”

“The sea can keep its fish. I’m saving my body for the space babes!”

“Discuss that later,” Kaede politely advised. “Can we see the list you made?”

“Oh, I don’t have it.”

“What?! Why not?”

“Because! I gave it to Kiyo-chan for safekeeping. Why are you holding out on us, Inspector? Don’t be shy!”

“I’m— not shy,” Korekiyo avered. “But, your account was necessary for confirming this list can be used after all since we needed the time it’d been made from you. And, I figured you of everyone deserves a chance to speak your mind, seeing as you’re responsible for this wonderful contribution.”

Ouma beamed. “D’aww, shucks! You flatter me so! Give yourself some credit, too. You didn’t tear up the list and call it nonsense when the chance to was there.”

“Hush, I would never do such an inconsiderate thing. Saihara-kun, you said you never got the chance to read the list yourself, did you?”

“Uhhh, that’s right,” Shuichi gulped. “Could I have it?”

“Of course.” Korekiyo left his podium and handed the folded piece of paper over to him, going back in a single motion. “There you are. Would you be so kind as to tell us all which of the likelier suspects carried Akamatsu-san’s item the first time?”

“Or even better! Whose item Harukawa-chan had!” Ouma cackled. “That would _really_ shake things up and tell us the killer’s motive!”

“Either or…” Shuichi uttered, unfolding the paper and looking down the list for a match. “Okay, all thirteen of us are on here like Ouma-kun said. Wow, that’s what some of the other items wound up being? How did the Monokubs even get half of these?”

“Spill it, Pooichi!” Miu ordered. “Forget everyone else right now; skip ahead to Harukawa’s name on the list!”

“Yeah, don’t sugarcoat anything! Whoever you have to expose, I’ll take it!” Kaito vowed. “I’ve got full faith in both my sidekicks today and any ones after this!”

“Now you’re dragging poor Shuichi into the ‘sidekick’ schtick, too,” Kaede exhaled wearily. “You’ll have to call us something else at some point.”

“Alright, I’m getting to it right now. Slow down and let me find it.” Shuichi looked, finally coming across Maki’s portion and the original motive item and staring at the other name stunned on his own two feet. _‘Ah-ha! I knew it! This couldn’t belong to just anybody here! It makes too much sense for the killer to be one person, and one person only. One person who went out of their way to kill Maki in such a horrific, gut-wrenching way, and that’s…!’_

**_Whose Item Did Maki Really Receive?_ **

**_Select Someone!_ **

“It has to be you!” Shuichi declared, pointing his finger to the accused with personal certainty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Son of a bitch, I don't even remember what I put here before because of the fucking error, kill me =m="
> 
> A bit of a bummer to end on a cliffhanger, but it helps build up the suspense in time for the next part where everything's all revealed at once and is typically tradition for a class trial. Hopefully, the culprit hasn't been made too obvious yet, but if it was, that's fine, too since we're nearing the end anyways. I'm curious at what you guys wind up making of this now that more evidence has been given context!
> 
> Until next time, my lovely readers! I await it with baited breath and will see you with the next chapter!


	21. Episode XX: Class Trial 2.3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Execution, angst, you know the drill
> 
> Last chapter ended on a cliffhanger, but this one's the mattress that's gonna catch you all underneath. Not that these trials will exceed 3 chapters, but no less. It's the very last part of Trial 2, so hang onto your seats when you start reading this! It's nice and long as per most trial finales, so you'll have plenty to enjoy. Happy Reading, guys! Hope you like what I've got ready for ya! ♥

“This crime was most likely committed… by you, Yonaga-san,” Shuichi said, his finger directly on the anthropologist.

“Huh? Me?” Angie wondered. “I’m the prime suspect now?”

“Yes. According to Ouma-kun’s list, Maki’s item is listed as a ‘Freaky Skull’ in his words. As for the one you got, it says it’s the teddy bear. Both of those bring me to believe that you’re responsible for killing her.”

“Angie-san is the killer?” Tenko rasped, appalled. “But, why would you do something like this? Why?”

“I dunno, but she’d better start thinking of a way out of this,” Kaito snarled, blood boiling. “If you’re really the culprit, Yonaga, then I don’t care that you’re a girl! You’re gonna pay for what you did to her!”

“Yeah, ‘if’,” Himiko fought. “This has to be a misunderstanding. Angie wouldn’t do anything this bad. Right? Murder is a sin that Atua frowns upon when done to the undeserving.”

“Of course,” Angie agreed calmly. “As His most faithful disciple, I shall never go against His wishes and do something so unthinkable. For innocent blood to stain my hands, that would make me unworthy of my Lords.”

“And you really think you’re not?” Kaito growled. “You killed Maki!”

“No, she didn’t,” Himiko bit. “Who cares what item Angie got or wanted? She’s not the only person left on the suspect list. Or did you guys suddenly forget all about Shinguuji and Iruma? Even Saihara hasn’t done much to defend his case.”

“Precisely,” Angie concurred, still smiling. “Singling me out from the rest of you is no good! Looking too much at one person allows the real culprit to sneak away behind your back~!”

“Yeah, what did she ever do to you guys? Especially you, Saihara. She helped unblock your not-ninja chakras and you repay her by accusing her of murder?”

“The three of us have items that don’t connect to Maki at all,” Shuichi spoke up. “Iruma-san had some kind of name tag from an old job that Shinguuji-kun got, my item was a deluxe training dummy that was actually given to you, Yumeno-san, and lastly—”

“—My exchange present was left in Ouma-kun’s possession,” Korekiyo interrupted. “Needless to say, you obviously didn’t see me killing him for it, nor was I aware prior to receiving the list while investigating.”

“Wait, that was a training dummy?” Himiko wondered. “I just thought I got some fancy mannequin and kept one of the costumes on there until it was ready for the concert.”

“You used it as a—? Nevermind,” Shuichi sighed. “The point still stands for Yonaga-san being our prime suspect. Maki was killed so the culprit could get back their item, and the list says it was a skull meant for—”

“—List, schmist! You’re actually gonna believe a liar like Ouma? I thought you guys had more sense than that.”

“It’s different when his evidence actually has enough to validate it,” Korekiyo stated.

“Himiko-san, none of us are asking you to be okay with this, but you must consider the rather high odds of Yonaga-san—” Kirumi began.

“—No! Angie didn’t do anything! I-I refuse to believe it! You can’t prove she’s guilty!”

“Geez, we know it sucks because of how much you hang around that weirdo, but a lot adds up!” Miu piped in.

“It does not! Right, Angie?”

“Right,” Angie hummed. “If Atua wanted me to confess to a crime I’ve committed, then He would advise me to. But, alas, He hasn’t, so I shan’t. Your guess, while it makes sense, is simply incorrect. I was born to cherish the distinct lives that roam this mortal plane, not end them. And certainly not so with my own soul as a price.”

“Of course you don’t confess right away,” Kaede murmured, glaring particularly at Angie. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be, either of you.”

“You really think you’re in the place to deny what you did?!” Kaito barked. “If you can’t so much as face your crime, then you shouldn’t have done it in the first place!”

“There is no need for me to face anything. I haven’t committed the crime you accuse me of,” Angie simply stated.

“Despite the proof we have against you currently?” Kirumi pressed. “How could you think to disprove any of it?”

“Simple. I didn’t kill Maki and wouldn’t, so that’s the end of it.”

“You think that means anything?!” Miu barked. “Quit bein’ such a pussy and admit you’re the killer, Angina!”

 _‘It’s gonna be a broken record with her at this rate,’_ Shuichi realized. _‘If we want Yonaga-san to confess the truth, we’ll have no choice but to pull it out of her ourselves!’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate_

_Start!_

**|| Rolling Pin >**

**|| Monokuma File #2 >**

**|| Wet Concert Flyer >**

**|| Teddy Bear With Knife >**

**|| Autograph Session Attendance >**

“Angie’s not a murderer,” Himiko claimed. “Sure, she seems more on the odd side, but she still has lots of morals.”

“Yeah, clearly not enough of them **not to kill someone** ,” Ouma snorted. “Who you claim to be as a person doesn’t matter if you’re the culprit.”

“Did I ask you? I don’t remember doing that.”

“Wow, and I thought Momota-chan was this deep in denial. I completely take back ever saying that!”

“This isn’t about me! It’s about catching a criminal!” Kaito sputtered.

“Ouma-kun has a point this time, Yumeno-san,” Kiibo argued. “There’s no one else on the list who would have **any reason for killing Harukawa-san** , or be able to switch in the bear as a red herring.”

“How can you be so sure I’m the one?” Angie asked playfully. “Perhaps I did **put the teddy bear down** , but someone else could have killed her and left an opening for me to do so.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Kirumi said. “If somebody else were to kill Harukawa-san, but fail to find their item, they’d have no way of accessing any other room short of breaking in.”

“Which we would’ve known happened after we all turned in for the night,” Tsumugi stated. “It’s just not possible for **anyone else to be the killer**.”

“Oh no, that isn’t true!” Angie chirped. “Every one of you neglects to recall what happened before bedtime, but after our concert. That’s very crucial in determining our true culprit!”

“After… oh, you mean the **autograph meet-and-greet** , right?” Kaede inquired.

“Yes, yes! Think back to it, was everybody who could be there present?”

“Well, we did say it was entirely optional to attend,” Kirumi brought up. “Although, that didn’t stop us from **having such a high turnout**.”

“Please answer the question, Kirumi! We’re all waiting to find the true killer.”

“It’s you! Shuichi wouldn’t just botch that after spending so much time picking through the evidence!” Kaito yelled, getting ignored by Angie right away.

“Since none of you seem to want the truth, I’ll reveal what Atua recalls very distinctly,” Angie crooned. “There were a few that failed to arrive on time to the autographing session.” She kept smiling, but it now carried a darker, warning demeanor. “All of you are completely ignoring the fact that **some of us either came in late, or didn’t show up at all**.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right,” Himiko realized. “That gives you guys even less of a reason to blame Angie.”

“But, just because some of us straggled behind doesn’t make anyone else the culprit,” Rantaro said.

“It’d still call attention to what some of the others were doing. Remind us again, Angie, on who these people were?”

“Why, I’d be more than happy to!” Angie chimed. “Other than the dearly departed, **only Tenko and Miu did not arrive, while Korekiyo was extremely tardy**.”

**|| Autograph Session Attendance >**

“That’s wrong!” Shuichi exclaimed.

_Break!_

* * *

“Although it’s true those three were either late or didn’t come, they aren’t the only ones it applies to,” he resumed. “Yumeno-san, didn’t you mention earlier how **Yonaga-san went to ‘freshen up’** for a bit?”

“So?” Himiko challenged. “I saw her go inside the girls’ bathroom right around the corner from the dining hall before I went back in. I wasn’t gonna make her hold in her pee or look all sweaty before signing autographs.”

“If you returned to the dining hall after, that means you didn’t necessarily see what happened after, did you?”

“Nyeh?”

“Just because she looked like she was going to piss doesn’t mean she actually did!” Miu snapped. “The same thing happened with Hoshi; the bathroom trip was a bathroom trick!”

“If it was a ruse, then why didn’t I look a mess during autographs?” Angie playfully asked.

“Because you made up the part where you said you had to freshen up,” Ouma bluntly told her. “It’s called lying, lady. As an anthropologist, you should know people do this all the time.”

“Maybe, maybe not-so maybe. That still doesn’t make Kiyo or Miu any less suspicious because of their tardiness and absence respectively.”

“Shuddup!” Miu barked. “We can both vouch for each other not going near Harucaca’s room at all!”

“You can?” Kirumi asked. “How?”

“W-Well, don’t get the wrong idea here, Rumi, we weren’t doing anything he’d rather do to you. The two of us were just talking.”

“Must you say it like…? No matter.” Kirumi ignored the pink color in her cheeks. “Could you elaborate? You don’t have to tell us what you were talking about; that’s none of mine or anyone’s business if it shouldn’t be.”

“Phew. Yeah, we just chatted for a bit, and then he just skedaddled to make the autograph session as best as he could. I just stayed behind to shower and turn in early since I wasn’t feeling so hot.”

“Shinguuji-kun, you really sat down and talked to Iruma-san?” Shuichi asked, surprised.

“It’s true,” Korekiyo affirmed. “I went to check on her after the concert to see how she was doing, and I got my answer. As such, I arrived at the autographing session by 8:20, making me only five minutes late.”

“Meaning, even if he was the culprit, he wouldn’t have nearly enough time to stop by Harukawa-san’s room, look for his item, and make it to the dining hall within five minutes,” Kiibo noted.

“But, Yonaga-san would have all the time in the world,” Kaede accused. “As soon as she was out of Yumeno-san’s sight, she could sneak outside, wait for the coast to be clear in the Dormitory, and go right in to do her deed.”

“And she’d clearly have access to her own bedroom where your teddy bear was, so that part’s a cinch,” Shuichi added. “There’s not a doubt in my mind now that Yonaga-san’s the killer we’re looking for—”

“—You’re all dressed up with nowhere to go!” Himiko blurted out, putting a stop to Shuichi’s accusation.

“Not you too, Yumeno-san… I get this is hard to accept because you’re close to her, but it’s either you do that, or everyone gets punished in the killer’s place.”

“Angie isn’t the killer, so we won’t get punished for not voting for her. And if you think I’m gonna let you throw her under the bus, then think again, Saihara. I’ll prove to you that she’s not it.”

* * *

_Rebuttal Showdown_

_-Truth Blade-_

_Start!_

**|| Himiko’s Testimony || X | ######]**

**|| Poisoned Water Bottle || X | ######]**

**|| Wet Concert Flyer || X | ######]**

**|| Blood Thinner Pills || X | ######]**

**|| White Elephant Exchange List || X | ######]**

“What do you have against Angie, huh? She’s never done a thing to you!”

“It’s really unfair that someone you like gets let off the hook, but not someone I like.”

“Nyeh, this is all such a bother… this could have ended by now.”

“All I wanted was to have a nice morning in peace, but instead, Harukawa dies and the wrong person gets blamed for it.”

“Maybe you really can’t have nice things in life. At least not in a murder school.”

“A-Anyways, maybe you, Shinguuji, and Iruma wound up being innocent, but we could have overlooked something.”

“The entire idol group could be innocent, but someone outside of it might have done such a good job pinning the rap on all of you!”

“It was probably Ouma. It’s no secret he dreams of killing the human race, so why wouldn’t he wanna make someone here look bad?”

“And if he can break into our dorm rooms, then what’s stopping him from doing the same to Kirumi’s Lab?”

“O-Or it could have been Shirogane. All she said she did was visit the pool, but she conveniently left out anything else after that.”

“The possibilities are endless, Saihara. Use that noggin of yours and think harder so an innocent oracle doesn’t get in trouble.”

_Advance!_

“ **Yumeno-san, we’ve made it very clear that only another idol could have given Maki the poison** ,” Shuichi reminded her.

“Why? Because they were the closest for a little bit? That doesn’t mean a thing!”

“Harukawa still had to have walked upstairs to get to setup, so what if she ran into someone else on the way there?”

“And then, maybe she dropped her water bottle by mistake and spent some time looking for where it could have rolled off to…”

“The real culprit could have gotten ahold of the bottle and dumped the blood thinner powder inside before she even realizes it!”

“Accidents do happen, even to careful enough people trying to stay alive.”

“So, why is Harukawa any different?”

“Basically, **you’ve got zero proof** that the murder happened inside Kirumi’s Lab and not before setup started!”

**|| Wet Concert Flyer || X | ######]**

“I’ll cut through your words!” Shuichi shouted.

_Break!_

* * *

“The killer definitely put the poison in during setup,” he insisted. “Backstage, one of the **extra flyers** was found on the floor still damp. We didn’t find any puddles then, but there had to have been some water spilled at some point. And because of the ‘cast and crew only rule’, no one outside that group could have gotten anywhere near that area except one of us.”

“N-No… there’s gotta be something missing,” Himiko stammered, still stuck in denial. “I just know it. Angie would never…”

“She’s the only one who fits the culprit’s profile best,” Kirumi said. “I don’t want to think so either, but I haven’t a choice right now.”

“Angie-san, if you’re really the culprit, the best thing to do right now is confess,” Tenko recommended. “You’ll only hurt more of us if you keep denying it!”

“Yeah, we’ve already pinned down how you committed the crime and when possible,” Kiibo agreed sadly. “What else is there left for you to do?”

“Prove my innocence!” Angie giggled. “There still remains lots of evidence to be discovered, so there is no guarantee that I am your criminal at all. I simply don’t understand why you’re all so quick to think I’m behind such an atrocity.”

“You think this is a game?” Kaito bit. “Does any of what’s happening now seem the least bit funny? Or something to sneeze at? Because I’m not laughing! The next words out of your mouth had better be a confession, or I’ll—!”

“—Do not lay a hand on her!” Tenko defended, now in a combative stance. “Even if she’s the culprit, I cannot excuse violence inflicted on any maiden here! Certainly not from a _men_ ace’s hands, either!”

“Yeah, the only one allowed to do serious bodily harm on the true culprit is moi!” Monokuma gloated. “What? You trying to steal my thunder?!”

“Don’t feel like you have fair competition, Father,” Monotaro said. “These chodes don’t hold a candle to your authority and can’t!”

“I’d like to see them try and top Daddy!” Monophanie praised her father. “Were it not for him, none of us would be here today!”

“Yeah, that’s kinda the problem,” Kaede replied. “But, only you guys wouldn’t see it that way.”

“Maybe you’re the problem!” Monosuke argued. “Everyone can spend loads of time wasting a perfectly good trial yelling at you, but they can’t even kill a killer that fast, neither!”

“PATHETIC,” Monodam sighed. “SIMPLY-PATHETIC.”

“Ah-ha! Do you see, everyone?” Angie asked. “Even the animatronic beasts of burden can tell you’re all wasting time! Atua is not pleased by this, so do not upset Him further by voting wrong. He will welcome you all to the afterlife when your time has come, but by no means should you speed that up too soon. Enjoy this life He has given you while you’re able to!”

“How the fuck can you just stand there talkin’ like that?” Kaito seethed, fist shaking at his side. “You’ve got some sheer nerve, Yonaga, you really do. But, it’s in the worst way possible.”

“Is it? Being gutsy is a wondrous trait in many! It’s a clear indicator that our primal survival instincts have yet to die out!”

“Oh, you mean like MAKI DID?! Because of YOU?! The very fact you think you’ve got the honor of denying?!” Kaito was tomato red in the face, unable to contain his rage. “She probably would have had the chance to start enjoying the life you claim to want for us, and yet you’re the one that went and took it away from her! So don’t you give me any of that bullshit; you clearly don’t care. You never really have!”

Angie looked at him with pity. “My word, Kaito. The culprit has really done a number on you. Well, I do hope we find them soon so they may receive the punishment of not one, not two, but many divine beings that watch over us all~!”

“Y-Yeah, and fast,” Himiko whimpered, hiding in herself. “Any longer, and the wrong person might get punched.”

“Our issue is more the right person is deliberately stalling to avoid prosecution for as long as possible,” Korekiyo spoke. “Not that this wasn’t expected, but she can’t outrun the evidence forever.”

“Just for the rest of her life,” Ouma laughed.

“ _Ouma-kun_ ,” Kirumi reprimanded.

“What?! I’m not wrong, am I?”

“Behave, little man. You were very helpful today, so don’t ruin that.”

“Darn. Why do moms always have to be such wet blankets?”

“I’m not your mother. I shouldn’t have to say so again.”

“Sure, sure, whatever, Mom. Now! What could Yonaga-chan think we’re missing? Something we have yet to use against her even though she’s just grasping at the straws at this point?”

“For starters, why would you think some wet piece of paper is enough to convict me?” Angie sang. “Lots of water was offered during setup. Anybody could have made a spill and have nothing to do with the murder!”

“Even though I wish none of you drank anything backstage where all the equipment is,” Kirumi exhaled. “Oh well. It can’t be helped now, can it?”

“Uh-huh, uh-huh! So, Shuichi, what you might have seen was nothing more than a common, everyday spill behind the curtains. Thinking is great when you’re trying to solve mysteries, but doing it too much can lead you far past the point you wanted.”

“Cut this out, Yonaga-san! You tried to frame me for a murder you committed!” Kaede snapped. “If you wanna get out of this corner so badly, then don’t make us back you into it further and further!”

“Pipe down,” Himiko spat defensively. “Why do you get to screech about how innocent you are, but Angie doesn’t?”

“Because one of us isn’t a murderer, and it’s not her.”

“Saihara-san, could you end this?” Tenko requested. “If what you’re saying is true, then Angie-san is keeping something from us. Do what you did before and find out exactly what that is for the sake of our fair classmates!”

“Indeed,” Korekiyo assented. “And I believe what she’s hiding has sadly gone to ‘waste’, wouldn’t you say? Disposed of where none could find it until the time for action had long passed…”

 _‘Gone to waste and disposed of?’_ Shuichi asked himself. _‘Oh! Those are hints towards proving Yonaga-san’s claim wrong. There’s definitely proof the blood thinner water was backstage.’_

* * *

_Mind Mine_

_Start!_

Three major things Shuichi could associate with the case was hidden behind a wall of blocks colored white, pink, or yellow. Bunches of them lined up and matched in various numbers, flipping over and going to the next hue whenever selected and destroyed. Whenever he did so, little pieces of the hidden items were starting to become more visible, thinking carefully, but quickly to eliminate more blocks and reveal more of the answer that would help him incriminate the culprit best. He could see parts of other items, but moved further away from them if they turned out not to be very helpful at all.

One more towards the upper right side of the dissipating blocks stood out, Shuichi finding more colorful matches around it so he could see what it turned out to be. It wound up being smaller, but definitely something he recalled spotting backstage during the investigation prior. A single pink block got in the way, leaving him with no choice but to chip at it repeatedly and risk the limited time he had for speaking up and revealing what his answer was. Eventually, he found it, the exact miniature trash bin now emptied for recollection’s sake. As soon as he’d selected it, the other two items came to light as Kirumi’s beloved grand piano and the “SIXTH SENSATION” bright sign featured onstage.

_What proves the water spill is linked to the murder?_

**Trash Bin**

“I see it!” Shuichi declared.

_Complete!_

* * *

“That was no ordinary water spill,” he fought. “Because Toujou-san’s Lab doesn’t have access to any kind of sink, the mess had to be made on purpose as part of the culprit’s **murder** **plan**. See, since getting anything past Maki would seem really difficult, they found another way around it so that she wouldn’t be able to pick up on it in time, if at all.”

“Does that mean the blood thinners weren’t put into her water after all?” Kaito asked. “After all of that discussing?!”

“No, Maki definitely drank water laced with blood thinners. I’m not saying she didn’t. What I am saying, is the culprit had a slightly trickier means of getting them inside the water than we might have thought.”

“How? You open Harukawa’s water bottle, put in the poison powder, and then wait for her to drink it up and die!” Miu exclaimed. “What other way could someone do half that stuff?”

“Maybe the killer learned a few magic tricks from her?” Tenko suggested. “It definitely sounds like a trick pulled off by the Ultimate Magician.”

“Right, like she’d have enough patience to teach anyone,” Ouma snorted. “No, there’s another trick up the killer’s sleeve that even Harukawa-chan couldn’t top. Mind explaining to these simpletons, Shuichi?”

“Going up when she wasn’t looking is much easier said than done,” Shuichi elaborated. “Which means the only way for the pills to get into that bottle would be if Maki didn’t have it on her first.”

“She didn’t have it first?” Kaede wondered amid the group’s surprise. “Was there another pickpocketing this time around?”

“It’d be a little harder stealing a water bottle since you can’t really fit it in your pocket,” Rantaro said. “Besides, Harukawa-san didn’t seem like the ‘easily distracted’ type.”

“Ah-haha, you see?” Angie chuckled. “Your own arguments are making less and less sense! That’s a surefire sign you have the wrong suspect.”

“No, this one makes perfect sense,” Shuichi shot down. “And in case I’ve lost anyone, let me explain a little more.”

“Why must you? You’re already headed for disaster. The only way to save yourself and everyone is to look a different direction and stop accusing innocent people~!”

“Yeah. So, knock it off,” Himiko muttered. “Angie isn’t a murderer and never will be.”

“If she weren’t it, then she wouldn’t have to be this defensive,” Ouma remarked. “Plus, everything said up to this point has shut down every flimsy argument she’s made! Tell me that’s not a sign someone’s guilty!”

“Settle down over there, please,” Korekiyo requested. “The trial hasn’t ended yet. Saihara-kun still needs to elaborate more on how the killer had the murder weapon first.”

 _‘It must sound really fishy, but there’s hard proof of that,’_ Shuichi recalled.

**|| Maki’s Water Bottle >**

“This is it!” he announced. “The murder weapon and the water bottle Maki had first were not the same. Backstage in the trash bin, I saw another red bottle identical to the one containing the blood thinners, but a very clear difference was that this one had **Maki’s name** written underneath it.”

“Which means, the water bottle she drank from was a decoy while her real one sat in the trash,” Kaede pointed out. “The culprit only needed to get close enough to Maki give her the poisoned water, but not to actually poison the water itself. That was already done by setup.”

“And all that was needed to be done was make sure she thought she had the right bottle,” Kaito said. “Minus the bottom, it had to have looked completely identical.”

“Right down to how much water was sipped from the original container,” Shuichi concluded. “The culprit couldn’t run out and dump it anywhere else lest they get some unpleasant questions, leaving them with no other choice but to empty some out backstage where fewer people were bound to notice the spill.”

“And Yonaga-san, didn’t you take the longest to step out for our quick run-through?” Kiibo asked. “I should have known you weren’t just having issues with your costume.”

“How can you be so sure that wasn’t only the case?” Angie wondered. “Well-made as Himiko’s handwork is, it’s tough putting on anything for the very first time.”

“You could’ve just asked me for help…” Himiko pouted.

“Now we know why she didn’t,” Kirumi censured.

“All, of this sounds incriminating, yes,” Angie agreed, “but, it would be very unhelpful if I took the blame for a murderer.”

“It’s even more unhelpful that you’re avoiding the blame,” Kaito rumbled.

“Besides! How can you prove I went near the scene of the crime around the time you say I did? Did I leave the autograph session for a little? Yes, but I still returned after my bathroom trip for all to see.”

“When? After you were done taking back your skull?” Kiibo pressed.

“No, after I was done cleaning up my face. In the bathroom. Remember? I’ve gone nowhere else except! Ask Atua; He’ll tell you the same.”

 _‘She’s definitely lying again,’_ Shuichi ruminated. _‘We still have more evidence that she didn’t actually use the bathroom after taking off from the dining hall.’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate_

_Start!_

**|| Teddy Bear With Knife >**

**|| Monokuma File # 2 >**

**|| Poisoned Water Bottle >**

**|| Tenko Getting Shut Off >**

**|| Himiko’s Testimony >**

“You’re only assuming I left the main building after excusing myself from the autographing session,” Angie chirped. “But, how can you say for sure I wasn’t merely **taking my time in the bathroom**?”

“The perfect time for you to take back your motive item after its keeper dies, and you expect us to buy that?” Ouma quizzed. “I’d say get a life, but you’re about to lose it real fast.”

“And if you don’t confess soon, we’ll lose ours instead,” Korekiyo hinted. “Since you’re the only one left **without a solid alibi** , that paints you as the killer.”

“Nope! No, it doesn’t,” Angie lilted. “I’m definitely innocent!”

“Definitely not innocent is more like it,” Kaede spat. “I can’t believe you, Yonaga-san. I knew you were strange, but I didn’t think ‘twisted’ was the better word all along!”

“I guess the corner she knows we’ve backed her into isn’t deep enough,” Tenko grumbled. “It’s awful we have to do this, but you did something inexcusable in every way!”

“And no, saying you went to the bathroom **isn’t proof enough** ,” Rantaro said. “You may have Himiko fooled, but not us.”

“I would never fool her,” Angie claimed. “All this nonsensical talk of me going to the Dormitory after killing Maki, it just doesn’t make sense. **There’s no way to tell I went outside last night** , so you may as well give in! Submit!”

“Seconded,” Himiko exhaled. “None of us wanna be here any longer, so put a sock in it.”

“Then that’s that! I am not Maki’s murderer, end of story, no epilogue!”

 _‘No, she has to be it,’_ Shuichi decided. _‘Yonaga-san just told us something too flimsy to stay quiet about, and I’m putting a stop to it right now!’_

Taking another look at the conversation, Shuichi went back to Angie saying “ **There was no way to tell I went outside last night** ” and pierced it true.

**|| Tenko Getting Shut Off >**

“That’s wrong!”

_Break!_

* * *

“Last night, somebody besides you came inside the Dormitory after Shinguuji-kun left and Iruma-san went to bed,” he testified. “And that person was none other than **Tenko-san** , who’d been standing outside the upper level of the girls’ rooms until Akamatsu-san and Kaito saw her today.”

“She was just standing outside? Why?” Rantaro asked.

“I’m a little embarrassed saying this, but my e-stop button got pressed,” Tenko confessed. “One minute, I’m heading for my bedroom, and the next— nothing. I didn’t come to until Momota-san and Kaede-san spotted me.”

“Your e-stop? Were you having another malfunction?”

“No. I was totally fine! I was **shut off** right out of the blue!”

“Wait, so you weren’t just standing in the hallway all silent and weird like that because you ran out of juice?” Himiko wondered.

“Uh-uh! I just had a full charge, and it takes a good while for my battery to run dry. I could go for days on end until I start slowing down, after which is generally a good idea to plug me back in.”

“That definitely explains why you weren’t at the autographing session. I’d have figured you of all people would be first in line even though it wasn’t really mandatory to come. Kind of a bummer you had to miss it.”

“You’re telling me! I had a surprise to give you and Kirumi-san for all your hard work, but it got foiled!” Tenko remembered her journey, including the anxiousness she felt looking all over Kirumi’s Research Lab and running out the door for her room. “At first, I thought I’d brought it with me to hand over right after, but nothing came up. So, I figured it was still on my table. Before I could really open my door, though, poof! Black. And that was the last thing I could remember.”

“Oh. You were gonna give us something? Thanks, that’s really sweet of you. What was it?”

“C-Can I show you later? I still don’t have it on me.”

“What was the last time you recall being conscious?” Kirumi asked. “Surely, you must have an internal clock.”

“I do! The time was exactly 8:24 at night!”

“Which is six minutes before we decided everyone who planned on attending had arrived. That includes you, Yonaga-san.”

“H-Huh…? Whatever do you mean, Kirumi?” Angie gulped, still smiling but looking far more nervous now. “Like I said, Atua beckoned me to clean myself up before going to take autographs… would you not have done the same?”

Kirumi leered her way. “I’d have made sure I looked professional in a shorter time, but I wouldn’t have used that as an excuse to fake an alibi.”

“No… no, no, no, no! I’m doing no such thing! Besides, how would I know where Tenko’s e-stop button is? I’ve never seen it before in my life!”

“Until you prevented her from being a witness,” Kaede jeered. “It’s not even that hard of a place to spot.”

 _‘All the Aikido in the world wouldn’t save me from going near it in my life, but given Tenko didn’t see who turned her off and Kaito’s information earlier, the button’s location is…’_ Shuichi deliberated.

  1. Near her butt
  2. Behind her knee
  3. **The back of her neck**



“That’s it! Tenko-san’s emergency off switch is on the back of her neck. It’d be fairly easy to spot it and press it.”

“Saihara-san! You’ve gone and revealed my weakness to all of these males waiting to use it against me and render me vulnerable for who-knows-what!” Tenko griped. “Thanks a lot…”

“Look at it this way, now we’ve snagged our culprit even more,” Kaede comforted.

“Yeah, but at what cost?”

“Wait!” Himiko objected. “Just because your e-stop button isn't hard to find, that doesn’t mean Angie could necessarily press it that easy. You’re sure you didn’t pick up on _something_ before shutting off?”

“Positive! I neither heard nor saw anything or anyone.”

“That can’t be. How do you just walk up to somebody and poke them in the neck without getting detected?”

 _‘It’s actually… not that hard, but I might as well shed some light on it if Yumeno-san still refuses to listen,’_ Shuichi adjudged. _‘What’s the best way I can put this?’_

* * *

_Hangman’s Gambit Ver. 3.2_

_Start!_

Shuichi could initially see nothing but vague gray orbs drifting along the shadows, a running flash of light occasionally stopping by and providing him aid to what those circles represented. He waited, watching it do another lap that allowed for his eyes to catch wind of a letter among the seven different ones present. The light didn’t come soon enough for him to make another guess, instead taking advantage of a rounder, expanding brightness to reveal more clues.

**S** ** N** **E** **A** **K** __ __ __ __ __ __

He progressed, the brief streak of light showing him what the moving letter bubbles stood for, but not slow enough for him to process. It passed again, revealing another new piece that inched him more towards the phrase he wanted to use. The tip of his tongue flicked, as if trying to fire the answer right off of its surface and into the minds of everyone. He could do this, just think…!

**S** **N** **E** **A** **K** **A** __ __ __ __ __

Getting closer to the truth. It was just within reach! The light passed again and allowed him to see more letters at his disposal, selecting two in order that turned out to be the same one. He used the expanding flash again, spotting even more of what he needed and adding them to the word puzzle. Now just one more away, Shuichi let the beacon return, giving him one more chance at figuring out the phrase. And he did, grabbing hold of the last letter and completing everything before him.

**_How was Tenko switched off from behind?_ **

**S** **N** **E** **A** **K** **A** **T** **T** **A** **C** **K**

“I see now!” Shuichi exclaimed.

_Break!_

* * *

“Not everybody picks up on what’s going on behind them right away,” he explained. “All Yonaga-san had to do was stay quiet, not make any big steps, and press the button when she saw it while Tenko-san’s back was turned.”

“It took you that long to say so?” Himiko wondered. “Did you stroke out?”

“Sometimes, it requires a bit of thought to really say what you must,” Korekiyo defended. “But, it seems that’s the only viable explanation for Yonaga-san’s little silencing stunt of her would-be witness.”

“If she’d done it any other way, that’d risk her getting caught,” Shuichi stated. “I don’t even think being a girl would save her from this.”

“No, it wouldn’t,” Tenko hissed more at Angie. “While some may have their reasons for it, murder is irreversible and too serious to condone from anyone, even if they aren’t a male! The weight of your crimes is heavier than you might think, Angie-san! Why don’t you realize that?!”

“You don’t have any more excuses,” Kiibo scolded. “Just fess up so we can end this.”

“There’s no other way out of this. You’re fresh out of options,” Kaede bit, arms folded. “Tell us the truth, Yonaga-san. Or else.”

“...Hmm,” Angie uttered, then becoming jovial in a way that came off more as unsettling with her perpetual smile. “Nyahahaha! How magnificent! To think you’re all willing to go this far to incriminate me! It’s quite a sight to behold, but such a bold one! Believing I’m a criminal simply based on where Tenko’s e-stop button is located! Imagine!”

“She’s still denying it!” Kaito growled.

“I am humble, I am loyal, I am devout and everything alike, but I am not— and won’t be! A murderer. Japanese culture still holds such an act as taboo, so who would I be to violate that? This apparent ‘evidence’ you say you have against me— it’s simply nonsense! Good effort, Shuichi, but Atua pleads for you to drop this charade.” Angie leered at him, but didn’t frown. “And you’ve repeatedly tested His patience, so one more wrong move and things will get ugly. I can guarantee that.”

“Then let’s get ugly,” Shuichi challenged, his sharp, unyielding gaze cutting through her. “You wanna do this the hard way? Fine. I’m through taking the easy way anymore.”

* * *

_Argument Armament START!_

Shuichi faced off personally against Angie, her appearance having changed drastically from the one he was used to seeing from her. Before a stone altar beneath a clouded sky showing only individual beams of heavenly light as a whole backdrop, she stood wearing a slender, strapped white dress falling just under her ankles and holding a long, metal trident in her right hand alongside the prop lightning bolt in the left one. On her head, a black galea helmet with a curved horn on each side, above it a glowing halo that went with Angie’s pair of full-length angel wings fluttering out from her back, several white feathers scattered around her.

“How could I be the murderer?”

“I’ve no reason to disobey my God!”

“Praise be Atua and all of His word!”

“I’m telling you, you have the wrong suspect!”

“My time hasn’t come to be with Him just yet!”

“Maki had no reason to die by my hands or anyone’s.”

“My Gods will not stand for your accusations, so cut it out.”

“I could not harm a pure or slightly tainted one here or anywhere.”

“Your beliefs are commendable, but highly dangerous right now!”

“Why do you refuse to see things as I do?”

After that hit, Angie’s angel feathers vanished into thin air, the tempo picking up with the difficulty in getting through to her.

“The lengths mankind is willing to go to prove a point…”

“It’s both fascinating, but all the more foolhardy!”

“Nyahaha! How absurd is this?”

“You’re this dead set on convicting me…”

“When I’ve done nothing wrong whatsoever!”

“This may look bad, but you must believe me when I say so.”

“Do as I say, obey, and stay…”

“There’s no shame in admitting you’re wrong sometimes.”

“If there were a better time, it’d be right now to do so!”

“Such a minor fall has no major lift.”

“You know, Atua can forgive you after all.”

“As soon as you take back what you’ve been saying.”

“So, come on! It’s not too late for you!”

Off went the halo and angel wings, exposing more of Angie being anything but at the moment with the tempo going even faster than it had before.

“Don’t make me angry, you wouldn’t like to see that firsthand!”

“My smile is much more endearing to see.”

“If you would only listen to me, Atua could get through to you!”

“He knows the true killer, and it isn’t His faithful disciple!”

“I’ve got far too much of this mortal coil left to see, so why would I tarnish that?”

“You have no proof! None, none at all!”

“These ‘convictions’ are at best a shot in the dark!”

“For shame, Shuichi, for shame!”

“Accusing your brethren without reason is forbidden!”

“I wish you’d spent far less time on me, and more on the real culprit of this crime!”

“Hine-nui-te-pō is going to have her work cut out for her today, huh?”

“To think all of this could have easily been avoided, but oh well!” 

“Since you’re so sure I’ve done it…”

Now with Angie’s trident, lightning bolt, and helm gone revealing her hair put into a flowing, high ponytail behind a braided crown, she was dead center, exactly where Shuichi wanted her to be.

_Final Blow!_

**“The position of Tenko’s e-stop button cannot and will not incriminate me!”**

**_DORM-ROOM-PLACE-MENT_ **

“It ends here!” Shuichi yelled.

With a startled shriek, Angie was now on the ground, one arm hugging the cut in the middle of her tattered dress and her hair thrown into disarray. Everywhere else had bruises and similar injuries, now cut and exposed just like her formerly neverending charade of deceit.

_Break!_

* * *

“Pressing Tenko-san’s off switch can only be done if you’re right behind her, right?” Shuichi asked. “Well, Yonaga-san was in **just the right position** to do that. On the girls’ side of the Dormitory, there are four rooms on the upper level. Going from the left, it’s Maki’s room, followed by Tenko-san’s, then Yonaga-san’s, and finally, Yumeno-san’s. And since Tenko-san is right in the middle of the victim’s room and the culprit’s, leaving the first one would give someone a straight shot at pressing a button behind her neck without making any sharp turns the minute she got close to her door.”

“And that minute is where Yonaga-san had just left Harukawa-san’s bedroom,” Korekiyo added. “So, Tenko-san was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was subjected to an easy shutdown to avoid catching someone in the act of doing what they shouldn’t.”

“Besides, why would anybody else have business in Maki’s room if she didn’t have their item and were either safe in bed or at the autograph session from start to finish?” Kaede tested.

“And you can’t argue with who sleeps next to who,” Kiibo firmly said. “Doing that is nothing short of making stuff up.”

“I-I, they!” Angie stuttered, her smile twitching and a mild darkness shading her eyes.

“No, no!” Himiko gasped softly. “Angie, did you really? This has to be some kinda bad morning dream. You wouldn’t— would you?”

“Erm, well… I— you see! Mmm…”

“That’s not even a sentence. Say something! Anything!”

“Preferably a confession,” Kirumi demanded. “You’ve caused so much grief today and drew it out for this long.”

“C-Confess? But, b-b-but!” Angie gulped. “I am… now, everyone! Please, don’t do this! You don’t know what you’re getting into!”

“No?” Kaito sighed, disgusted. “What a fuckin’ joke. Shuichi, she’s still not caving. Do it.”

“All this heartache has led up to this moment,” Shuichi breathed. “I was hoping not, but it’s either I do it, or Maki never gets justice. From the top, everybody.”

* * *

**Closing Argument**

“The same night Yumeno-san and Toujou-san announced the **idol concert** they collaborated on as a more public attempt at keeping everyone sane enough not to commit another murder, Monokuma had **other plans**. While we were all sleeping, he released **another motive** , one where we’d all get an **item** someone else would wanna get their hands on, but trading wasn’t allowed until one of us killed for it. Quiet as all of us kept about it to avoid temptation, **somebody** just couldn’t help themselves and got convinced enough to do the unthinkable and progress this killing game even further.

“After finding out **Maki** was the keeper of their **white elephant present** , the culprit formulated a master plan that they’d pull off the day of the concert, which they were performing in alongside her and gave them direct access as a result. To start, they needed some **blood thinner pills** and a **red water bottle** from the warehouse, which they went in at about **5:20 pm** after Yumeno-san, Toujou-san, and Tenko-san had just left with supplies for setup. Since the culprit was supposed to join them in **40 minutes** , they only had so much time to get things ready. As soon as they had the medicine they needed, off to the **dining hall** they went in only a few short steps.

“Since no one was inside at the time, the culprit was able to sneak into the kitchen with the medicine and water bottle. Because certain pills take a while to dissolve in plain water, a **rolling pin** was used to crush them into a powder, which was put in and mixed until it just looked like a harmless drink. Having used the whole thing to guarantee disastrous results once ingested, the culprit threw away the blister pack, now seeming set to leave without a trace.

“Except, there was now one problem. In the time spent preparing the poison, **Amami-kun** entered the dining hall at **5:35 pm** to eat with **Ouma-kun** , inadvertently preventing the culprit from leaving how they came in without getting caught. Luckily for them, another way out was available through the **courtyard** , so they used that door and snuck out, only heard, but not seen by Amami-kun. When they managed to get back in the main building undetected, the culprit made their way to the second floor, arriving in the **Ultimate Pianist Lab** on time for setup and costume changing for the concert. Because Maki had an **identical water bottle** to the culprit’s poisoned one, they were able to take some time in switching the two around so she wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

“Of course, Maki had already drank some of her own water beforehand, meaning the culprit had to alter theirs to look **exactly** like hers for the trick. Since drinking their own poison was out of the question, and there was no sink anywhere nearby, the culprit figured they could pour a **small amount of water** onto the backstage floor without someone noticing. Unfortunately, they failed to take into account a spare **flyer** underneath that soaked up a bit of the water, staying like that even after the puddle had long disappeared. In the short time they were alone backstage, the culprit replaced Maki’s real water bottle with theirs and **threw it away** in the trash bin, never to be seen again by its owner. Little did the culprit know, that from the very second the water hit the flyer, they’d already doomed themselves.

“The concert started at **7 pm** and lasted a full hour, after which an optional **autographing/meet-and-greet** would take place in the dining hall as soon as everyone who wanted to be there arrived. Feeling thirsty after all that singing and dancing, Maki got thirsty and took several sips of what she thought was her pre-prepared water, given she had issues trusting the bottled ones prepared at setup. After curtain call, she started complaining of feeling sick, which Akamatsu-san and Kaito came to her rescue and escorted her back to her room so she could rest up instead of attending the autograph session. When they went together themselves, Maki only got worse the more she drank the blood thinner-laced water, eventually collapsing on her bed and starting to **bleed** profusely out of her eyes, nose, and mouth until she wound up dying from it all at **8:17 pm**.

“Given Akamatsu-san and Kaito’s appearance at the session, the culprit found the cue to go check on Maki to see if she was dead or not. Telling Himiko they were just going to **‘freshen up’** in the bathroom for the autographs, they pretended to do just that until she wasn’t looking anymore, immediately heading to the **Dormitory** outside. Avoiding Shinguuji-kun on his way to make the session and Iruma-san, who’d turned in early for the night from exhaustion, the culprit stopped by their room and grabbed a **teddy bear with a fake knife sewn into it** , related to Akamatsu-san and her Ultimate Child Caregiver talent. They finally got inside Maki’s room, which was left unlocked due to her feeling too weak to bother with her door, and stole back their item— **a creepy-looking skull** — and replaced it with the toy bear, thereby **framing** Akamatsu-san for the murder.

“Before they could leave the scene of the crime, up the stairs came Tenko-san, who’d been looking for a gift she’d made for Yumeno-san and Toujou-san’s hard work with the concert. Not wanting another witness messing up their plan, the culprit spotted her **e-stop button** on her neck from behind and quietly crept forward to press it, which was the equivalent of rendering her unconscious for the rest of the night and making her miss out on the autograph session she'd planned on attending. The culprit went instead after shutting Maki’s lights off and closing her door to make it look like she’d just gone to bed like normal, playing their part as one of the cast members well and turning in with the rest of us like normal at **10 pm** , an hour and a half after autographs closed up.

“The next morning, Kaito woke up Akamatsu-san to go check on Maki to see if she was doing any better, but noticed Tenko-san in her **powered off** state standing outside her bedroom. After she was activated, the three went together and entered Maki’s room at **8:27 am** , expecting to greet a magician that was dead tired, but instead found one that was just dead.

Shuichi glowered at the culprit, whose ink black coloring with red eyes changed to reveal their true self smiling with both hands hiding behind their back like a child far more innocent than they were. “You’re the reason for all of this going down! **Angie Yonaga, the Ultimate Anthropologist**!”

_Complete!_

* * *

“So, there you have it,” Shuichi rasped. “That’s how Yonaga-san killed Maki.”

“It’s— it’s true?” Himiko hiccuped, tearful. “Angie, you were behind all of this? I don’t understand…”

“You still don’t get it? She’s a murderer,” Ouma bluntly said. “What’s so hard to figure out about that sentence?”

“How could you?!” Tenko squawked with disapproval at Angie. “I thought you valued all life in the world, and yet you do something so heinous as to take one?!”

“Clearly, she didn’t value it enough,” Rantaro spat. “I know we haven’t heard her reasoning yet, but no matter how she spins this, Harukawa-san’s dead, and it’s her doing.”

“I knew that religious little skank would wind up killing someone!” Miu snarled. “She can’t even give us a good enough cop-out, either!”

“You’ve got two options right now, Yonaga-san,” Kaede hissed. “Either start talking now, or do it after we vote you guilty.”

“And that’s the only choice you’re getting!” Kaito barked. “Be thankful we’re even letting you speak, because if it were just me, I wouldn’t even consider being that nice right now.”

“...Well! I guess I can’t keep up everything forever, can I?” Angie uneasily laughed, body trembling in spite of the reluctant acceptance. “You’re completely right, Shuichi, and you have been this whole time. You got me! I… I am the murderer.”

“Oh, sure, NOW you suddenly wanna confess? After we had to pull it out of you like rotting teeth?!”

“It’s better than none at all,” Kiibo sighed.

“But, isn’t there something missing?” Himiko quivered. “Maybe a part that wasn’t looked at enough? This can be how it ends! It just can’t! I don’t want it to!”

“Too bad, so sad!” Monokuma chortled. “We’ll see what the verdict is right now!”

“Oooh, here comes one of the best parts!” Monophanie cheered.

“Finally! With all that stalling, I thought we’d be 80-hundred before we got here!” Monotaro wheezed. “I’ve been shaking with anxiety just dreading that!”

“I-FOR-ONE-AM-TREMBLING-WITH-EXCITEMENT,” Monodam agreed. “AREN’T-YOU?”

“Yep!” Monosuke snickered. “Probably the most of all of us!”

“WHAT-DO-YOU-MEAN? ...MONOSUKE?” The grin on his brother’s face silenced Monodam, the other two cubs exchanging confused glances. “HELLO?”

“Remember, a majority vote decides it all!” Monokuma announced. “For the second time this brand new semester, IIIIIT’S VOTING TIME!”

The thirteen podiums with living people flashed a logo reading “Class Trial Voting Time” written within a large heart. Since Gonta and Hoshi along with Maki were no longer alive, their crossed-out faces rendered it impossible to pick them. Everyone had half a minute to choose and vote, Kaito being the first to make his choice without wasting a millisecond. Twelve more came in, closing up selection and going from “PLEASE WAIT” to Monokuma holding up the word “ANNOUNCEMENT”.

“And now that the voting has finished, let’s see the results, shall we?” Monokuma pondered. He watched the screen behind him lower, revealing where each scarlet tally went. Only twelve went beneath Angie’s name near her icon, but one was over by Kaede’s instead. “Okay, not really unanimous this time, but who cares? A non-voter is as good as dead, anyway! So, how’s this gonna turn out? Is it correct? Is it not-so correct? We’ll find out right… now!”

Around and around the yellow Verdict spinner went past sixteen facial icons, slowing down and stopping on Angie’s, which replaced a red version of Monokuma’s outlined face with hers. Over it, “YONAGA” was in gold digital text, now overseeing the ursine headmaster’s cackling mug as bronze coins and confetti sprayed everywhere to the remaining four Monokubs’ delight. It filled up the space it occupied, putting a close on yet another dreadful voting session for another classmate’s inevitable demise.

* * *

_Class Trial: All Rise!_

“Two in a row? Man! You guys are on fire!” Monokuma rejoiced. “Alas, it’s true. The blackened who plotted and carried out the murder of Maki Harukawa is the **Ultimate Anthropologist** , Angie Yonaga!”

“Hey, wait a minute, who voted for me despite all of that?!” Kaede piped in.

“Not I,” Korekiyo debunked. “I’d be a fool to keep accusing you.”

“Was it you, Yonaga-san?” Tsumugi asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I didn’t do that, either,” Angie said. “I was wrong before. It truly is my time to be with my Gods after what’s happened, and voting for someone else won’t get me out of it.”

“Then who did it?” Kaede pressed, noticing a taciturn Himiko refusing eye contact and softening guiltily when she realized it. “Oh. Nevermind, it doesn’t matter anymore.”

“What does matter is that someone’s gonna speak up right now,” Kaito growled, glaring furiously at Angie. “Tell me. Tell me what possessed you to do all of this. Over some shitty skull that I can’t even wrap my head around why you’d want it that it’d be worth killing a girl for. And no, don’t bother begging me for forgiveness no matter what your reasoning is, either. You’re gonna die without it.”

“That’s okay. I’m more prioritized with receiving it from the one I have failed most,” Angie dismissed.

“Shut up about your cockamamie god or gods or whatever! Start talking before I come over there and rip it out myself! I’m not one to lay a hand on a girl willingly, but don’t you tempt me!”

“Very well. I suppose the least I could do is give you an explanation after my wrongdoing. As you might have guessed, it had to do with my motive item that Maki had on her.”

“So, it really was the skull?” Kaede scoffed. “You did all of this, ended a life people only get one of each, over a stupid skull?! Are you listening to yourself right now?!”

“I guess the motive can still be chintzy and still convince a real idiot to kill,” Miu spat. “Can we just send this bitch to her death already? I’m getting a brain tumor just listening to her try and talk.”

“No, Miu, she isn’t finished,” Kiibo answered. “Her reasoning isn’t very good so far, but she still needs to tell us the rest if she can.”

“This is her one opportunity,” Kaito spat. “And if she doesn’t keep talking, that’s it. She’s Monokuma’s problem then.”

“Go on, Angie-san,” Tenko reluctantly said. “Continue.”

“I know all of you may find it absurd to kill over one skull,” Angie sincerely confessed, “but there’s more to it that only I know of. It’s not ordinary by any means, or belonging to a stranger. After a bit of examining, it was no doubt the skull of my island’s founding chief disturbed from his eternal rest.”

“Eh?! That skull was the real deal?!” Miu gulped. “I’m pretty sure that’s illegal! Or— something!”

“Worse than illegal, actually. Far, far worse. After what’s today my beloved home came to find its first roots, the very first chief was one day struck down by an impatient successor who believed they could run things far better. For a while, they kept the truth hidden from the rest of the inhabitants and ruled just as they’d wanted, but had no idea what was about to happen. Time passed, and misfortune started to ensue for the island that unquestionably obeyed a traitor. Crops wilted, seas drowning all who departed, anything you could imagine would bring destruction to one’s paradise! It seemed endless with no way out despite what the new chief tried for my people…”

“How did it all finally stop?” Himiko asked.

“With the death of the one that’d started it all, taken by a plague spreading around the island as part of the string of turmoil. After, a new chief was appointed and things took time to settle back into normalcy, but the truth of what’d happened before it all came to light. Fearing displeasing the founder chief’s spirit again would cause the island to go under, he was given a proper burial, never to be disturbed from his eternal rest while giving his murderer… a less-than honorary sendoff.”

“Okay?” Shuichi pondered. “Tell me what all of this has to do with what you did?”

Angie looked at him with eyes full of a never-before-seen fear. “Everything. My ancestor’s skull should be in its grave resting peacefully, not at this school! The Monokubs must have found a way to disturb him and hand him over to someone else like some— souvenir! I caught Maki with it the day after the motive was released while she was on her way to her Lab, and begged for her to find a way of returning it to me without dying. But…”

* * *

_“You’re worried about a little curse?” Maki quizzed, putting the decrepit skull on her table. “Well, looks like this thing went to the right person. As soon as I figure out its properties, I’ll have it undone in no time.”_

_“This is no ordinary curse you’d be dealing with,” Angie warned. “It’s one that goes back generations in my family, and cannot be lifted by any means. Your best bet is keeping it in my possession; that way, at least the repercussions won’t be as severe since I’m one of the chief’s descendants.”_

_“Can’t, remember? If I give this to you now, I get killed. Your best bet is waiting for someone else to be next.”_

_“But, by then, it might be too late for my island! I couldn’t just wait and see with what’s at stake!”_

_“Guess your island’s doomed, then.”_

_Angie’s eye twitched at Maki’s callous indifference, maintaining her smile, but with more of a darker cast. “...Say. Aren’t you the least bit curious about your motive item? It could be worth trying to get a hold of, if what the bears have said is anything to go by.”_

_“I’ve got doubts that what they want me to have is anything worth getting executed over, so no. Not really.”_

_“But, you might not have to get executed at all! Only direct murders count towards freedom or failure, so you’d only need to ensure something happens that lifts the embargo.”_

_Maki turned her eyes from flipping through pages of a book on curses, leering at Angie. “You’re not suggesting I do something stupid like provoke someone into killing, are you? Because if you are, what reason would I have to do that? Over a present that’s probably not that special anyway?”_

_“Maybe not for you, but it would help somebody else get theirs without getting killed. I’m sure there are people you wouldn’t want to risk getting harmed from this motive. Kaede, for example.” The sound of the book slamming shut cut Angie off, Maki more enraged than ever._

_“Don’t. Do a damn thing to her. She’s already got enough crap to deal with; don’t drag her into whatever you’re thinking of. If you do, I’ll have to reconsider not taking someone out after all.”_

_“Oh, no, no, you misunderstand! I don’t plan on harming her at all! All I’m saying is, you’d want to make sure somebody you at least liked isn’t in danger, would you? That means, you’d do lots to keep that from happening at all costs. Maybe to her, or maybe—”_

_“—No. I don’t care. You’re not using Kaede as bait to get me to trick someone into doing this stupid motive. Or Kaito, or even Shuichi. None of them.”_

_“Huh? Do you not want them out of danger?”_

_“Quit beating around the bush, I’m not stupid. You’re only bringing any of this up to get the skull out of my hands, which isn’t happening without a murder.” Maki picked the artifact up, pulling her hood over her head and leaving her Research Lab with it. “I’ll get this stupid ‘family curse’ of yours lifted despite what you say. Until then, don’t do anything that’ll bite you in the ass.”_

_Angie reached out for the skull, fingers curling into a fist when she pulled it back. Though her smile began to falter, she ultimately calmed when she laid eyes on the red water bottle sitting atop one of Maki’s shelves. “...You know. It really is a shame for precious blood needing to be spilled to get that skull back.” She left the Lab, closing the locked door behind her on her way out as her smile grew sadder once she was dead set on a new plan._

_“It really, really is.”_

* * *

“She refused,” Angie continued in the present. “I wasn’t left with any other option. As much as I didn’t want to take something as beautiful as a life, or forsake my God… I also couldn’t just let my island go under. It’s my home, and I couldn’t risk its destruction because of Maki! It wasn’t an easy choice to make, but she had to go.”

“And you actually bought that shit?” Kaito exhaled hard, shaking with boiling blood. “Curses, curses aren’t real. They can’t happen in this world, and yet you think they’re a perfectly good excuse for what you pulled. That it’s now suddenly justified to kill someone, all for a lousy fairy tale! Oh, that’s RICH, I say! Rich!”

“It’s no fairy tale. The misfortune brought upon the place I was born and raised has happened once, and it can again easily.” Angie glared at him, everyone else shaken by the smile replaced by an ugly snarl that looked so out of place on the usually sunny girl. “Meaning, I would thank you to shut up, and not disrespect my culture just because you’ll never understand it.”

“...No. You know what, Yonaga? Fuck you.” Kaito pointed a finger at Angie, no longer able to restrain his rage. “Fuck you, fuck your culture, fuck your so-called ‘Atua’, and more importantly— fuck your island! All of those? They can burn right to the ground for all I care, because none of it matters when an innocent girl who never deserved to be a part of it still had to die! I don’t give a damn about your sob story; Maki’s _dead_ , and you killed her! Nothing you’ve told us will ever justify that, and nothing you could say will either! Whatever screwball god you believe in had better be pretty lenient, because you’re not getting any sort of happy ending after this. You don’t deserve one.”

“She can’t come back. She’s— never coming back or going home with the rest of us for a better life, all because of what you did to her,” Kaede croaked, tearful and angry at Angie. “How could you think anything could make that better?! As if it suddenly erases all of it?!”

“Well, Yonaga-chan? Where’s your precious ‘humanity’ now?” Ouma smugly derided, the others staring at her without a word to say. “Everyone’s turned on you, and you have no one to blame except yourself. And for a very good reason! You’re getting exactly what’s coming to no-good human scum like you in like two seconds!”

Angie looked all around at the shared disappointment or disgust of her classmates, her anger at Kaito long forgotten and turned into a remorseful, morose smile. “...You’re absolutely right, Kokichi. And Kaede, and Kaito especially. I doubt even Atua would forgive me right away for betraying Him. If He does, then that’s His say alone.”

“She’s still yammering about Atua? What a freak,” Miu scoffed.

“And she’s about to meet Him face-to-face in a hot second!” Monokuma announced. “I could never let a convicted murderer not get murdered back! What am I? An animal?!”

“Then I am ready for my damnation,” Angie decided. “It is only fair for the Gods to have their way with someone who’s fallen from their graces and those of their mortal offspring.”

“Aren’t you forgetting someone?” Tenko hissed, presenting a blubbering Himiko to the shocked Angie. “All this talk of pleasing people that might not really exist, and you ignore someone you’ve actually let down here?! Shame on you for being so selfish, Angie! Shame!”

“Don’t yell at her, Tenko,” Himiko mousily sniffled, wiping her tears on her sleeve. “I don’t hate her. I couldn’t.” She looked up earnestly at Angie. “But, I am mad that she’s making me say goodbye when I shouldn't have to…”

“Himiko…” Angie exhaled, heart twisting with more contrition when Himiko rushed forward and hugged her, burying the side of her head near her bosom.

“I don’t wanna say goodbye. Not to you! Damn it, Angie, why did you have to do this? Now— n-now I’ll never see you again! Or talk to you, or eat with you, or anything…! I’m gonna lose you!”

“You won’t. Remember what I said before the trial? Just like Atua Himself, even if you can no longer see me, I am still always there to give you my eternal love and guidance. What matters most is that you never forget that for a second, or you well may lose me for real.”

“I won’t. I won’t forget you for as long as I live. Or Atua, if it means I can keep you with me in some way. Right?”

Angie nodded, finally returning the hug to further comfort Himiko. “Grieving is unavoidable, but it won’t be necessary forever. It may be goodbye for now, but I guarantee you’ll see me again someday. Until that comes, I shall stay with you in spirit, my sweet little Himiko. Both mine and His.”

“If it’s a spirit you want, then a spirit you’ll get!” Monokuma cheered. “Because I’ve got a very special divine punishment all set up for the **Ultimate Anthropologist** , Angie Yonaga!”

“Well, that’s my cue.” Angie pulled away from Himiko, waving bye to everyone using one last traditional grin. “It was an honor being able to walk among you all while it lasted. Bye-onara, my friends! May you all live together in harmony from here on out and prosper!”

“At long last, it’s— PUNISHMENT TIIIME!”

* * *

Up came the springy red button again, Monokuma spinning his gavel in one paw as his red eye shone for a moment. He spun in his seat once, slamming down on the button and clicking in the final sentencing. The screen on the base showed a blue pixel version of Angie seeing Monokuma’s counterpart approach her, dragging her away to her doom by the head.

**GAME OVER**

**ANGIE YONAGA HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY.**

**TIME FOR THE PUNISHMENT!**

* * *

Angie walked at a modest pace up the cracked marble steps, her head bowed modestly with her chin to her chest. It seemed like a long way’s up to her destination, but one more step of each foot finally got her to a solid flooring. She finally looked ahead, spotting an ancient throne room seating only one at the chair of glory. The monarch had his back turned to her, gesturing with a familiar black paw that she had permission to come forward. When she obeyed, she knelt before him, bowing in respect while folding both hands. One turn around revealed the king to be Monokuma, clad in only a red cape and obnoxious golden crown holding a scepter as he shook his head at Angie disapprovingly. Two miniature cherub versions of himself descended, delivering a scroll to him that he then flung at the girl’s face before she grabbed and read it. She’d barely took a word off of it before Monokuma pressed a button.

The result was the floor sinking and turning into a slide, sending Angie downwards in a spiral loop until she’d tumbled out onto the dirt. Her face was covered by the scroll that’d followed her and fell on top, picked up and looked at for real as a bright ray of light shone from an opening in the clouds right above her head. After getting a good read on it, she knew exactly what had to be done for her final act of life.

**Decretum Ex Caelum**

**Ultimate Anthropologist**

**Angie Yonaga’s Execution: Executed**

For her first two tasks, Angie was thrown into a coliseum-like arena and watched two caged doors roll up to unleash a fully grown lion with a thick tawny mane from one, and a black, nine-headed Hydra with red eyes coming out of the other. Dodging each lunge, she ran around the vicinity and thought, remembering how to defeat both at once. Getting up on the Hydra’s back, Angie forced it near the lion and used one of its necks to constrict the feline creature’s windpipe until it had too little breath to keep going. Now finished with her steed, she piloted it inside its chamber against its fervent hissing and biting, waiting until all nine necks were under the gate and pressing the switch to slam it. The resulting force snapped the multiple bones of the Hydra, finished off when Angie stole a torch and threw it the same way, walking away smiling as everything engulfed in flames behind her.

Outside the coliseum, she saw two transparent steps grow out of thin air, pointing up towards the heavenly light in the sky. Another pair of creatures were near a lush grove; a deer with golden antlers, and a wild boar as big as a rhinoceros snarling and frothing at its tusks. Spotting some vines growing from the tree, Angie grabbed them and charged at the deer, only to be knocked away into brambles thanks to the boar. Getting up in spite of her scratches, she ran again, lassoing the stag by its legs and tying all four together so it couldn’t escape, now ready to face the savage swine. A large, bronze vase was concealed within a bush, Angie picking it up and baiting her opponent by running around with the treasure until she turned and threw it directly at its brow. Now with it unconscious, Angie found a stronger vine to tie up the boar, fastening it to the biggest tree she could find and escaping as two more shimmering steps appeared.

Next, she navigated her way past a herd of smelly cattle, swatting away the flies they attracted and stopping before the violated stables they’d resided in. Sitting in one was a much larger black bull, who shot flames from its mouth and scared away half the herd with its fury, and flying above was a flock of pointed birds with razor sharp claws and beaks flying in and scratching Angie’s exposed skin until they drew blood. She ran to a nearby river and used two large stones to dig a path from it that changed the water’s flow to wash through the stables, cleaning them in an instant. The river wasn’t enough for stopping the bull, which charged at Angie and rammed her several feet away until she got up and ran at it when it tried again. She hugged her arms around its neck, spotting the birds that’d cut her and incinerating every last one with the cow’s breath of flames, knocking it out with one of the stones she’d used when she was finished and bringing three more steps closer to the diving sky kingdom.

The challenges Angie went through next were more grueling than the others. A combined herd of sharp-toothed horses and beautiful red cattle charged through, all ridden by women carrying dangerous weapons clad in armor. With no way out, Angie was snatched up and pummeled, climbing up on one of the steers and spotting one wearing a beautiful golden girdle holding a basket of apples the same color. Stealing the fruit and ripping the belt off, Angie trudged ahead of the herd and used both as a means of changing which way they were running like a bullfighter. Running until she was atop the steps to Monokuma’s throne room, she flung the girdle and apples inside at the bear king’s face, rolling over the herd and down the stairs while watching him get run over.

Weary and injured, Angie still smiled as she trudged back out, her eyes lighting up when the final steps to heaven appeared. Pushing herself up on one, she kept going, setting aside the feeling of her body ready to give out to climb each platform until having finally reached the top. An extra cloud took form and let her get on, carrying her higher and higher until the light’s peak was revealed and showed four hands reaching out. Angie went to reciprocate happily, only to find out the hands were not only plastic, but red, green, yellow, and pink being held by the Monokubs. They ditched them, Monosuke grabbing Monodam and joining his hand with a confused Angie’s while Monokuma in godly robes held an ink stamper, slamming it into the anthropologist’s forehead and marking her “DENIED” in red.

The three Monokubs and their father all kicked Angie away with Monodam stuck with her. She was no longer smiling, now instead screaming terrified through panels of glass that’d once carried her to her harsh judgement. Waiting for her below was Cerberus, its center head’s jaws open and getting closer to her with every inch fallen. Monodam fell in whole, but only Angie’s top half was past the teeth that clamped down, blood spraying everywhere after that single bite. After swallowing the green Monokub and half of the blackened, Cerberus’ heads all fought devouring the rest of Angie’s body in a messy array, nothing else remaining once their hunger was satiated. Monokuma pulled his children back, waving snidely to where Angie used to be and pulling down the clouds’ zipper after seeing a scene he took the most joy from.

* * *

“That’s for Monokid, you good-for-nothing bastard!” Monosuke declared.

“M-Monosuke, did you just—?!” Monophanie gasped, hurling all over her feet after seeing such a gruesome execution. “I’m gonna be sick!”

“You’re damn right I did! Say bye-bye to your precious Monodam! From this day forth, it’s my time to shine, so unless you wanna end up like him, you’re gonna listen to me and me only! Got it, punks?”

“I-I, umm—” Monotaro stammered.

“GOT IT?! Answer me!”

“Sir, yes, sir! We’ll be good!”

“And you, Monophanie?” No words, only vomit. “...Eh, I’ll take that as a yes. Get it all out.”

“Man, what’s with all the fratricide with you guys?” Monokuma wondered. “Some kinda great new craze that’s sweeping the nation?”

“Shove it up your a-hole, old man! You had your chance to run things, and you blew it! I’m not just gonna be bossing around my siblings, but I’m taking your job, too!”

“You’re what?! This again?!”

“Except I’m in charge, not that lout Monodam. So, if I were you, I’d stop talkin’ and sit by while someone worthy actually does his job!”

“O-Oh my… your teenage rebellion’s already kicking in.”

“Anyways, this trial is over. Swing low, sweet chariot, now scram! As for the motive items, I dunno, throw them out. Keep ‘em, trade ‘em, whatever! It’s all you!” Monosuke disappeared with Monotaro and Monophanie, Monokuma too shell-shocked to say anything and vanishing himself.

“A-Angie…!” Himiko cried into her hands, powerless in stopping her tears. “It’s not fair! I want Angie! Gimme back Angie!”

“Shhh, there, there, Himiko-san,” Kirumi shushed, holding her close and rubbing her head while she continued to bawl. “I can’t imagine what you must be feeling right now. Or Momota-kun, for that matter.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Kaito grumbled, distant. “It’s over, it’s done, there’s nothing else left to say.”

“You got that right!” Ouma exclaimed, elbow nudging him. “Man, it must suck to be on the receiving end this time, huh? How about you be the kicked puppy and Kiiboi yells at you? Sounds fair to me!”

“I’m not gonna do that, Ouma-kun,” Kiibo argued. “That’s unthinkable at a time like this.”

“Funny, it didn’t stop him before.”

“Shut it,” Kaito bit. “I’ve got nothing to say to you.”

“You don’t? Wow, that’s a first! I’ll take it.”

“I really wish you’d shut the fuck up already!” Miu barked. “Always havin’ some kinda lip to flap after someone kicks the bucket! God, I can’t wait until you’re next!”

“Hey, I’ve said all I needed to already. The only thing I’ve got left for you inferior lifeforms is ‘told you so’! Mega told you so. See ya, wouldn’t wanna be ya!” Ouma didn’t wait for anyone else, skipping to the elevator and taking it up alone.

“Annoying little worm…” Tenko grumbled. “I thought it was impossible for humans to live without hearts, but he’s the exception!”

“Let him be, now’s a bad time to deal with him,” Shuichi said.

“I agree,” Korekiyo rasped, holding onto both arms for dear life while grasping at his dwindling calmness. “This has— been a very stressful morning on everybody. We should l-leave, please.”

“Kiyo’s right, I can’t stand this dump,” Miu sighed. “Worst possible way to start a morning, I tell ya.”

“Then I’m out, too,” Kaede sighed, in no mood to be positive while heading for the elevator. “You guys have… some kind of day. I don’t know.”

“Akamatsu. Wait,” Himiko croaked, still tearful. “Don’t go ahead of us yet.”

“Why not? I figured that’s what you guys want. To stay away from an almost-murderer.”

“Just slow down a bit and stop being a baby. I’ve already got plenty to deal with, and I don’t need more.”

“Right, my bad.” Kaede went inside the elevator with the others, looking at Shuichi inquisitively. “I wonder what everyone wants?”

“Beats me,” Shuichi said. “It doesn’t sound good, though.”

* * *

“Wait. What did you just say?” Kaede asked in the Shrine of Judgement with everyone, blinking from believing she hadn’t heard right.

“I said we’re sorry,” Himiko exhaled, eyes reddened from the tears. “You know, for how we’ve all been acting towards you since the first trial. It did get to be really uncalled for.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Tsumugi also expressed. “After everything that’s happened, it seems wrong to keep yelling at you. Especially since you just want to do better and help us, don’t you?”

“Umm, actually, yes. I do,” Kaede answered. “That’s exactly what I’ve been working to accomplish since my failed plan got exposed.”

“Then do it,” Miu dared. “We’re through giving you anymore crap as long as you don’t botch things again. It hardly even matters anymore since you had nothing to do with Dildonaga committing the murder after all. So… yeah. My bad too, Akamatsu.”

“So?” Himiko asked. “Are we good now?”

“More or less,” Kaede said. “I’ll forgive you guys, but I don’t entirely blame you for this, either. I did my own share of dumb things, but that’s gonna stop now!” She looked at Korekiyo with a stern gaze, the detective back to his normal stoicy. “Well? Don’t you have something to say to me, too? You’ve been giving me the most grief, so apologize. Now.”

“Wh—?!” Korekiyo gasped, now sent into a bigger state of distress than earlier. “I b-beg your pardon?”

“I said apologize. For the same reason everyone else is, and for trying to throw me under the bus at the trial. Don’t keep me waiting, apologize.”

 _Apologize. Apologize. Apologize to me right now for what you’ve done, Korekiyo!_ “I-I-I…! It’s— it’s very true that my actions back there, they w-were unacceptable. I should have never p-pulled that stunt with you, or l-let my feelings get ahold of me…!”

Kaede was now just concerned, not expecting Kiyo’s strong reaction to words she found firm, but harmless otherwise. “What’s wrong with you, Shinguuji-kun? You look like you’re gonna be sick.”

“No, my! My behavior. All of it was inexcusable a-and has been, and I truly am sorry for it all. I went too far, but I won’t. Not again, now or e-ever. You have my word.”

“Tenko-san, can’t you read people’s feelings?” Shuichi whispered to her. “Maybe use it on Shinguuji-kun?”

“I don’t need to,” Tenko uttered back. “His distress is as clear as day.”

“Now, with that being said, Akamatsu-san,” Korekiyo gulped, just barely down from his dilemma. “I look forward to seeing how you intend to improve like you claim. Actions do speak louder than words, you know.”

“And he’s back already,” Kaede sighed. “I don’t need your approval to prove you wrong about me. My second chance isn’t going to waste, and that’s final.”

“I’ll hold you to it. I truly am sorry for my thoughtless actions, however. I let myself get too carried away.”

“Just forget it. I’m already past it.”

“Very well. If you’ll excuse me, I would prefer to have some solitude to think with.” Korekiyo walked past Kaede and everyone, still shaking a little as he hid the flickering of his cooled aspect.

“Same here,” Himiko sniffled, taking her leave. “I’m fresh out of energy to be around people right now. I’ll be out… whenever.”

Everyone came to the same conclusion and left to cope with the rest of the bleak morning, Shuichi staying behind for a bit with Kaede after Kaito went ahead by himself. “I gotta say. I wasn’t expecting everyone to apologize of all things,” he said. “I guess I was wrong.”

“Yeah, it was a pleasant surprise,” Kaede assented. “But, since we’re on it, I’m sorry myself for being so cold to you before. I know you were just trying to have my back, and I kept pushing you further and worrying you even more.”

“It’s okay, Akamatsu-san, I’m not upset. You needed some space to recollect yourself, and I understand that. Besides, I remember you saying it wouldn’t be forever. Sorry it took me forever to get that. I must have come off as overbearing until I started listening to Amami-kun.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not mad either. This all seems to go in some kinda circle, so the best thing we can do now is break it and start fresh! It’s gonna be different from here on out for all of us!”

“You sound like you’re back to your old self again.”

“Nope! The old me would have just jumped into a current without a paddle and have been too stubborn to turn back and get one, or pressured others to do the same! Those days are over!”

“Then who’s the new you?”

“Still trying to stay nice and positive, but isn’t planning on pulling any secret stunts anytime soon. More honesty, less recklessness!”

“Good. I know you’ll do just fine in taking back your position as our leader. And if you want, I’ll be with you at every step of the way.”

“I wouldn’t dream of asking anyone else.” Kaede offered a hand, the smile on her face something Shuichi missed seeing often. “Partners?”

“...In stopping crime.” When he took her hand, Shuichi was pulled forward into a hug. “Whoa!”

“Thanks for always being by my side.” Kaede said it softly in his ear, her embrace now mutual.

“Anything for you, Akamatsu-san. We’re in this together.”

When Shuichi pulled away and left, Kaede started following him until she was stopped by Ouma suddenly appearing in front of her. “Gah! What do you want now?”

“You know, Akamatsu-chan, we really must stop meeting like this,” Ouma teased. “Someone gets executed, you talk with the others, and I come sweep you off your feet.”

“More the other way around. Drink more milk and then come talk to me with that.”

“Then how about I talk to you with this?” Ouma smirked devilishly at her. “I know your secret.”

Kaede’s eyes grew to dinner plate size, stepping back trembling. “My secret? What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb, you suck at it. Back when I was snooping around the rooms for the motive items, yours stuck out to me the most. And then, after I got done chasing you, how easily you snuck up on me only brought that point home.”

“You mean you did that on purpose just to try and peek at my dirty laundry?!”

“Well, kinda. Really, my first reason for going over to you was to kill time and bug you, but at the same time, I figured ‘Hey, why not see what Little Miss Babysitter has to hide from me?’. And given you felt the need to hide your Research Lab until you saw there was nothing to piddle over, the proof just keeps on piling!”

Kaede gave him a dirty look. “Then tell me. What’s my secret? Instead of playing around with your little mind tricks, tell me everything you claim to know. I’m not getting baited into telling you all the juicy deets myself.”

“You’re not? Darn! I thought I had you! Not bad, Akamatsu-chan. Not bad at all.” Ouma stared at his nails nonchalantly. “Back to the point, I’ll be honest for once. I know you’re definitely not _just_ the Ultimate Child Caregiver, but I dunno what else there is exactly. You could be a spy, a cooler cyborg than Tenko could ever be, a genetically engineered clone, anything! It’s along those lines, but I haven’t figured out which line it is specifically.”

“So, what now? You’re gonna blab this to everybody?”

“Me? Blab? No! I’ve got nothing to say.” Ouma grinned maliciously at Kaede. “But, you certainly do. I may not see a point in telling a bunch of half-wits who won’t believe me to begin with, but I think watching you slip up and fall all by yourself sounds like a much more fun idea. After all, liars don’t speak the truth, now do they?”

“Where do you get off? In being this manipulative and snide to people you hardly even know? No one’s forcing you to be.”

“Dunno. I was most likely just born mean and nasty, so what you see is what you get.”

“It’s not. No one in this world starts out like this; they come to be that way usually by bad circumstances, and you’re not an exception. Whatever you’re using this to cope with, you don’t have to deal with it like that. There’s plenty of other ways you might not have considered.”

“Sorry, lady, I charge by the minute. I only had a few choice words for you, and that was it. That’ll be 30,000¥, cash only.”

“I’m not paying you, but I am serious. I wouldn’t be telling you this if I didn’t see you’re hurting in some way. Just like you don’t know my full history, I don’t know yours, but I’ve got a pretty good guess.”

“Guess all you want. You’ll only give yourself a headache jumping into imaginary worlds.” Ouma smiled, both arms behind his head. “Then again, it’s kinda nice to get away sometimes, huh? Traveling to exotic places where reality can’t hurt ya! So long as you’re not a dimwit and fooling yourself, I could get behind that any day.”

“Ouma-kun—” Kaede could only watch Ouma leave merrily, releasing a breath of defeat. “That kid. He’s a bigger mystery than every case Monokuma wants us to solve.”

Kaede could always deal with him another time, now taking the moment to deal with the aftermath of two more unwarranted casualties. First, a girl she’d only begun to consider a friend, and another who’d been pushed into the last resort at saving her beloved home. Both of them, gone forever and going nowhere with everyone else trying to return to where they’d initially come from. Kaede hardened, marching ahead with the steadfastness of not just being the leader her comrades desire, but the one they all need to get out alive.

She was back in the fight against Monokuma and his Mastermind’s petty tricks, and only one had the option of coming out victorious.

* * *

**_New!_ **

_Obtained Present:_

  * Pearl Ankle Bracelet



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 02: Divorced, Beheaded, Died - Class Trial END
> 
> Students remaining: 12/16
> 
> I'm sure you can all guess what Angie's execution (which is supposed to translate to "Decree From Heaven", btw) is based off of, so no need to say it. As for her Argument Armament, you might be able to figure that one out if you're into FFXV like I am~ ;3c  
> (Also, I know Monosuke died in canon Ch. 2; I wanted to spice things up a bit so he gets his revenge on Monodam)
> 
> To be honest, I was more surprised that Angie WASN'T a blackened in canon because despite claiming Atua is against killing, she deffo comes off as the type to still commit murder if given a good enough reason or pushed past her limit. And, her motive here fits in with the slight theme of "Ch. 2 killer kills out of loyalty to someone or something they hold sacred" (IE: Peko for Kuzuryuu, Kirumi for her country, Mondo for his promise to Daiya, tho that was more trauma related if anything). Maybe that's why so many other V3writes besides my own have her as a killer lmfao. Nothing wrong with that, of course, don't get me wrong!
> 
> I had a feeling the culprit started becoming a tad obvious, but I'm not that upset about it since there were still some people guessing others besides Angie (and you still need to deduce all the parts of the case). So, congrats to those who guessed right; there's more than one of you, but you know who you are! Well done. This ends another fine arc chapter for this fic, and the next has just as much juiciness to it as this one did (and I've been personally a little excited to get it started ^w^). So, thanks for tuning in, I'll see you all in my next update! ♥


	22. Episode XXI: Daily Life 3.1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of (physical and emotional) abuse  
> (It's not even that bad imo, but better safe than sorry, at least)
> 
> Alright, now we've officially dived into Chapter 3, folks! I got lots of comments last chapter, but sadly could not respond to them all, so I'll just thank everybody right now for sending them in! I noticed some had a few questions last time that should be answered thoroughly with this chapter, so go on, read 'em and weep (well, not yet bc we just started the Daily Life and no one's going to die lmfao). Have fun, guys!

_“What you’re seeing now is live footage of the sky from our camera at the scene! You can clearly see the meteors raining down!” CRASH! BLAM! “We are witnessing what looks like the end of the world! This is not a movie, I repeat! This is NOT a movie! This is live, unedited footage!”_

_More fiery balls of death rained down from above the world, destroying anything and everything in their path with millions either fleeing or succumbing to being in the wrong path at the wrong time._

_“This is real! The sky is falling before our very eyes! We’ve just been notified that the government has officially declared a state of emergency! The government is instructing citizens to remain calm and evacuate to their nearest shelter! Children and invalids are being given first priori—”_

* * *

The day of the trial felt as though it’d gone by at a snail’s pace, its succeeding morning no better for everyone. Another memorial was set up in the gym, this time by Himiko with Tenko helping get it finished and look nice to commemorate Maki and Angie both. No one had been banned this time around, but Ouma still refused to show up due to a lack of interest, something most of the mourners were perfectly content with. The deceased’s portraits stood before a table draped in white cloth, everyone lining up and putting down a flower each while taking time to say a few words if they had any.

“Rest in peace, you two,” Shuichi spoke among them. “Maki, I wish you’d have stayed much longer than this. We were really starting to get along better, I feel, and you probably would’ve turned out to be a really good friend. As for you, Yonaga-san, I can’t defend what happened, but I sort of get why you did it? Thanks for at least helping me clear my head before. Your meditation really did great for me, even though I couldn’t share it well. So… yeah. I’ll miss you both.”

“Hey. I may not have been too close with either of you,” Rantaro confessed, stepping up with his flower, “but that doesn’t mean I can’t try and give you guys a proper sendoff. Even though one killed the other, both of you died because of someone way worse, and you guys deserved a brighter outcome than any of this.”

“Yonaga-san, I’m still mad at you for framing me and killing someone I liked,” Kaede hissed, putting down her offering. “But, I’d be lying if I said you totally deserved that execution. Nobody should have to die here, and that includes you. And Maki, I felt we had something going great, and then… well, this. I’ll definitely miss you and our better times together.”

“To Harumaki _only_ , I’m gonna say this,” Kaito emphasized, putting his flower closer to Maki’s portrait and further from Angie’s spitefully. “There’s not gonna be a single second where I won’t miss you, where I won’t wish you were still standing beside me alive and well, and living out the life you should have had until age 100. But, I know you wouldn’t want me moping forever, or just giving up without you. I’m doing the opposite, and I’m gonna carry on even harder for myself, and for you. Rest in peace wherever you are, Makks. I’ll see you on the other side someday soon…”

“Harukawa-san, you were kinda— well, _really_ mean plenty of times, but I’ll still miss you,” Tsumugi claimed, lowering her flower. “You did good in the idol show, at least. And Yonaga-san, you told some very exciting stories, and I wish I could have heard more. I dunno, I thought you were pretty cool to hang out with whenever I did. See you.”

“Neither of you should have gone out like this, or at all,” Kiibo sighed, giving his regards. “Wherever you are in the afterlife, I hope it does you guys well. But, it’s never gonna be fair that we had to lose you both so soon. Oh, and if it’s not too much trouble, could one of you say hi to Gonta for me if you see him? Thanks.”

“Has everyone paid their respects?” Tenko asked, getting collective nods once all the flowers were on the table. “Okay, then we’ll proceed with the rest of the services. Himiko? Are you ready?”

“Mmm,” Himiko vaguely answered, standing at the podium. “Angie, a lot’s happened as soon as I was brought here, but of all that’s gone down, you were always the brighter side of it. You’d tell me lots of cool stories, I’ve started getting out of bed sooner because of your morning yoga stretches, and just being in the same room as you made being here almost worth it. I get you made a lot of people mad with what you did; I don’t totally blame them, but you’re not a monster because of it.

The cosplayer began tearing up, wiping the eyes that kept leaking water streams. “You’re my friend, and that’s how it’s gonna be for the rest of my life. I know you and Atua are watching over me to make sure I’m happy and all, b-but… I can only be so much without getting to hear or see you! I— I really miss you, Angie.” She hiccuped, starting to cry harder. “Sorry, everyone. This is too tough to swallow. That’s all I’ve got in me.”

“You gave a wonderful speech,” Tenko comforted, letting Himiko step down so she could speak in her place. “I can’t really say much for Maki-san since I admit, I never got to know her too well. But, I’d bet if I had, there would have been plenty I’d have enjoyed! She was clearly very skilled in doing magic, which isn’t something a lot can say they’re able to pull off. Maybe she didn’t like performing it for others that much, but it’s still worth being proud of! Err— umm, we’ll miss you, too, Maki-san. Rest in peace.”

“She could have done so much more if she only had time,” Kaito murmured, sullen until he jumped back when someone very unwanted sprung into action. “Gah!”

“Oooh, poor, poor Harukawa-san!” Monokuma fake cried, wearing a widow’s hat and veil while pretending to wipe his eyes with a tissue. “Gone too soon, now she’s stuck doing magic with Harry Houdini and Phineas Barnum! Sob, sob, sob!”

“Wasn’t that second guy a ringleader?” Tsumugi wondered.

“Same thing!” Monokuma tossed away his props, now acting normally. “Before you all get your panties in knots, I’m here on important business. Just like last time, I’m here to reward you for surviving the second class trial! And now presenting… your prize!” Nothing. Monokuma turned to a cued spot nervous. “Ahem! I said! Your PRIZE! ...Hello? This is normally the part where a certain three little cubs say—”

“—Rise and shine, ursine!” the remaining Monokubs chimed, appearing all at once.

“Sorry we’re late, Father, we got held up in traffic,” Monotaro excused.

“You’re already learning to drive? Without me?! Oh, my smart little cubs get cuter every minute! I didn’t think it was possible! Clearly, you kiddos take after me!” Monokuma suddenly became wrinkly, propping himself up on a cane. “Oh, that means I’m also getting old already! Nearly six feet deep in the ground and dust in the wind! Say, before that happens, could my babies hand over the prize to these bastards?” The Monokubs said nothing. “Well? What’s wrong? Bobcat got your tongues?”

“Did you have a brain tumor for breakfast, or are you that senile already?” Monosuke challenged. “I told you yesterday, nobody’s takin’ orders from whoever ain’t me. I’m clearly the brains of this operation, and I’m less likely to keel over and drop dead than you, Gramps!”

“Oh yeah, this is still a thing. Very funny, Monosuke, you’re trying to one-up your brother. Let’s not have a repeat of last time, okay? Thank you!”

“No, he’s got a point,” Monophanie regretted to admit. “Daddy, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you’re getting up there and can’t push yourself to run the show forever.”

“Which means, one of us is gonna take over for you someday,” Monotaro resumed. “And unfortunately, despite me being the oldest… Monosuke already called dibs.”

“Better me than Monodam, though. Right?” Monosuke asked, clearly threatening his brother.

“Sure, sure! Who needs dumb old Monodam calling the shots? He couldn’t even speak past more than one emotional setting! Snoresville!”

“Uh-huh! A-And, you’re way more handsome with your glasses and less clunky build!” Monophanie flattered. “I don’t know why we didn’t think of putting you in charge first!”

“This is! Outrageous!” Monokuma barked, claws sharpened and red eye glaring angrily. “I can excuse child abuse, but I’m drawing the line at ageism!”

“You can excuse child abuse?” Kaede tested, irritated.

“No surprise on that one,” Kirumi sighed.

“Maybe he can, but we can’t!” Monosuke exclaimed. “Exisals, ASSEMBLE!” The red, yellow, and pink Exisals cornered Monokuma, pointing their guns at him. “See how powerless you are now, Pops? I’m callin’ the shots, and you’re callin’ retirement. Otherwise, you can already count in yourself bein’ blown to smithereens with the snap of my… fingers? Paw? Pingers? Ah, you get it.”

“I—! I’m done for? This time for real?!” Monokuma gasped, patches of his fur thinning out and leaving him still as rock. “Oh, bother! I’m going bald again!”

“Nasty! He can do that?!” Miu gagged.

“Well, now that we’re in charge, let’s take care of business!” Monotaro announced, kicking away his catatonic father. With his brother and sister, he presented an 8-bit black key, Monophanie a yellow mallet, and Monosuke the mysterious scroll. “Your prizes this time are a legendary—!”

“—Shut up already, Monotaro! I’m speaking for myself, but you represent me,” Monosuke snapped. “As I was gonna say! We present youse with a Magic Key that we don’t recommend using to beat up your local shadow demons, a Golden Hammer, and a Ninja Scroll!”

“Buncha random junk… I mean! Yay! Nice one, Monosuke!”

“You can expect these items might seem useless, but there’s more than meets the eye!” Monophanie exclaimed. “Get ready for some transforming, mighty fighting robot action!”

“Psst, that’s a little too much more than meets the eye.”

“It is? Oh. Well, just use them to unlock other parts of the school. Some of them you might not be able to get into because they’re perma-locked, but the rest should be G to the ucci!”

“Yeah, youse can get to that after your little pity party’s done,” Monosuke dismissed. “Figure it out and we’ll be there!”

“One more thing! We’ve hidden another Flashback Light somewhere so you can all clear some more brain fog. Whoever finds it first is a rotten egg!”

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs sang, leaving the gymnasium and the prizes behind.

“Wow, they even manage to ruin funerals,” Himiko huffed. “At least we got the eulogies out.”

“I’ll start cleaning up,” Miu volunteered. “Who’s going with who for figuring out where these things go?”

“Well, there’s twelve of us left and only three items,” Kaede calculated. “That means, all of us go in teams of four.”

“Twelve? I only see— ...oh yeah. Nearly forgot about Cockitchy. Someone go get him because I’m not doing it.”

“I shall,” Kirumi volunteered, taking the 8-bit key. “If two others would like to tag along, they may.”

“That would be me,” Korekiyo said, joining her. “Lord knows you could use a hand with Ouma-kun’s antics.”

“Count me in, too,” Kiibo requested, following the two out the door. “Who knows what we’ll find with this key?”

“Okay, that leaves us with the hammer and the scroll,” Shuichi decided. “Anybody want the hammer?”

“I’ll take a look at it,” Rantaro said, accepting the prize. “Maybe it needs me to chisel at something to unlock it. Who’s in?”

“Me,” Himiko decided. “It looks like the Golden Hammer you get in SSBB that hits a lot harder than a normal Hammer, but also arguably misses much easier and squeaks a ton when you do.”

“Well, if it’s the same color, it’s bound to have some resemblance. Who else?”

“I’ll go,” Tenko announced, stepping between Himiko and Rantaro. “Besides the fact that I can’t allow you to put your hands on a brokenhearted girl, I… have a little favor to ask you.”

“You do? What’s up?”

“Will you have patience?! I’ll tell you later. For now, we need to find a fourth person in our searching group. How about… Miu-san!”

“Me? Are you shitting me?!” Miu snapped, looking at her other choices once she was done cleaning up the memorial. “Fine, but you’d better find something worth my time. Don’t go slowing me down now!”

“That leaves me with you three,” Tsumugi spoke to Shuichi, Kaede, and Kaito after the recent group departed for finding out the hammer’s secret. “I hope a regular old girl like myself doesn’t cramp your style too much.”

“Nothing’s really ‘regular’ about a girl that runs a secret army,” Kaito commented. “Also, we don’t mind. My sidekicks and I are friendly!”

“He’s not stopping with that, is he?” Kaede asked.

“Most likely not,” Shuichi guessed. “It’s gotta be a term of endearment at this point.”

“A really weird one.”

“Come on, let’s get this show on the road! I’m leading the way!” Kaito boasted, marching ahead with the key in his hand.

“You know where you’re going?” Tsumugi asked.

“I will!”

 _‘That’s a no,’_ the other three seemed to think at the same time.

Kaito’s steps were full of gusto and marched out of the gymnasium, holding up the ninja scroll to anything that seemed to be related to it in any way. He led them all over the first floor to places they frequently visited, digging high and low for hidden passages or statues, but coming up dry. The athlete nearly stepped into the basement, but declined to on the basis of “nothing interesting” ever being down there. Skewed logic, but none of the others complained too much since they couldn’t fully blame Kaito for his apprehensiveness after Gonta’s untimely fate down there. It was another loop around the first floor that got Shuichi to stop him from taking a third.

“Why don’t we try outside?” he suggested. “There’s probably a ton of stuff hidden from us in the courtyard. It’s a lot bigger, anyhow.”

“Great idea! And if we wind up going in circles, we’ll have lots more leg room!” Tsumugi supported.

“You really think the answer’s outside? Okay,” Kaito agreed. “We’ll start further away from the casino and— that other building since that stuff’s already been opened. They wouldn’t just put all the new stuff in one spot, right?”

“Knowing Monokuma wanting to make life as hard for us as possible, definitely not,” Kaede said. “Maybe it’s more towards the lower level. Let’s check.”

The quartet exited the Academy’s main building, going down the only steps in the courtyard and stopping at the circle leading to either the Shrine of Judgement or Rantaro’s Lab. Along the rim, there was statue of a ninja wearing a kabuki mask, a hole in the mouth big enough to act as a slot. Testing it out, Kaito slipped the scroll through and watched the ground rumble in the distance. Rows of green tress fell, a building with several wooden black roofs with curved edges over its sections and support stilts over by the entrance’s side. A swirled path ran from it to the courtyard’s circle, ending with an electric sign depicting a figure drawing their fist back and punching in an eternal loop popping out of the dirt.

“Mystery solved,” Kaito said. “Well, Shuichi, I think we found something you’ll definitely like.”

“It’s a dojo, which means!” Shuichi gasped. “This is my Research Lab?”

“There does seem to be a ‘martial arts’ vibe it’s giving off,” Tsumugi stated. “Nothing really screams ‘secret lair’, so it’s unlikely to be mine. I’m kinda jealous, Saihara-kun. All three of you have Labs, but I don’t. Maybe mine’s been unlocked, but the bears didn’t bother telling me because of how run-of-the-mill it looks. Fitting for me.”

“You’re bound to be surprised,” Kaede encouraged. “They’re probably just touching it up so it looks pretty and cool enough to rule in. You deserve as special a Research Lab as the rest of us!”

“I guess you’re right. Can we go into this new one now?”

“Hell yeah! My bro deserves the first glance at his brand new training grounds!” Kaito cheered. “Go on first.”

Rather excited himself, Shuichi led everyone down the path and up to the entrance, opening the door and gawking at what was inside. The dojo was as big as it’d looked from outside, its main room’s center covered in a fresh blue tatami mat and leaving solid flooring around it for walking with shoes on. A different motivational character written in black calligraphy ink was displayed on each of the four walls (two between the windows), the back of the room having a black banner hung up reading “Ultimate Aikido Master Lab” in white ink. Seated along the walking space were many grappling dummies and a few covered in cloth that had pipe-like arm attachments that could expand and close.

The sliding door found in the back led into something entirely new. It was more like a tournament room, lights hanging from above and windows closer to them illuminating the whole thing. Rows of cushioned chairs were aligned along the entire room in a circle, surrounding a green tatami mat with a section of red rectangle marking an area for fighting one-on-one. More dummies stood against the walls, but these seemed firmer and more lifelike than the kind found in the first room. Similar to Kaito’s Lab, a black scoreboard hung on the wall, currently switched off until ready for usage.

“A room for training and one for competing?” Kaito gawked. “Man, you’re lucky! I’ve only got one area for two purposes!”

“This must bring back old memories, huh, Shuichi?” Kaede figured.

“Not really,” Shuichi admitted. “I never competed in any Aikido tourneys, so this would be a first for me. The main reason my uncle signed me up for it was to learn some self-defense, and that’s what I pretty much stuck to.”

“Well, now you can start!” Tsumugi suggested. “For anyone that wants to learn Aikido from you, you could pit them against one another and see who wins! A battle for the best, if you will.”

“Aikido’s not about winning, it’s about improvement and emotional discipline. I’ve got nothing against a little competition, but that’s not my priority here. Though, never using this room would be kind of a waste, so… maybe I could use it to see how much practice has soaked in?”

“I don’t see why not,” Kaede agreed. “It’d be kinda like a giant test!”

“Except if you don’t study hard enough, you get mauled,” Tsumugi shuddered.

“Less ‘mauled’, and more ‘seriously injured’,” Shuichi corrected. “Though that doesn’t really sound any better, does it?”

“Hey, Shuichi! These dummies have switches on the back of them!” Kaito called from one side of the tournament room, flicking it up and watching the dummy’s eyes glow red. “Uh, what the?! Is it alive?” It unexpectedly attempted a chop on Kaito, who jumped back and evaded more strikes from his new adversary. “Yep! Definitely alive!”

“Kaito, I’ll save—!” Before Shuichi could take a step, a lilac blur passed him and knocked the animated dummy aside. It turned out to be Kaede, the same girl effortlessly flipping it onto its front before turning its switch to off. “You?”

“Too slow,” Kaede said, stonelike for a moment before regaining her cheerful attitude. “Phew! That was close, huh? Are you okay, Kaito?”

“Fine now,” Kaito answered, thrown for a loop. “Quick thinking there, Kaede! Good to see all our training and sports matches have paid off nicely.”

“Yep! They sure have.” Kaede insisted that was the reason, going back to what Ouma said about her revealing her own secret by mistake. “A little note for the future, maybe we shouldn’t use the dummies in this place if they’re gonna attack you.”

“They’re switch activated, so we should be good if no one touches that part,” Tsumugi answered. “Do all of them have any?”

“I’m not seeing some on these!” Shuichi called from the main dojo. “They might be safer and better put together!”

“Don’t knock what was made from the heart!” Kaito bickered. “It’s the thought that counted!”

“Why don’t we go see if any of the others found anything new?” Tsumugi suggested. “Maybe some other Labs will be opened like this one.”

“It could be yours,” Kaede suggested, walking out with her and Kaito. “What’re we waiting for? Let’s get going!”

The quartet left the new Research Lab behind, crossing the courtyard to return to the main building and going up flights of stairs. On the third floor over by Kaede’s Lab, another section had been unveiled, likely due to the Magic Key being used since a door usually stood in the open area’s place. A little past it was another staircase, leading everyone up to the never-before-seen fourth floor. When they’d arrived, they were all thrown aback by the eerie, dimmed atmosphere that looked more like a haunted house’s hallway than a school’s. It was old, creaky, and brown, definitely doing wonders for no one.

“Well? Where to first?” Shuichi gulped.

“Downstairs, where it’s less scary?” Tsumugi shivered.

“I see three rooms over there,” Kaede answered. “Eenie, meenie, miney… left!”

Kaito went inside first, flinching when he thought he saw the spirit of Monokid using his guitar to repeatedly whack Monodam’s ghost on his noggin for killing him, but there was nothing after a blink and a head shake. “Ghh. I don’t like this room,” he gulped.

“Yeah, it’s even creepier than the outside,” Tsumugi whimpered, further spooked by the creaking of the ancient floorboards. “Can we go, Akamatsu-san?”

“Sure. I’m not seeing anything in here worth interest,” Kaede admitted. “Come on, guys.”

Before Kaito could head for the exit, something grabbed his shoulder and sent his body into overdrive. “Don’t leave me, Momota-chaaaaaaan!” the familiar voice moaned, a light revealing only a face painted white with red over the eyelids, lips, chin, and swirled over the cheeks.

“GAAAAAAHHHH!” Kaito screamed, falling onto his butt and scooting all the way outside cowering. “Who or whatever you are, g-get the Hell away from me! I mean it! My bud knows Aikido and he’s not afraid to use it!”

The figure cackled, stepping out to reveal Ouma being the perpetrator who shut off his flashlight. “Man, that was a hoot! You should see the look on your face!”

“Ouma?! You little twerp! What’d you go and do that for?”

“Duh, to scare you. Kinda the whole point.” Suddenly, two hands pulled at Ouma’s ears harshly, making him drop the flashlight and soothe them. “Oww! That really hurt!”

“Could you behave for two seconds?” Kirumi hissed, being the other person besides Korekiyo to have pulled an ear. “You take off and make the three of us worried sick, and we find you doing this instead.”

“No one can take their eyes from you for a second, can they?” Korekiyo sighed.

“Of course not. I’m a handsome little boy,” Ouma bragged.

“Did you guys find him?” Kiibo asked from afar.

“Yes, Iidabashi-kun, we did. He’s right here,” Kirumi answered, letting Kiibo run over to Ouma.

“There you are! How come you left like that?”

“Because, there’s nothing here except dark rooms and locked Labs,” Ouma said. “Bo-ring! This whole floor is creepy and pointless!”

“So there are Research Labs up here?” Shuichi wondered.

“Yes, but unfortunately for us, they’re locked tight and are thus inaccessible,” Korekiyo regretted to inform him.

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the Monokubs piped in, springing up at everyone’s feet.

“Are you guys secretly graverobbers?” Monotaro questioned. “Would you defile someone’s private room if they’re no longer here with us? Sailed off to the great beyond?”

“Uhh, no?” Kaede answered.

“Then why would youse go inside a dead man— and woman’s— Research Lab?” Monosuke interrogated. “You don’t find that the least bit disrespectful?”

“Dead— oh! Were those Gokuhara-kun and Yonaga-san’s Labs?” Shuichi asked.

“Yep! We had them prepared all nice and pretty, but they decided to die before seeing them,” Monophanie pouted. “So, to keep their memories alive at least, we locked them off because what’s the point of having a Research Lab with a dead owner?”

“Which means, pay no attention to the off-limits rooms on the fourth floor,” Monosuke demanded. “You don’t have business in them!”

“Is this going to be a new rule?” Kiibo wondered.

“Eh… no. To be honest, we couldn’t actually care less if you were to get inside somehow. If you find a way in, then you find a way. Just don’t do anything dumb with it should that happen.”

“Then what was the point of yelling at us?” Tsumugi bit.

“I’m exercising my new authority! I thought you’d be able to relate, Shirogane-san.”

“My authority’s given out in many ways! I only yell when my men aren’t acting how they should be. If they are, then I reward them and act less strict because there’s no trouble.”

“Well, you do you, and I’ll do me. Back to work, Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber!”

“Y-Yes, boss,” Monotaro and Monophanie gulped.

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs sang, leaving without a trace.

“I’d bet Gonta would have loved to see his Lab,” Kiibo lamented. “He probably would have made it look really pretty with all his artwork.”

“Yeah, it sucks, but you can’t do anything about it,” Ouma casually dismissed. “Can we go now?”

“Fine. Hey, wait.” Kiibo ran a finger across Ouma’s forehead, smudging the upright yellow crescent moon and rubbing it against his thumb. “Where did you get the paint to do this so quickly?”

“Warehouse,” Ouma lied. “We have one, remember?”

“But, how can that be if—? Forget it. Please just stop painting your face without makeup.”

“I’ll take him to get cleaned up,” Kirumi offered, holding onto Ouma’s hand. “Come on, Ouma-kun. This shouldn’t take long.”

“Careful, that one’s a splasher,” Kaede warned. “I’d use wet towels if I were you.”

“Noted. Thank you for the warning.”

“But, Moooom! I like my facepaint!” Ouma complained, pulling at Kirumi’s arm to get free.

“You can’t keep it on forever. Then none of us would get to see your ‘handsome’ face,” Kirumi persuaded. “And, it’s going to get harder to talk the more that dries.”

“Aww, really? Alright, do what you gotta do.”

“Did you guys find anything else besides two locked Labs?” Kaito wheezed after Ouma and Kirumi left.

“We didn’t, sadly,” Kiibo confessed. “But, Miu’s group might have come across something here! It’s down this hall and to the left is where I saw them go.”

“Hopefully, it’s less creepy than this area. Gang, let’s roll!”

The Ninja Scroll group followed Kiibo’s directions and went down the hall together, turning left and going straight down. When they reached the end, shards of shattered glass laid all over the floor before an entrance to another hidden passageway. Beyond it was a place that looked to be more like a long-abandoned factory than a haunted house, still equally eerie. Past it, a vault-like door underneath a yellow sign reading “Computer Room”. Shuichi activated it until it turned and opened, showing off a high-tech room with a large machine sitting in the middle of a ring of computers, its green core within an “X” shape.

“Wow! This is a computer lab?!” Kaede gasped, amazed. “That machine looks more like a game console than a PC system.”

“Does it have internet? It’s been a while since anyone’s kept up with the news of the outside world,” Tsumugi made note of.

“Sadly, no, it doesn’t,” Rantaro answered. “Apparently, the computer’s capable of doing something else, according to those bears.”

“Like what?” Shuichi quizzed.

“Something about an ‘alternate world’ or whatever,” Himiko shrugged. “I guess that means the computer either doubles as a VR device, or it sends us to Lyoko. I’m hoping it’s not the second one because I’m not shutting down a super virus.”

“You’d normally have to do that from the outside, not the inside,” Rantaro corrected. “And I’ve never heard of VR strong enough to send you inside and fight a virus.”

“Never say never,” Tenko claimed. “Besides, can’t the Ultimate Inventor make that reality?”

“I could, but I don’t really see a use for it right now. I’m way more adept with virus fighting from the real world.”

“That’s quitter talk. Quitter talk, I say!”

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the Monokubs bellowed, making another guest appearance.

“Not you pubes again,” Miu sneered. “What do you want from us?”

“Don’t get your bloomers in a bunch!” Monosuke snapped. “We’re here to clear up some misconceptions! Namely on you non-believers saying there can’t be a virtual world capable of doing lots!”

“And it can!” Monophanie insisted. “You just gotta use it right!”

“If you want to, that is,” Monotaro added. “There’s not exactly a reason to this time.”

“This time?” Himiko repeated.

“Nevermind that bozo!” Monosuke laughed uneasily, punching Monotaro upside the head. “He’s been taking crazy pills with his morning joe! Still, don’t just be so quick to dismiss virtual reality. Just don’t.”

“Why not?” Kaede asked.

“Because!” Monophanie vaguely answered. “Seeing isn’t always believing. We could all be stuck in a VR world as we speak!”

“Uh-huh,” Miu scoffed, not buying it. “Make like an unused otaku and beat it already!”

“You try to be reasonable…” Monotaro sighed.

“This is why you let me do the talking,” Monosuke spat. “You jackwagons screw up everything your breath touches!”

“Isn’t that everything?”

“Exactly!”

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs sang, departing.

“Great, a whole room and nothing to do in it,” Miu groaned. “Let’s blow this place. I haven’t gotten to preparing breakfast yet.”

“Wait, look at this,” Kaede interrupted, discovering a red treasure chest and opening it to pull out a Flashback Light.

“Another one?!” Tenko gasped, hair standing on end. “Is it anymore safe to use than the last one?”

“G-Great, what’s this gonna put in my head?” Miu quivered. “Ultimate Hunt 2: Electric Boogaloo?”

“Probably not. We already know about that,” Rantaro said. “Flashback Lights are supposed to awaken the parts we missed, so it’s bound to be something different.”

“Still, it’s gonna have to wait until we’re all at breakfast,” Kaede suggested, putting it in her backpack. “Let everybody know, and I’ll be down to show it off. If we can all agree to take a look at it.”

“There’s nothing else left to look at, is there?” Tsumugi wondered.

“We couldn’t find anything, no,” Himiko answered. “Oh, hang on. Maybe Angie knows if there’s anything.”

“Yonaga-san? But, she’s…?” Shuichi half-wondered, dismissed by Himiko folding her hands and bowing her head in a brief prayer.

“Anything?” Tenko asked, just as concerned.

“...No,” Himiko said. “Her spirit’s also come up dry. I guess being beyond this mortal realm means you can’t catch everything. Which is weird because Atua sees all, and He sees with her eyes.”

Tenko glanced aside, muttering. “Maybe there’s a reason for that.”

“Oh well. I’ve seen enough today. Let’s go grab some grub. You guys in?”

“Right behind you!” Tenko grabbed Rantaro by the arm, pulling him closer. “We’re not done, Amami-san. I still need that favor from you.”

“Sure thing. We can talk it over breakfast,” Rantaro accepted, going with the other three girls out the computer room.

Kaede followed everyone out, the Flashback Light secure in her backpack. If it was anything like the memories she’d regained regarding the Ultimate Hunt, she frankly dreaded the recollection this one would bring. Navigating her way through the fourth floor’s unsettling hallways, staying on her guard for anything prepared to jump out at her, soon came the Academy’s primary level. When she arrived at the dining hall, everyone was already yammering amongst themselves, likely about the discovery. Some were in disbelief, others in fear at having to go through another brightness-induced mind blower.

“Guys, settle down,” Kaede tried calling over the commotion. “Guys. Guys?”

“It’s Akamatsu-chan! Quick, grab her and take back the Flashback Light before she can get in our heads!” Ouma joked, face free of paint.

“No, it might be important,” Kirumi scolded, toweling off her hair and dress damp from being sprayed by the sink hose.

“Yeah, definitely. Turn it on, lady, turn it on! Chop chop!”

“Chill out, Ouma-kun, I just got here,” Kaede said. “So, before we, umm, do this. Are we all in favor of using the new Flashback Light? I wanna hear what you guys think first.”

“That’s a first,” Miu muttered before speaking up. “Well, personally? I’m happier without it, but I don’t wanna be the only one standing out if the rest is gonna be shooting up.”

“Miu, this is a Flashback Light, not a narcotic,” Korekiyo said.

“I know. I’m just as disappointed as you are.”

Korekiyo sighed. “Why don’t we do this democratically? All in favor of turning the Flashback Light on?” He did a quiet count, mumbling each number to himself. “Okay. And those opposed?” Another count. “Well, Akamatsu-san, that’s 10 yes and 2 no.”

“Actually, Shinguuji, it’s 10 yes and 3 no,” Himiko corrected. “I wanna get this over with and thus am cool with using the Light, but Angie says it’s a bad idea to get tempted.”

“What are you talking about? How could Yonaga-san’s input be possible?”

“Easy. Her spirit’s with me even though I can’t exactly see her directly, but she’s helping me get the right guidance from beyond the grave.” Himiko smiled small, cheeks a light pink. “And inside my heart.”

“D-Don’t spout that crap! Ghosts can’t talk!” Kaito gulped, blue with fear. “They’re just imaginary! If you don’t wanna use the Flashback Light, say so!”

“Nyeh, but I do. Angie doesn’t.”

Kaito covered his ears, tuning out the cosplayer. “Sorry, Yumeno, can’t hear ya! You’re not talking right now!”

“Ignore him,” Tenko said to Himiko. “Kaede-san, it’s a majority vote. Hit it!”

“Brace yourselves, everyone!” Kaede warned, flicking the switch on the Flashback Light.

It happened again. A flash of light took them all to a different realm, staring before a large pair of eyes while words overtook their beings. Once relatively cooled down from it, it all went white and voices started to play back in everyone’s minds before the scene fully unraveled. Portraits of all of them, even those they’d lost up to that point to the killing game, were on display on a table similar to what was used for the two memorial services. Sixteen lit candles sat beside the frames, mourners murmuring about young lives lost far too soon. A particular mention went to how they’d all been running from “that group” before everything faded out into reality like a stopped video tape.

“My own… funeral?” Kaede gasped softly, catching herself from falling down in shock. “How could I have attended my own funeral? I’m not dead!”

“You too?!” Shuichi coughed. “Candles, flowers, and everything?!”

“That’s exactly it! Did everybody see the same thing?”

“I did,” Kiibo gulped. “It’s so unsettling. Watching your own services, but…”

“But none of us are gone,” Kirumi rasped. “Why would there be a funeral for living people?”

“Everyone’s finally all caught up, then?” Rantaro asked. “Now you know about the Ultimate Hunt _and_ the fake group funeral?”

“Fake?” Ouma inquired, seemingly innocent. “Whatever could that mean, Ran-chan? You saw it with your own two eyes, unless! The flashlight made you blind?! Oh no!”

“No, no, I can still see perfectly. I just meant… well.” Rantaro quickly caught himself. “Isn’t it a bit odd for us to see a funeral when only four of us are dead? Something just isn’t adding up.”

“Amami’s right, why would there be a funeral if none of us are dead?” Kaito probed. “I’m calling serious malarkey on it!”

“So, none of you are gonna question it past that? Not even a little? Or bring up the fact that Rantaro’s obviously covering something up?” Ouma quizzed, getting ignored by the rest and smiling annoyed. “Okay. Cool, cool! Just making sure, folks!”

“Did anybody see anything past the funeral?” Kirumi pondered. “It has to do with the Ultimate Hunt, I’m sure, but nothing makes full sense.”

“We ran from it and then… died?” Tenko asked. “But, we’re clearly all still alive and well! So, what was the funeral for?”

“I don’t think anybody saw past that part, Toujou-san,” Kaede said to Kirumi. “The Flashback Light gave us one memory only, and it’s still not totally helpful.”

“Then what else can we do?” Himiko asked. “Monokuma’s still in a half-bald coma and his ugly kids don’t seem to be showing up anytime soon.”

“I guess we’ll just have to figure it out ourselves,” Shuichi gathered. “Maybe another Flashback Light is around here and can clue us in on more?”

“If there are, don’t expect to find them too soon,” Kiibo mused. “Knowing Monokuma, he’d never let us have the full answers all at once. Just vague parts in little bits and pieces.”

“Guess we’re screwed,” Ouma snickered. “Well, since there’s nothing else left in this Light you simpletons wanna fret over, how ‘bout some breakfast? I’m surprised Iruma-chan forgot all about it given how much of a sweaty bitch fit she throws over her slop.”

“How about you eat my ass instead if you don’t want my breakfast?” Miu growled.

“No thanks! I’ve seen where that monstrosity has been and it ain’t pretty! Guess that’s why it belongs to you, huh? The ugly ass of an ugly-ass.”

 _‘At least that took everyone’s mind off the Flashback Light for now,’_ Kaede thought, watching the disagreement between Ouma and Miu get split up by Kiibo. _‘But, what could all of this mean? None of us are dead, so what else happened in that Ultimate Hunt?’_

* * *

Breakfast came and went, everybody getting full bellies despite Ouma’s prior harassment towards the girl responsible. Some started to head out early, such as Tenko of all people following Rantaro to his Research Lab. Himiko passed them on the way out, the sullen look on her face likely from still getting used to eating without Angie’s physical presence. Both couldn’t help feeling bad for her loss, but refrained from butting in too soon and only worsening her wounds. They arrived at the Lab, Rantaro letting Tenko in with a courteous “Ladies first”, to which she marched inside demanding he not forget that for the rest of his life.

“Have a seat in my chair,” Rantaro requested, Tenko lying down on the adjustable experiment bed while he put on his goggles and gloves. “So, what brings you back here, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“The recent trial,” Tenko admitted. “After Angie pressed my kill switch so easily from behind, I realized that I’ll need to give myself a few upgrades. But, unfortunately, my Lab has yet to open, so…”

“So you’re stuck with me doing it for the time being.”

“Yes.” Tenko thrust a piece of paper in Rantaro’s face, folding her arms on her seat. “You are to follow that list of my humble requests _exactly_ , and I don’t wanna see a single thing in me that’s not written!”

“Seeing as I’m sort of your doctor at this point, it wouldn’t be professional to do something you didn’t want me to.”

“I’m not asking you to give me a huge operation or ruin my AI. Just a few new features, but don’t make me unrecognizable or— feeding into your boyish fantasies about the unrealistic robots you see on television!”

“There won’t be a circuit or piece of armor out of place when I’m done. Let’s get started and work down the list.” Rantaro got his tools ready, starting first around Tenko’s temple. “So, how have things been? Besides the trial and the Flashback Light, I mean.”

“Depends on who’d like to know?”

“Just me. I figured just doing maintenance in silence wouldn’t be very entertaining for you or me, so why not have a little small talk? You don’t have to say more than you want, but at least pass the time.”

“Well, I’d say you picked a pretty lousy first question. If I were doing too well, I wouldn’t have come here feeling… oh, forget it. What would that matter to you?”

“I could offer my two cents as best as I could. It might not help forever, but it’s better than letting you stay all clogged up.”

“Neither my hardware nor my software is clogged! I’m impervious to water so long as I don’t suffer any damage that exposes my circuitry, and it takes me far longer to rust than most!”

“Ah, I didn’t mean physically clogged. I meant emotionally.”

“Oh.” Tenko saw Rantaro move onto the area around her e-stop button, picking up a plastic guard and installing it while connecting to her wiring. “Don’t take it that way, Amami-san. I make sure my emotions don’t stay bottled up because I let everything out as soon as it starts to fill! There’s always a time and place to do that, but I always find it and there it goes! Out to the winds never to bother me ever again!”

“Yeah, it’s not very healthy to keep so much to yourself. Find some kind of outlet for it that doesn’t involve anyone getting hurt or you oversharing, but it’s gotta go at one point.” Rantaro went to Tenko’s palm, screwing in a small tumbler lock fitting the key he had. “That would explain why you’re so full of energy all the time.”

“Maintaining high spirits is the key to a happier, more fulfilling life. At least, that’s how I see it for people, so why not do that for myself? Even if I’m not exactly a ‘person’, I’m still fully functional like one!”

“Just because you’re a robot doesn’t mean you don’t have feelings or problems of your own. The only difference between you and someone else here at this point is that you’re covered in metal. Really, I’ve known some people that aren’t nearly as lifelike as you are, so I’d say you definitely live up to your title as the Ultimate Robot.”

Tenko scoffed. “I know. I don’t need you to tell me that. If anything, I’d rather that went to bigots who insist I’m not worth being their equal.”

“Some can be really hard to convince, but if they’re still not sold in the end after everything, what can you do? Beating a dead horse only does so good for your time.”

“That’s for sure. I couldn’t care less what a male thinks of how I’m built. You can’t persuade them of anything good unless it suits them.” Tenko drew back when Rantaro’s hand approached her seifuku plate’s bow, immediately covering it. “Hey! Hands everywhere else!”

“But, you said you wanted me to ‘put the key somewhere you’ve got easy access to’. And, most would be pretty hesitant to touch your bow knot.”

“Hmm, that’s actually good thinking.” Tenko lifted it, revealing a small compartment underneath before Rantaro put the key in. “I was wondering what I should use this thing for.”

“Well, as of today, it’s your e-stop key pocket. Without the key, no one can lift up the protector and shut you off. And don’t tell anybody where said key is, either.”

“I won’t! I’m the most careful when it comes to my body.” Tenko closed the compartment, lying back on the bed chair. “Though, now I wonder. What about you?”

“My body? I admit I’ve pulled some all nighters and went to bed feeling like garbage, but those aren’t constant with me. I can’t work well if I don’t sleep long enough.”

“Good as that is, that’s not what I was talking about. I meant your emotions. You’ve gone on with how it’s not good to hold in your feelings, and yet I don’t think I’ve seen you go anywhere past stern. Not even angry, just severely disappointed! You can’t tell someone not to hold back when you yourself are doing it! That’s both hypocritical and unhealthy!”

“Oh, I’m not really holding back anything. I just find it important to keep calm in dire situations since cracking under pressure doesn’t really do me any good. It’s not that I don’t feel stuff, I only don’t wanna overreact.”

“But, it’s equally bad to underreact, too! The crimes done by human males are more often than not rooted to repressed emotions they believe don’t have to be dealt with properly! If you don’t want to hurt anybody, then don’t keep it all inside you until it’s too late to fix! I won’t let you do that, Amami-san!”

Rantaro chuckled. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were starting to get worried about me. Are you?”

“N-Never! I’ll look out for any maiden that needs my help, but degenerate males can fend for themselves! I’m only saying this to make sure no more trouble gets caused.”

“That may be, but you just went off on me thinking I keep my feelings built up on the inside. In some way, that still comes off as you not wanting me to hold back anything.”

“I—” Tenko stopped, giving up and huffing. “Think what you must and take it as that, but don’t ignore my advice. I didn’t just sweep the tips you gave me under the rug, so it’s only fair you follow the ones I’m giving you, too.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got a steel trap memory. You won’t see any forgetting from me.”

“I’d better not. Am I done?”

“A few more twists and… yep!” Rantaro moved the magnifying lens and let Tenko off the bed chair so she could stand on the floor. “You’re all set. Feel free to take them for a spin, and come right back if you run into any issues. The usual.”

“Nothing’s backfired yet. So far, I haven’t found anything wonky you’ve put into me, and you’ll be the first to get it if I do this time.”

“Perfectly fair, but neither of us should have to look forward to that. You take care now, okay, Tenko-san?”

“I’m always in tip-top shape. Whatever you’re doing to keep yourself stabilized… don’t do anything else that’d make you feel worse. I’m not the only one around here that needs proper maintenance!”

“Gotcha, boss. I’ll be seeing you at lunch.”

Tenko left Rantaro to his Lab, patting herself down to really make sure she was still the same as ever besides her improvements. Everything passed inspection, leaving her to continue more of her day. Her thoughts were still stuck to the inventor, which certainly bewildered her given he was still among the “undesirables” of the school. Professor Chabashira had yet to be wrong, and yet… Rantaro never once acted uncouth during her tune-ups. What was his deal? No matter what it had to have been, Tenko remained on the lookout, keeping an open eye out for any slips ups he was bound to make with her.

It had to have been only a matter of time, right?

* * *

“Iruma-san, are you positive you wouldn’t like some help cleaning up?” Korekiyo offered.

“As a pee stick test!” Miu insisted, gathering the dishes and hauling them into the kitchen. “You act like this is my first time washing a fuckton of plates and cups!”

“I never said so, but it’d still be courteous to lend a hand. Not that I expect the Ultimate Maid to be incapable of handling such a task; I only wouldn’t want to seem like I’m taking advantage of your skills and overwhelming you.”

“Chill, that’s not what’s happening. I get you wanna lighten the load, but I still have a job to do. And if you really think I can do it, then I can do it! Just kick back, look pretty, and these’ll be done in a flash!”

“I’ve had plenty of ‘flashes’ today after regaining a piece of my memories, thank you. Should you change your mind, I’ll be staying out here for a while longer.”

“Gotcha! Lemme know if you need anything before I take off for the Dormitory.” Miu swallowed. “At least now I don’t have to worry about going inside a room some chick died in…”

“You never did. Monokuma and his brood may be demented, but at least they had the decency to clean up the crime after the trial ended.”

“Oh, right. They only wanna scar us a _little_ for life, not the whole nine yards! How generous.”

Korekiyo let Miu return to her chores, taking his seat and pulling out a novel from his bedroom he intended to continue whilst sipping at a glass of chilled water. One paragraph in, he swore he heard someone enter the dining hall from behind his back, quickly turning, but seeing no one. Now too on edge to resume his reading until the coast was clear, he shut his book and examined the area for an intruder possibly intending to repeat Angie’s actions far too soon after her demise. There was only silence and air to greet him, no one seeming to be in the kitchen except for Miu, so he sat down and kept one eye set aside while opening his novel back up.

“Cool book,” Ouma spoke, suddenly sitting next to Korekiyo and startling him as soon as he noticed. “Mind if I take a read?”

“Yes, because it belongs to me,” Korekiyo exhaled, refusing the novel from Ouma’s grasp. “Isn’t this about the time you’re supposed to be having piano lessons with Kirumi?”

“I still have a few minutes, and I’ll spend them with Mr. Tall, Dark, Serious And Handsome.”

“Sorry to say, but I don’t know anyone here by that name.”

“I’m definitely not talking about the smelly bitch currently cleaning up more dishes than she can her act, now am I?”

“No, but you are being childish by making such abrupt digs at her.” Korekiyo puffed, turning his head away from Ouma embarrassed and irritated. “And frankly, you shouldn’t do the same to me, either.”

“That wasn’t a dig, it was a compliment! Don’t blame me because you can’t pick whether to be a sour puss or a sweetheart.”

“I do no such thing.”

“Oh yeah? Then how come you always deny your feelings for me?”

Kiyo sputtered, almost dropping his book. “The only feeling I have towards you is annoyance!”

“And yet you claim to see ‘good’ in me and think you can prevent me from dying alone by having me be less sleazy. That’s not normally done with annoyance by you Earthlings, is it?”

“Hmph.”

Ouma took exception to Korekiyo’s staunch dissent, poking him in the shoulder he turned away from him. “Don’t boo me! I’m right.”

“No, you’re presumptuous.”

“You’re prudish.”

“I am not. You only say so because I didn’t want you butting into my love life.”

“The one that doesn’t exist until you finally speak up to Kirumi-chan. And even then, if I say the ‘D-A-T-E’ word, you throw yourself into such a tizzy and have.”

“Because you and Iruma-san insist on there being something there that’s simply not.”

“Who’s to say I can’t till the soil with a giant hoe to leave room for something to grow there later?” Ouma tapped his chin, glancing at Kiyo flirtatiously. “Unless, you’d prefer someone from the ‘other team’?”

“Man, woman, or otherwise, I’d prefer no one in such a way as that would only prove to be highly distracting. Companionship is more than acceptable, but no further.”

“Yeah, yeah, because you don’t wanna cheat on your wife Mrs. Workload, nor do you see what a total snack you are.”

“...I am not edible.”

Ouma could barely stop himself from laughing at that. “It’s a saying! It means that for a literal-minded Earthling meat trough, you’re pretty. I mean, long-flowing hair, sharp eyes, figure’s none too bad either—”

“—Knock it off.” Korekiyo moved Ouma’s fingers away from poking the areas he listed off, scooting further away. “Looks can be quite deceiving, you know. And what you may find ‘pretty’, others would beg to differ.”

“It’s not just those! You’ve gotta be the smartest one out of a majority of loons stuck here, and you manage to be both sharp and no-nonsense while having the manners of an 1800s gent. Sure, you’re kind of a morbid oddball, but that just means you’re not a snore to hear talk!”

“And those are things to be proud of?”

“Sure! You won’t please everybody, but that doesn’t mean you’ll please nobody. Humans are weirdos that find the beauty in the strangest places.”

“Perhaps Kirumi isn’t one of those individuals. Have you ever considered that?”

“I have, but then it went right out the window because it’s the furthest from being true.” Ouma walked two of his fingers to Kiyo’s dormant palm, stroking its surface. “Though, if you insist you don’t want her, maybe someone else is in mind?”

“Who would—? Oh, absolutely not!” Korekiyo took his hand back, cheeks a deep, embarrassed red. “Not that you’re physically unappealing, but I’d sooner settle with Kirumi than—!” He covered his mouth, but Ouma’s grin told him it was too late to cover any tracks. “You didn’t hear that.”

“Did, too! You like Kirumiiiii!”

“I never said that, do not shout! Iruma-san is bound to hear you!”

“Kiyo-chan and Kirumi, sitting in a tree! F-U-C-K-I-N-G—!” Ouma’s ear got pinched by Korekiyo, automatically tensing up at what would come next. “—Which spells ‘kissing’, of course! Just the French version, but it’s totally appropriate!” He let out a relieved breath when the detective let go and used his hands to cover his reddened face, mortified.

“Enough, please… I wish to drop this and discuss no further of my love life. With Kirumi or anyone.”

“You don’t wanna talk about romance? No problem, we can discuss something else!” Ouma seemed cheerful at first until his eyes went impishly sharp while Kiyo went back to drinking his water. “Like that copy of a restraining order I got for the motive exchange.”

Kiyo immediately spat out his sip away from anyone, coughing uncontrollably from the drops that’d fallen down his windpipe. “Re— straining?! Order?”

“Mmm-hmm! Now, what was the name on it in the defendant’s section? Tip of my tongue, but it’s escaping me… hmm. Oh, yeah! ‘Shinguuji’! Don’t I know somebody with that last name?”

“Yes, but wh-why bring that up now?”

“Hey, you’re the one who wanted me to change topics, and your wish is my command. Now, the funny thing is, I also saw your name in the plaintiff area, but the other Shinguuji had a girl’s name. Mind spilling the deets?”

“I do, a-actually. This isn’t your place to discuss this.”

“Despite having gotten it and read it in full? And you seemed awfully dodgy at the trial before Shuichi could say what your motive item was. What’s the story behind it?”

“Nothing you should get concerned with. Drop it.”

“Man, you’re just going from topic to topic today! First the biz with Kirumi, and now a potentially dirty secret you know you can’t hide from me? You’re on a roll, ain’t ya, Detective?”

“Be silent. Be silent, right now…!”

“So, what kind of case was it that you wound up being part of the court against one of your own? Crazy cousin that got locked out of someone’s will? Aunt that made the crazy cousin do it? Or, did you have a deranged long-lost sister that—?”

“—That’s ENOUGH!” In a reflex, Korekiyo smacked Ouma square in the back of his head with his book, doing so a little too hard and sending the astronaut’s face to the table with a loud BANG.

“Ouch! What the fuck?!”

Realizing just what he’d done, Kiyo got closer to Ouma’s side and checked the boy clasping his hands to his nose. “Kokichi, are you alright? Are you hurt?! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to do that!”

“Yes.” Ouma smiled, despite his nose leaking trails of blood after his hands went away. Kiyo wasted no time running to the kitchen, a muffled explanation to Miu later bringing him back with a first-aid kit. “...This place can’t even get an infirmary, but all they give us is one little bandage box?”

“Beggars cannot be choosers. Now, hold still. We’ll discuss the poor choices made in this school as soon as I stop the bleeding.” Korekiyo barely took out a cotton swab when Ouma got up and darted backwards.

“Hey, hey! What do you think you’re doing, buster?!”

“I’m… cleaning up the blood? What does it look like?”

“Exactly that, but why? I’m not gonna bleed forever just because my nose got hit wrong. I haven’t taken any secret blood thinners, so mine will clump up, stop the flow, and the day is saved.”

“That doesn’t mean I can let it bleed everywhere. Please, allow me to help you.” He tried holding Ouma’s face, only for him to refuse again. “What’s the matter?”

“You’re being annoying, that’s what. Worry more over the fact that people are killing each other than a nosebleed.”

“I worry about that every day, but that isn’t a factor of why I shouldn’t care that I’ve injured you. Besides, it’s either I fix this, or I go back in and have Iruma-san turn this into a war. What will it be?”

“...Okay, just this once, but that’s all you get! One strike, and you’re out.”

“Thank you.” Korekiyo finally swabbed up the blood with cotton, putting it aside and taking out two new balls. “Please keep these up your nose until you’ve stopped bleeding.”

“Great, now what? All bleeding stops eventually!” Ouma turned his back on Kiyo stubbornly. “It’s not like I can’t fix my own boo-boos.” When he heard silence, he glanced at a sullen detective. “What’s your problem?”

“...A very good question. What _is_ my problem? Not only do I overreact, but I wind up losing control of myself and wind up hurting someone, the very thing I’ve been fighting against from the first day.”

“So you hit me in the head with a book. Big whoop! Who cares?”

“I do!”

Ouma rolled his eyes, stuffing the cotton inside his bleeding nostrils. “Since you’re gonna be a baby about it, here. See? I can take care of myself all by myself. Now, quit whining. It’s giving me a headache.”

“Could… I at least get you an ice pack?”

“No, because I don’t need or want one. Get off my back already.”

Korekiyo sunk even further, fingers curling in on themselves. “I’m sorry.”

“Huh? For what?”

“I hurt you!”

“And? It’s not like you killed me or anything. Then you’d REALLY have something to be scared of!”

“I could have! Getting hit in the head like that could have ended fatal!”

“How do you figure—? No! Cut it out, already! I can tell you right now that I’ve had way worse injuries than just a busted up nose, and none of them even got treated!”

Snapping a bit out his internal battle, Kiyo gaped at Ouma horrified. “You have?”

“Pffft! As if! That was a lie and you fell for it like the stupid, guillible Earthling you are. And here I thought that died with Gonta!”

No, it wasn’t, and Kiyo wasn’t buying otherwise. “Kokichi.”

“Be a doll and pass me that ice pack you were yammering on about, and make it snappy! You’re supposed to ice a bruise right away, and you’re already late for that!” Korekiyo said nothing, meekly taking out the cold package before giving it to Ouma to put on his face. “Thanks.”

“...How bad was it?”

“Eh, could have been worse. It doesn’t take much to stop a bloody nose, and I don’t think anything’s broken—”

“—No. Not that one. The others you implied were far worse.”

“Oh. Those aren’t real, I told you.” Ouma chortled. “Did you seriously fall for that?! Hooo, baby, that’s rich! I can assure you, there’s nothing tragic about my backstory that’d bring an audience to tears and pitying me. I’m just your humble, everyday space ruler waiting to blow up Earth and humanity alongside it like someone should have years ago. Simple and clean.”

“I see.” Korekiyo stood up, packing up his book and forgetting his half-empty water glass. “Perhaps now is appropriate for me to leave, then. I’ve caused enough damage as is.”

“Why? I’m not kicking you out. You may be mad at yourself, but I’m not mad, too. If I was, I’d have already vaporized you on the spot.”

“You should be angry.”

“Well, I’m not, so deal with it.”

Korekiyo stared at Ouma bewildered, yet also sullen. “At least tell me why. Why were you so resistant to receiving my help?”

“None of your business. If you wouldn’t tell me about the restraining order, gimme a reason why I should tell a crummy oxygen breather like yourself something about myself.”

“I… understand.” Kiyo watched Miu walk past them and leave into the hallway. “It takes a lot of courage to let someone in and share your story, but I could still at least listen if you ever changed your mind.”

“Whatever that means. Good thing I don’t have dirt to share about myself!”

“Kokichi, you realize it’s okay if you have personal problems, don’t you?”

“Maybe for someone else, but I’m safe from that.”

“How am I to know you aren’t lying again?”

“That’s the fun part, Kiyo-chan. You’ll never know!”

Korekiyo exhaled, giving up. “Can you at least tell me how you’re feeling? You did get injured.”

“Better, but now I’m a little concerned about you, buddy boy.”

“Why? I’m— fine.”

“And you’re— lying!”

“Hmph. Those are rich words coming from you.”

“At least I’m known to lie. What’s your excuse?”

“My excuse? I… don’t know if I have one. Or could.” He sat down again, elbows propped against the table and hands resting his forehead. “Kukuku… someone like me doesn’t deserve to make excuses for anything. One wrong move, one mistake, and everything comes crashing down like a natural disaster. What— what in the world is wrong with me? It doesn’t matter how hard I try, or how cautious I act, I’m never really prepared to do anything right. Just like Yonaga-san warned, and yet I failed to listen.”

“Umm? Korekiyo?” Ouma went ignored as Kiyo kept berating himself.

“I’m a damn fool. I’ll never be able to prevent another death, and whatever I try to fix will only make things go from bad to worse.”

“Kiyo!”

“It really doesn’t matter what I do. All my efforts will result in the same thing. Eventually, it’s bound to be one more horrid mistake, and then we’ll all be doomed to die—!”

_SLAP!_

Ouma removed his hand from Kiyo’s reddened cheek, rubbing his palm. “Are you done? Look, I get it. Your first response is to blame yourself for things that are either in your control, or out of it. But, is it really your fault? No. You can’t control everything even if you really wanted to. ...Kiyo?”

Korekiyo couldn’t hear him anymore, his hand now comforting his slapped cheek with a hitched breath. He was shaking, shaking harder than anyone thought possible as tears budded up in his eyes widened to their fullest potential. The images and voices he heard on the inside prevented him from realizing he’d started sobbing, unable to get a steady enough breath. Everything all came back with that one slap, all too familiar with the stinging feeling of retribution.

_Do not talk that way to me, Korekiyo. Or do you not have any sort of respect for the ones who love you?_

_I don’t approve of your tone just now, Korekiyo. I will give you a chance to rectify it, but you are making me very angry. Are you testing me, child?_

_Mother and Father wouldn’t be happy hearing how you’ve misbehaved. Or, do I need to teach you a harder lesson upon their return?_

_Why must you make me do this to you, my sweet brother? I only want the best for you, and you repay me this way?_

_If you demand respect, then act as though you deserve it. You mustn’t stutter, you mustn't waver, you mustn’t become flustered, you mustn’t raise your voice._

“I m-mustn’t waver…! I mustn’t—!” Korekiyo hiccuped, tears bubbling out of him while his body ached in every judder. He clawed at his arms after what was initially a self-hug to fruitlessly bring himself back to a neutral mood. “M-Mustn’t! Stutter…! Mustn’t!”

_Will nothing get through to you? You know I hate putting my hands on you, but if I must, then I’ve no other choice._

_I demand you apologize, or I won’t be forgetting this._

_Apologize to me this instant, Korekiyo._

_Apologize._

_Apologize._

_Apologize—!_

“—Hmm?” Korekiyo gasped, now fully aware of the world outside his memories and seeing Ouma had taken a seat on his lap. He flinched when his hand sat on his shoulder, silently pleading not to be hit again until instead, the smaller boy’s palm awkwardly stroked the spot. “K-Kokichi?”

Ouma stayed quiet, carefully wrapping his arms around Kiyo and pulling him into a hug, the act tearfully reciprocated. He nearly fought that, but resisted and ran his fingers through the sleuth’s scalp and ponytail. “Easy does it,” he uttered, voice cracking somewhat.

“Th— ...Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” Ouma hated how his heart ached at the sharp, gaspy breath Korekiyo took during his sobs. “I may be a liar, but I meant what I said before. It may feel like it and it’s easy to think so, but none of whatever happened could have been your fault. You can only control so much in life, as nice as it’d be to turn the tables every time.”

“Not— my fault?” When Ouma shook his head to say it wasn’t, Kiyo sat more upright, his fingers shot up through his bangs. “How could you be so certain? I’m the reason, the reason she’s so miserable. Wherever she is…”

“Wherever who?”

“Kokichi, do you remember before when you were guessing who that restraining order copy was meant for? You mentioned a long-lost sister.”

“Seriously?! I knew I was right on the money! Tell me whatever you can, and don’t skimp out!”

“I suppose it’s only fair given the breakdown you had to put up with from me. I owe you.” Gathering as much of his strength as he was able, Korekiyo began. “The first case I ever took on, the one that led me to becoming the Ultimate Detective… was a familial one. I had, well, still have, technically, an older sister, and for years, I believed her to be my guardian angel. My hero, my protector, my— everything, really. I really looked up to that woman and couldn’t imagine her doing anything wrong to me.”

“You have a sister? What’d she do?”

“It wasn’t just one one thing. More like one after another, and for the longest time, she kept my eyes covered a bit too well for me to realize that. Every time our parents left me in her care, well… suffice to say those were always her greatest moments of power. Whenever I spoke out of turn, or got too carried away with my feelings, or displeased her in any way she saw unfit—” Kiyo swallowed thick, gripping both shoulders. “Erm. You can only imagine the toll it took on both my mentality. And my skin.”

“And your parents never caught wind of it? Some detectives they are!”

“Don’t talk of them that way. My mother and father are wonderful people that try their best as any other guardian would. Besides, after everything came to light, I’ve unfortunately had to hear them give themselves a harder time than they deserve for my blunders. I waited until the last moment to speak up, and everything went awry. How could they have known given how good Sister was at keeping things discreet and looking perfectly innocent to all?”

“Okay? What else?”

“Well, I should also mention that my sister didn’t stay healthy for very long. One day, she got sick, so much so that she was bedridden in the hospital and the doctors weren’t sure if she’d pull through it or not. We assumed it to be terminal at the time. Anyways, Sister didn’t have any friends of her own, so it was up to me to keep her company with every visitors’ hour, and not a moment later than she requested. I’d initially though being away from home would be different than when she babysat me… but, I didn’t see a single difference.”

“How’d it all come out?”

“Remember the fact that I was born to a pair of ace detectives? Yes, well, it didn’t take them an eternity to start realizing my bruises, cuts, nail marks, and other injuries weren’t the result of scholarly harassment given I was caught in the act of covering up some fresh ones on a _Sunday_. And given Sister wouldn’t say a peep to them, they all but interrogated me. I tried my damnedest to keep quiet for her, but the thing with parents is you can only keep so much from them for so long. So, they found out, and had one child released from hospital care to be put on trial for mistreating the other.”

“And given what I got, I’m assuming that bitch was found guilty?”

“Language, please. Cursing is impolite, and I shall not permit it from you.” Korekiyo stared at the ice having long melted in his water glass. “But, yes. After I gave my share of evidence and testimony, Sister was fully convicted and given a very lengthy prison sentencing, in part because she'd committed perjury. She tried persuading me to doing the same so she could take me down with her, but I wound up not having it in me to go through with it. I love her, but— what would Mother and Father think of me throwing all of their efforts to help in the garbage?

“...They and everyone insisted I did the right thing. And yes, I realized soon that everything she’d done to me was horrid, but at the same time, I understood what she had to deal with. No one deserves to be confined to a hospital bed for who-knows-how-long with the possibility of dying alone. And now look! She may have made a full recovery, but now she’s stuck rotting in jail all by herself with nobody to turn to after Mother and Father forbade her from seeing me _and_ renounced her as an adult. All those dreams she might have had, and they’re all gone because I couldn’t keep my mouth shut enough.” Korekiyo buried his face in both hands, wracked with conflicted shame at the visions playing back in his mind. “I’ll never forget the look on her face when she was taken away. Furious, yes, but also— scared. And betrayed, all because of her own flesh and blood. I wonder how she’s doing…?”

“Don’t.”

“Excuse me?”

“What are you, deaf? I said don’t wonder. Some lowlife Earthling like that getting her sick kicks out of ruining your life isn’t worth your thoughts, nevermind your attention. The more you do that, the less satisfaction _you_ have.” Ouma went to mocking Korekiyo in disgust. “‘Ughhh! She was suffering! She was confined from the outside world and thought she was gonna die alone! Woe is her!’! What a load of horse! That dusty bitch was and is the problem, and the fact that she tried to brainwash you otherwise is sickening! People like her are exactly why the human race deserves to die, and I can’t wait to fire the laser to do it!”

“Please don’t make this your motivation. It isn’t fair to blame everyone for the crimes of one person.”

“I’ve always had my motivations; this only fuels the fire. People aren’t worth anyone’s tears, and that creature who screwed you over definitely isn’t, either.”

“Kukuku… that’s certainly one way to describe my life. ‘Screwed’. And being here only pushed me from the frying pan directly into the fire.”

“That doesn’t mean you deserved what happened to you!” Ouma pulled Korekiyo’s mouth corners apart, looking him in the eyes sternly. “Repeat after me and sound like you mean it: ‘none of that was your fault and never will be’.”

“Gah! No’e oh ‘at was my faul’!”

“And?”

“Ah’ ‘ever will be?”

Ouma finally let go of him, smiling. “Good! And don’t you forget that.”

“...It’s really not my fault?”

“It’s not your fault, buddy.”

Kiyo’s eyes were still worn out with sadness, dried with his handkerchief. “Okay. I really do feel bad for snapping on you like that, Kokichi. It’s shameful that I showed you that side of me.”

“As in yelling at me, or going into a trauma-induced meltdown?”

“Yes.”

“Well, for the first, I don’t even care. People scream at me all the time for all sorts of reasons. And the second, same thing. I won’t yell at you for being hurt by someone else.”

“Still, no one deserves to have that dumped on them. I’m deeply sorry.”

“You didn’t dump it on me, I asked. There’s a difference.”

“Which I found to be very thoughtful of you. Maybe you believe it has to do with your evaluation, but you can’t deny you still have enough decency inside to do this for me.”

Ouma avoided his eyes, playing with the dyed end of a section of hair. “Yeah, well, the day I let some scummy human get the last laugh in tormenting someone is the day I stoop to their level.”

“Aww, you do care about me after all.” Korekiyo teased Ouma further by lightly pinching his cheek, which got a flail in response.

“Stop iiiiiit! These cheeks weren’t made for pinching!”

“Well, that’s just what I’ll do.”

“Not if you don’t have arms, you won’t.”

“Huh?” Before Kiyo could say anything else, Ouma latched onto him, keeping the taller’s arms pinned down in his own. “Oh! I see.”

“Accept your punishment for almost messing up my beautiful face. You’re gonna be stuck like this forever!”

“Darn. I’d hate for Kirumi to have a no-show with her lessons today.”

“Her what? OH! I completely forgot! I’m not late, though!” Ouma instantly released Korekiyo, standing up and running out of the dining hall. He was gone for a moment, then peering back in halfway. “Oh, by the way, Kiyo-chan?”

“Yes?”

“Now that I know you’re capable of more than one emotional setting, don’t always jump so quickly to being sad.” Ouma pointed to his own grin. “It takes less muscles doing this than frowning, and you’d look like less of a living downpour around here. Try it out! You might find it suits you.”

Ouma finally departed for good to make the piano lessons with Kirumi, leaving Korekiyo to his own devices. He no longer had the drive in staying, so he wound up exiting the dining hall himself, book in hand and water finished off with the glass put away. Among all possible ways a sit in initial solitude could have gone, an emotional breakdown in front of unlikely help wasn’t even at the bottom of the list. But, did he complain? No, frankly. Difficult as it was going through all of it, Kiyo felt as though he had less weight to bear than usual.

The corners of his mouth wound up taking Ouma’s advice, crinkling up into a small smile from pride in another. He really could find more than what met the eye from nearly anyone, the Ultimate Astronaut fitting into that category a very pleasant surprise to discover in his hour of need.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Although I've clarified it in the comments multiple times, no, I'm not taking the "gross subplot" twist with Kiyo because I'd like to think I have far much more dignity than using that nonsense for cheap shock value that does no good for the story or anyone in-universe. However, I did keep his mistreatment from a certain someone because I actually think it's worth elaborating on better than what they did (or DIDN'T, I should say) do in canon. I've done more than enough ranting on that, so I won't say anymore (in my notes, at least) -m-"
> 
> The KoreKichi scene, btw, is derived from yet another RP (well, a mish-mash of two, actually) between a friend and I. I didn’t include all of it this time, just most. :3
> 
> Other than that, I hope this first Daily Life of Ch. 3 was enjoyable for you guys! We're still in the "calm" era and it'll be a good while before the "storm" pops up. Though, if you don't really care for the former, then maybe just wait until the next Deadly Life or something. Gotta warn you, of course, you will miss out on a whole bunch. See you guys when I update next, and thanks for checking out this update! ♥


	23. Episode XXII: Daily Life 3.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! I'm finally relieved to get this done before I'm subjected to God-knows how many days of jury duty I have to endure bc I am NOT a morning person with reliable transport. So, thankfully, this is out and I've been itching to for a long while, actually! It's not even for a really important reason, but it's something I've been looking forward to putting in the story since Ch. 3. Don't worry too much on it, just sit back and enjoy the update for all y'all. Have fun! :3

Later into that same afternoon, Shuichi started breaking in his new Lab, finishing up his warm-up exercises and picking out one of the grappling dummies lined along the main dojo. Pretending it to be his attacker, he grabbed it by its upper arms and pinned one to its waist, ducking under it and forcing it to the mat using a full ryotetori technique. He went over a few more, turning himself and the dummy while putting its hands high before pushing it back down. During his advancement into practicing kata dori menuchi and keeping the grappling dummy on the ground a few moments longer, Shuichi heard some knocks at the door.

“Just a second!” he called, quickly slipping his zōri sandals back on without his tabi to accompany and opening to see who was visiting. “Yes?”

“Hope we didn’t catch you at a bad time,” Kaito greeted, Kaede standing beside him waving.

“Besides being in the middle of officially brushing up on my talent, you didn’t. What’s up?”

“I’m gonna get right to the point. I’ve been thinking of moving our training sessions from my Lab to yours now that it’s open. While tennis is and always will be a classic sport, I realize you can only do so much with being athletically in shape only.”

“Which is why, we want you to teach us Aikido!” Kaede announced. “You are the master, so where better source to learn from than you?”

“Right now?” Shuichi asked. “Gosh, I’m flattered. I didn’t think you guys would actually want to learn from me.”

“It’s a want and a must!” Kaito exclaimed, clenching his fist with hardened determination. “After losing Harumaki, I realized there’s a lot more to be done before I’m able to protect everybody while we’re stuck here. To have what it takes for being a hero, you need to be in shape, but know how to fight back, too!” He got on his knees, bowing at Shuichi’s feet. “You’re the only one here I can ask, so be my teacher! Teach me Aikido so I don’t let anyone else down like I did Maki!”

“Martial arts would be a great thing to learn in a killing game,” Kaede noted. “A little self-defense can go a long way! When’s a good time to start?”

“The sooner, the better!”

“I guess I wasn’t really doing much except beating up dummies,” Shuichi decided, taking off his zōri and stepping back onto the mat to sit down criss-cross. “Pick out a gi from the closet on your right, bathrooms are in the tournament room, and please keep your shoes and socks off before stepping on the tatami.”

“Why? Don’t you normally wear them?” Kaede wondered from the gi closet rack.

“Only outside or in the school, but never in the dojo. Master says going barefoot produces the best results and lessens the odds of slipping and sliding. Also, shoes dirty up the mats.”

“How come you’re sitting down?” Kaito asked, holding up two gi to see which fit him best. “Shouldn’t you be warming up for the spar?”

“I did that before you came in; now I just need a steady mind to channel most of my focus into the lesson.”

“If that’s how you do things, Shuichi-sensei.”

Shuichi’s ears perked up from his concentration. “Sensei?” The door shut behind Kaito and Kaede, allowing the martial artist to resume his privacy. “I kinda like how that sounds…”

“We’re ready!” Kaede called, stepping back in wearing white gi like Kaito and putting her previous outfit and shoes down next to his. “How does it look?”

“Ready for class.” He stood up, welcoming his friends onto the tatami mat before tying a white belt each around the waists of their gi. “First thing’s first, your belts.”

“White?! I’m at _least_ a black belt!” Kaito objected.

“Black’s as high as you can go, and no, you’re nowhere near such a grade yet.”

“Grade?” Kaede inquired.

“Martial arts uses a ranking system based on two belt colors. White belts, or _kyū_ -levels, work their way up through ‘grades’ until they’ve advanced enough to use ‘degrees’, or _dan_ , which are considered the black belts. You typically want a lower number while you’re _kyū_ , such as being a 2nd one, and a higher number as _dan_ , like 10th. Does that make sense?”

“Enough to me!” Kaito declared. “I’ll practically swipe that black belt from out of your hands in a heartbeat! Just you wait!”

“You can’t rush becoming skilled in martial arts, even if it’s a soft art like Aikido. You’ll earn a black belt eventually, but not on the first day.” Shuichi pulled down his hakama enough to show off his own, tugging at it so it didn’t blend in with his also-black gi pants. “It’s not an easy journey, but it’s doable with lots of practice.”

“Practice makes perfect, Kaito,” Kaede said. “Don’t back out just because you’re starting to get impatient.”

“I’d never!” Kaito announced. “I’m in this with the two of you not just for Maki, but for everyone here itching to go home! Whatever it takes, I’ll do it!”

“Wonderful,” Shuichi commended, fixing his hakama and standing before his friends did the same. “Now that you two seem all set, let’s get down to business. We’ll start with some warm-ups before we get into the good stuff so no one pulls a muscle. That’s important for any physical activity.”

“How do Aikido warm-ups go?” Kaede queried.

“This is one that helps get the blood flowing in your arms.” Shuichi put his left foot forward, extending his arms and pulling them towards him over and over. “It’s been used as a purification technique, and will help us reach our ideal goals.”

“By rowing a boat?” Kaito examined.

“Yes. The three of us are rowing our way to a world where we’re all good at defending ourselves. Do it with me and say ‘e-ho’! E-ho! E-ho!”

“E-ho! E-ho! E-ho!” Kaede and Kaito parroted, setting one foot ahead of themselves and pretending to row two oars in an imaginary boat.

“Now, for our next warm-up, we’ll put our hands together and kinda push the air away from us, side-to-side. After, make as big of a circle around your face as you can.” Shuichi demonstrated, his pupils copying him for a little while. “Good. This one will require us bending forward, and then just stretching back…”

“How many warm-ups do you normally do before you start, Shuichi?” Kaede asked, doing the motions with him and Kaito.

“Just a few. This one coming up will be the last one, and we can get to actual techniques. Do a few upper body twists, and stretch from side to side until all the kinks are worked out of your joints.” The three took some time to do those, then concluding their group warm-up session. “Good. Now, we can officially get a move on. Our lesson begins with explaining some things. In Aikido, the actual… moves, are done by the defender, also known as the ‘tori’, but occasionally, we have someone act like the attacker, also known as the ‘uke’.”

“So, the attacker receives?” Kaito inquired. “Wouldn’t they be the one giving?”

“No, because Aikido is a defensive art, and so the attacker receives whatever action the tori gives them. Do either of you want a demonstration? Come at me with your best shot.”

“You want me to? Are you sure?”

“Go ahead. Don’t hold back.”

“Well, if this is what you want, then you don’t go easy on me, either!” With a battle cry, Kaito ran forward using a random strike, grabbed as soon as he’d gotten close enough to Shuichi and flipped vertically with a ryotetori technique. “GAH!”

“See? Not much giving from the attacker, is there?”

“N-Nope… not at all.” Kaito helped himself up, stretching out his sore back. “So, there’s no physical attacks in Aikido? Just self-defense?”

“I don’t want to say there’s not at all. Those are called ‘kogeki’, but are used more for training purposes and not actual combat outside.”

“Sounds kinda painful,” Kaede winced. “Is it safe?”

“Perfectly. The flip I just gave Kaito might have been a little too hard, but that’s what the tatami mats are for. Believe me, this would be a lot less fun on solid ground.”

“So, where do we really begin?”

“With the line of attack. Akamatsu-san, please come over here and take my wrist.” Kaede did as told, standing before Shuichi and holding onto that area. “Now, as you can see, the distance we’re at would leave me open to a punch, or a kick, or any sort of hit. Which means, you don’t wanna be in this position and aim to get out of it. From the minute you’re grabbed, it’s a good idea to move out to one side, or the other.”

“But, if you move from range, how do you flip someone like a pancake?”

“That’s my next part. You wanna get to safety, but also move somewhat closer in a way that gets you to move your opponent towards submission.” Shuichi got back in the first stance, moving aside and pushing Kaede’s arm down and out a bit. “In other words, get out of trouble, but get your opponent enough at your mercy so they can’t do anything unless you willingly let go of them.”

“And that’s when you’re all set to start using Aikido on them?” Kaito guessed.

“More or less, but you wanna be very careful with your angling. For instance, you wanna either be behind them or beside them adjacent to the arm you grabbed, otherwise you’d be attempting more of a suplex than Aikido. Useful as that would be, it’s not what I’m trying to teach here.”

“Which is assuming you don’t fall down with them,” Kaede figured. “Or get hit first.”

“Right,” Shuichi agreed. “Now, once you have your opponent where you want them to be, you need to turn their body like so until they’re under just enough for a— pin!” He brought Kaede’s arm up, going under it and slamming her onto her back. “Like that. What you just saw was the shihonage technique. Don’t move in, move behind.”

“Cool! Can I try doing it?”

“In a bit. I still wanna teach you and Kaito some other stuff before we get into trying them out. Better to get this all in your heads first and your hands later so nothing gets busted. So, next, we’ll move onto a little technique called ikkyo, which will help with elbow control.”

“What, is there a nikyo, sankyo, yonkyo, and gokyo?” Kaito jokingly suggested.

“Yes, actually! How did you know?”

“I— didn’t. Go figure!”

Kaede sat out on her knees for that demonstration and watched Shuichi use Kaito instead, starting with the ikkyo technique. As taught, his arm ended up being raised and his body pushed forward, hips turned and finally pinned right to the ground on his stomach in a full spin. There wasn’t any pressure put on him, only a moderate press until he was helped up for another variant of the technique done from the back. For nikyo, Shuichi aimed more for the wrist, putting it more towards his body and compressing until he was able to get Kaito onto the ground by the shoulder in a rather tight pin, the athlete tapping out using his free hand repeatedly.

“Ow, oww, ouch! Easy with that!” Kaito winced, standing up a tad sore. “Maybe save some of the more painful demonstrations for your dummies and not actual people?”

“I wouldn’t do anything that’d seriously hurt you,” Shuichi said. “Nikyo is, however, a little tougher on your opponent than the last one.”

“Yeah, I can see that… how bad is sankyo?”

“Depends on how rough you are with the wrists. If you’re not careful, it can actually snap somebody’s and get nasty. Other than that, it’s not so bad.”

“Would it be okay to show off today?” Kaede requested.

“Sure, that can be our last one before I have you two demonstrate what you’ve learned.” Shuichi got ahold of Kaito’s arm similar to the first teaching. “Now, this one takes a bit from ikkyo, but instead, you wanna expose your opponent’s wrist and point it in a downward motion without cutting directly there. You wanna go in kind of an arch shape, then move to the front and pin down.”

“And that’s all?” Kaito asked, muffled against the tatami.

“That’s all for sankyo. Now, I want you two to show me one of those technologies. Any of your choosing, but it’ll help me see what you’ve picked up.”

“Me against him? I don’t know…” Kaede contemplated, hesitantly standing.

“Don’t be scared, sis! I won’t bite too hard if you don’t want me to,” Kaito reassures her.

“That’s not exactly what worries me. But, nevermind it, I don’t need you going easy on me because I’m a girl! Hit me with your best shot!”

“Hold on, do you mind being the uke? I’d like to try out doing the cool pins and whatnot.”

“Oh, sure! I’ll hit _you_ with my best shot, then!”

Kaede got into position with Kaito as Shuichi stood by to spectate. Focusing on the line of attack, she reached for him to grab at her wrist and move out of her range, pulling her arm over her head and using it to pin her to the tatami. When she got up again, he tried a different method, this time going behind her and turning her around him to pin from that spot, Kaede slapping the ground once to show she’d been defeated. Now switching positions, she let Kaito go in for a fake attack, stealing his wrist to try and perform the sankyo technique. In the middle of it, though, she wound up going overhead a little too hard, resulting in more of a hard toss across the room than traditionally subduing him. When he hit the wall, Kaede gasped, running over to help him up.

“Sorry! Too hard?” she gulped, Kaito politely refusing her hand to get up himself.

“Yeah, just a bit though,” Kaito chuckled, stretching the soreness out of his back. “That was more like a judo toss than an Aikido one, though feeling-wise, I’m not sure where the difference is.”

“Try throwing him a little less hard, Akamatsu-san,” Shuichi advised. “Martial arts may make it harder to resist being rough, but if there’s one thing crucial to Aikido, it’s lessening your stress levels so you’re confident with a strong mind.”

“Which makes me wonder why you throw people when you’re startled. Isn’t that kind of the opposite of having little stress?”

“I— still need to work on that part. Anxiety doesn’t just go away overnight.”

“Then you’ll have to beat it into leaving! Focus all your energy into beating what gets you down! Leave no weaknesses for anything to sneak up and tackle you when you least expect it! Instead, take that anxiety, grab ahold of it, and show no mercy!” He grabbed Kaede from behind to show his point, her first instinct to take him and throw him back onto the tatami mat. “OOF!”

“Warn me next time you’re gonna do that,” Kaede panted, calming down and pulling him back to his feet. “Did you hit anything?”

“Just my rear, but nothing’s where it shouldn’t be. I gotta say, Kaede, something about you makes me feel like you’re a dangerous woman.”

“Really? How so?”

“Well, girls don’t normally have the strength of a bodybuilder and beat people up. You don’t use your kids to benchpress or something, do you?”

“No! What kind of question is that?” Kaede crossed her arms. “Is it really so alien for a girl to work out? Guys aren’t the only people who need to keep their strength up.”

“I mean, I’m sure they do it, but it isn’t that common is what I’m saying. People hear ‘weight-lifting’ and ‘martial arts’, and normally picture a guy doing it. Me included! That’s all.”

“Then hopefully this changes your mind.” Grabbing Kaito, Kaede performed the sankyo she should have, effortlessly pinning him with his hand raised. “Hah! How’s that for uncommon?”

“Pretty impressive… can we go back to the part where I’m the tori?”

“Sure thing. I’m not the only one who needs some good old martial arts training.”

“That I’m not so sure about anymore. You kinda seem all set with that.”

“No, I do. Taking back my place as leader means I need to pull out all the stops in protecting my friends from this game, which includes having better training and discipline.”

“It never hurts to put your strength to good use,” Shuichi supported. “Akamatsu-san’s just like you, Kaito. Strong, determined, motivational, wanting to keep everyone safe from harm, you name it!”

“Which means if I wanna be the best I can be here, I need to take any opportunities available to make that happen.”

“Then that leaves me with no choice but to stick by you two every step of the way!” Kaito decided. “Be it in tennis, or becoming Aikido masters!”

“Easy does it. I’d hate to overshadow Shuichi and take his title. But, on that, do you guys mind if we had a little talk after today’s training?”

“Sure? What’s the issue?” Shuichi asked.

“None, but it’s really important, and I need you both for it.”

Shuichi returned to spectating Kaede and Kaito sparring, giving out corrections and orders if needed whenever they made a small blunder in their techniques. He stepped in to reposition them at times, backing away to avoid getting hit and praising everything done right. Kaito finally had his shot at performing the techniques rather than be a living martial arts dummy, After concluding the first day of training and receiving promises of being taught more next time, the two pupils were permitted to get dressed back in their day clothes while Shuichi stuck to putting on his tabi socks and zōri, leaving his Research Lab and locking it after he left with Kaede and Kaito for whatever the former needed from the boys.

* * *

In the Ultimate Pianist Lab, Korekiyo and Kirumi were in the middle of a duet rendition of “Lascia ch’io pianga” for viola and piano. The deepness of the stringed instrument’s default pitch made it sound lower than it would traditionally, but added for a lovely version brought to life by two pairs of expert hands. Both focused intently on playing their part, but couldn’t help feeling enraptured by the serene mixture of two mediums of music blending into one whole symphony. As the song came to a close, Kiyo put down his viola and Kirumi released her monochromatic keys, letting everything end on a smooth decrescendo until there was a small bout of pooled silence.

“Marvelous work as usual, my dear,” Korekiyo complimented. “I’m surprised you were still up for doing this after completing your lesson with Kokichi.”

“As am I, but a musician’s work is never done,” Kirumi said, flexing her fingers. “While he’s improving massively, he doesn’t fail to turn even a simple warm-up into a battle.”

“Rambunctious as he is, one could argue he’s not entirely terrible to be around. There are many sides to everybody; no single person has only one facet.”

“I don’t deny that, but you’d have to really dig deep to see that other facet of his.”

“Or, it comes up purely by chance. Perhaps when his inner compassion is beckoned to accidentally.”

“By accident? How?”

“It’s a very long story. Just know I’m making nothing up.” He saw Kirumi wince while flexing her hand more. “Are you alright?”

“Just fine, I’m only a tad sore since I didn’t have much time to do much stretching between Ouma-kun’s lessons and our duet. Give me a few seconds, and I’ll be right back to playing shape.”

“Why don’t you take longer until you’re really feeling okay? It takes much longer than a few seconds for some to stop feeling sore.”

“But, if I stall, that eats up more time in our session together. I’d rather just get back to playing and not waste minutes.”

“It’s never wasteful to take care of yourself. Here, why don’t I help you stretch out the tension in your hands myself?”

“You? What could you do?”

Kiyo sat next to Kirumi on her piano bench, not seeing the flush in her cheeks when he tenderly held her hand in his two. “A simple hand massage could be a good idea. Would it be alright to remove your gloves?”

“My—? Oh dear, I don’t know. They’re meant for protecting my hands, particularly my fingers, in the first place. What if I take them off and it worsens things?”

“It’s only temporarily, then you’re free to put them back on. Besides, you’re still sore even with them on, aren’t you?”

“You have me there. Alright, Korekiyo-kun. Go ahead and take them off, but only one at a time.”

“Okay. The best hand to start with would be your dominant hand. Which is it?”

“I’m ambidextrous.”

“Ah. I’ll pick one, then.” Choosing the left hand, Kiyo delicately pinched the edge of the black glove from Kirumi’s middle finger, slowly pulling it up and revealing a soft palm appearing as if it’d been preserved for lifetimes without a single callous or scar. “My. Those gloves have done wonders after all.”

“Sensei advised me to have them on at all times, with the exception of bathing and bedtime, of course. He said you never know when something in your day could come along and damage your most important tools of all. And as soon as that happens, my career follows his.”

“Gloves can only do enough to protect you from injury, but they certainly can’t protect you from life alone. Sometimes, your hand can go through misfortune, and your gloves will be powerless to stop that.”

“I wouldn’t say they’re entirely powerless. I’ve suffered far less skin damage and it’s hard to spread germs with gloves on.”

“Yes, but they aren’t an all-around safeguard. If you enjoy wearing them, keep doing so, but don’t feel obligated to have them on 24/7.”

“Could we get on with the massage?” Kirumi got up and came back with a bottle of lavender-scented hand lotion, offering it to her comrade. “Do you require this?”

“Thank you, this should come in great handy.” Kiyo perked up when he heard Kirumi giggle softly, tilting his head. “What’s so funny?”

“Was that intentional? You’re about to give me a hand massage and you said the lotion was ‘handy’.”

“Hmm? Oh!” Now he was laughing, covering his mouth to avoid looking too foolish in front of a lady. “No, that wasn’t on purpose. Good ear.”

“I’ve been known to have them, yes. Having sensitive hearing can be a blessing with music, but a curse with noisy neighbors.” Kirumi watched Kiyo put a dollop of lotion into his hand, rubbing his palms together and gently stroking her palm before kneading it, shuddering from the new sensation. “Oooh… I never took you for the masseuse type.”

“Having a job requiring lots of work with your hands can lead to you taking measures in keeping them from becoming gnarled. I may not have much experience with massages, however, but I do know what gets worked up the most in the palms and fingers. Does this feel alright?”

“Yes. It feels amazing.” Her fingers were being curled in and stretched out, Korekiyo’s thumb and pointer pinching one section at a time and rolling it between until all five were relaxed. “Ah! Mmm…”

“It isn’t often I get the honor of seeing you enjoy yourself like this, my dear Kirumi. Maybe it’s a sign you’re a tad too worked up?”

“Am I? Usually, I’m the soother, but never the soothed. I don’t mind, of course. My priority has always lied with— ah, oooh!” Kirumi’s shoulders fell when Kiyo got to massaging around her wrist. “With helping you all relax and be able to smile. I know you, Miu-san, and Saihara-kun all said I shan’t neglect myself, and I won’t. I promise.”

“That also means not to prioritize another’s wellbeing over yours. If you aren’t happy, then it’ll be much harder to please someone else.”

“Perhaps. But, I’d hate to seem as though I’m neglecting somebody for myself.”

“No one said picking was necessary You’re allowed to have both.” Korekiyo sandwiched her hand between his, rubbing it from the palm and back like a fine dough and putting his longer fingers over a web each to lightly squeeze. “Is this still good?”

“K-Keep going… this is wonderful.” Smiling, Kirumi’s head lolled back, kept up only by her shoulder as her palm received the delicate kneading of a lifetime. “Thank you for taking the time to do this for me, Kiyo-kun.”

“Don’t mention it. A lovely young lady such as yourself shouldn’t have to suffer with a sore hand all day at the expense of another.” He finally let go, sliding the glove back on Kirumi’s hand and meticulously removing the right one. “Now, I do the other one.”

“Would you mind getting more of the knuckles? I don’t want to risk anything by cracking them and—” Pop! Pop! “Ah!”

Korekiyo stopped, alarmed. “I’m sorry, did I go too far?”

“No… that was actually just what I needed. Please, continue.”

While kneading and rubbing the right hand, Korekiyo noticed Kirumi had slumped in another direction, now laying her head on his shoulder in a blissful daze. His heart flitted, face heating up from them being so close in contact. Going against saying something and causing her to be ashamed, he kept going, letting the skippy beats inside him tire themselves out. Fingers pressed, rolled, and prodded, working out kinks and tension so they wouldn’t come back and bother a pianist at work. Once finished, Korekiyo released Kirumi, who returned to her senses after he’d returned her glove to her right hand.

“Sorry,” she apologized, blushing. “I got a little too carried away.”

“There is no need to ap— say you’re sorry,” Korekiyo insisted. “Massages of any kind are supposed to be relaxing. If you were still stiff, I’d be far more alarmed and think I wasn’t doing it correctly.”

“Don’t fret, everything felt perfect. And now, I feel ready to keep up with our duet.” Kirumi looked at the time, changing her mind. “Oh, nevermind. It’s just about supper, isn’t it?”

“That’s alright. We can always pick up our music playing next time. All that matters is us being together.” Kiyo caught himself, sheepish saying that as Kirumi was hearing it. “Err! Not _together_ in that sort of sense, but us being in the same room and— you know what I’m trying to say, don’t you?”

Kirumi laughed it off mildly, getting up from her seat and leaving with Kiyo. “I understand, yes. I’ll be seeing you at dinner, then?”

“Count on it. See you in a little while.” They went downstairs together, but upon hearing chatter occur at the tables right outside the dining hall, only Korekiyo stayed behind and listened while Kirumi went in by herself. He peered from that corner, finding out the conversation was Kaede, Shuichi, and Kaito’s altogether.

“So, what you’re saying is,” Kaito gathered, “you don’t just wanna be physically strong as a leader, but also practical? That’s every kind of person in charge!”

“Ideally,” Kaede noted. “But, yeah. I made a promise to myself that there’d be some changes in place as soon as I could do them. Not just for how I do things, but how things go around here.”

“Like laying some new ground rules?” Shuichi asked.

“Mmm-hmm! I wouldn’t be making up all of them since I don’t wanna come off as pushy or a dictator, so that’s where you guys come in. You’re gonna be my handy helpers in keeping danger away from our classmates until we can all get out of the Academy together.”

“Why us?”

“Because, Shuichi, you’ve had my back since the day we met, and Kaito over here has been my motivational coach— and personal trainer— whenever you couldn’t make it. We’d make an amazing team!”

“I’m in!” Kaito agreed immediately. “But, how do you plan on going with this? You can’t just make changes all willy-nilly. You need a team, sure, but also a system. Kinda like an… organization? A club? A council?”

“That! That last one! We could form a council!” Kaede gasped, eyes brightening with an idea. “A student council!”

“One of those? Man, the one at Dodonpachi hardly funded the tennis team because we weren’t a ‘popular sport’, or some bullshit. Are you sure it’s a good idea?”

“Technically, we are in a school,” Shuichi pointed out, “and a class government would let everyone have a say in how things change. I think it’s smart. Practical. Business-oriented."

“And it’s not too unexpected for Kaede to go from class rep to president. She’s a natural born leader!”

“Plus, this was mostly my idea besides you throwing me some,” Kaede said. “I’m the president, and I elect Shuichi to be the vice one!”

“Me? The vice-president?” Shuichi wondered. “I don’t know how well I could pull that off.”

“You did a great job taking over for me when I lost everyone’s trust, and that speech you gave during the first Flashback Light got everybody inspired! I’d say you definitely have what it takes to lead things whenever I’m not available.”

“Really? Wow, I guess I did keep spirits high by myself. Alright, I accept the job.”

“Ooh, what’s mine? What can I do?” Kaito asked, stoked.

“How about the treasurer? That’s always an important job,” Kaede suggested.

“Yeah, but they handle all the finances, and the only currency here is in Monocoins. We’re not really pitching those together to spend on anything good, are we?”

“No, I guess not. Let’s see, what’s kinda job would suit you best…? Ah! How about being the enforcer? I’ve seen some student governments have those as a position.”

“What’s that do?”

“They enforce the rules and make sure no one’s breaking them,” Shuichi answered. “Basically, you’d be like the disciplinary committee.”

“You make it sound like a really dull job, but I am loud and proud, so dealing with a few troublemakers wouldn’t be the worst thing. I could make it work!”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Kaede giggled. “And now, for the next problem. Getting other people in on the deal. We can’t run a student council with just three members, or no one would take us seriously.”

“Clubs usually have around five members,” Shuichi stated. “Finding two more to wanna do this shouldn’t be that difficult.”

“Members?” Korekiyo spoke up, scaring the daylights out of the three by his sudden appearance. “Pardon me for intruding, but I couldn’t help but catch wind of you trying out a new strategy.”

“What’s it to you?” Kaede sneered. “Before you ask, no, I’m not planning anything sketchy, so beat it and go breathe down someone else’s neck.”

“On the contrary, I’m not here to scold you at all. Rather, I’d like to offer myself as a fourth member to your organization.”

“It’s a student council, and we don’t want you. The last thing anyone needs is having you nag their ear off for doing something slightly imperfect.”

“Don’t you think it’s a tad unfair to not give me a chance before deciding?”

“About as unfair as you were doing it Akamatsu-san before Maki died, you mean?” Shuichi hissed. “You had it coming. Besides, why should we even consider letting you join?”

“If you’d take a few minutes to hear me out, you’d know that I’ve more than enough valuable skills to keep a student government running. Not to mention, this is a great opportunity to see Akamatsu-san’s improvement up close and personal, if she really means what she’s been saying.”

Shuichi glared at him. “She does, you just don’t wanna trust her.”

“No, I’d like nothing more than to do that, but I’d like a reason to first and foremost.”

“I don’t care what you think of me,” Kaede snarled, standing and ganging up on Korekiyo to more surprise than his face was showing. “Listen to me, and listen up good. I’m sick of you, and your endless accusing of me always being up to trouble. If you think for a second I’d _ever_ consider letting someone like you in just to push me around despite being in charge, you’d better give that another thought. You have no business joining, and even less sticking your nose where it shouldn’t go. None of us want anything to do with you, so do us all a favor and hit the road! We can handle plenty without you and will.”

Korekiyo was stunned, but maintained a stoic face while fixing his cravat. “...Very well. I can take no for an answer and see where I’m not wanted. I’m sorry to have bothered you, Akamatsu-san.”

“If you’re really sorry, then turn around and walk.”

“Ah, yes. Yes, I was just about to. Good day.”

“Good riddance,” Shuichi scoffed as Kiyo started to leave. “Now, where were we?” He turned back to the discussion, only met with Kaito’s concerned expression. “What?”

“Shuichi, Kaede, that was kinda harsh,” Kaito said. “All he wanted was to join the student council.”

“Yeah, and as president, I said no,” Kaede responded. “I’m not letting someone who’d just give me nothing but a rough time aboard. Fat chance.”

“Isn’t it kind of ironic, though? That you’re doing to Shinguuji what he’s done to you, and that’s also the same thing you yelled at him for? He also never said he wanted to boss you around, just help out and watch you keep your promise.”

“Does that make it any better?” Shuichi tested. “For all we know, he’ll probably go back on his word and hound us all over again.”

“Now, where have I heard that before? Assuming someone’s gonna do something they said they won’t… hmm. It’s escaping me.”

Shuichi thought it over, then realizing it to his reluctance. “Oh.”

“We’re not acting any better than Shinguuji-kun, are we?” Kaede sighed, picking up on it herself.

“Right now? Not even a little,” Kaito scolded. “Besides, he’s someone that wants as much peace around here as we do! Why refuse him that? And as the Ultimate Detective, there might be skills on him that could be really useful. But, if you let him get away, that opportunity goes with. I’m not saying you have to like the guy, but at least offer more of a chance than he did you so you all can prove each other wrong.”

“Oh… alright. But, if he joins and crosses the line, I’m kicking him right out.” Kaede got up from her seat, chasing after Korekiyo. “Shinguuji-kun, wait!”

“Yes?” Korekiyo wondered. “Look, I’ve already accepted your rejection. I understand I’m not suitable for the cause, and am willing to lie in the bed I’ve made.”

“No, no, listen to me again. I’m sorry, I was a little too harsh back there. It’s not fair saying I deserve a chance while shooting down yours on the spot without letting you plead your case. So, if you’re still up for it, do you wanna join?”

“For the sake of maintaining order and keeping my classmates out of danger, I would love nothing more than to be a part of this.” Kiyo put the side of his arm to his chest, bowing with his eyes closed. “Thank you for reconsidering, Akamatsu-san.”

“Hey, hey, no need for being formal. Let’s just pick out a job for you and get this squared away.” Kaede led him over to the table. “Have a seat.”

“So. What positions are already taken?”

“Kaede’s the president, Shuichi’s the vice-president, and I’m the enforcer,” Kaito listed off. “We don’t really need a treasurer, so we’re not looking for one. What could you offer?”

“My observation skills and ability to take notes at a very fast rate? Those prove essential in any sort of group.”

“See?! We could have lost a note-taker! Shame on you two!”

“We know,” Shuichi and Kaede sighed, the martial artist speaking up. “There might be one position that fits that criteria. How would you feel about being… the secretary?”

“The secretary?” Korekiyo pressed. “Why not the historian? That seems more suitable for me and less demeaning.”

“Club historians also keep track of things, but usually school events and usually need to put together a scrapbook made of photos and newspaper clippings.”

“Besides, the secretary doesn’t have to be embarrassing!” Kaede affirmed. “You could wear the title with pride and be our primary note taker! What if we forget something and have no one to rely on?”

“Very well,” Korekiyo decided. “That shall be my job.”

“It’s settled, then. Welcome aboard, Shinguuji-kun,” Shuichi reluctantly said, shaking hands with him. “I don’t know how I feel about it just yet, but I’ll see where this goes.”

“You shan’t be disappointed. It’s an honor to be a member and join you in such a wonderful cause rather than work against you.”

“Anything beats that. Try not to get too out of hand in watching Akamatsu-san handle this, okay?” Korekiyo nodded, Shuichi relaxing. “Thanks.”

“So, now that I’m on board, who did you have in mind for a fifth member?”

“Oh, we haven’t gotten to that yet,” Kaede admitted. “You kinda came as a surprise for our fourth.”

“Who would make a good member of the team?” Kaito inquired.

“Hey! Just what do you three think you’re doing?!” Tenko demanded, running over and standing by Kaede’s side while glaring at the boys. “Are you degenerate males interrogating our poor classmate? She doesn’t have to talk if she doesn’t want to, so deal with it!”

“No, Tenko, we’re actually working together,” Kaede answered, knowing the robot would only accept her say. “You’re looking at the makings of the brand new student council!”

“We say that because we still need a fifth member, but we can’t find—” Korekiyo started.

“—I’m in,” Tenko asserted without hesitating.

“You are? But, we haven’t even explained what we’re trying to do,” Shuichi told her.

“No need! I understand that with Kaede-san aboard, she’ll only lead us to greatness in protecting those in danger! And, I’d be out of my mind to let her deal with you three ruffians all by herself. She needs to be less at a disadvantage, and that’s final!”

“And lemme guess, we don’t get to argue?” Kaito snarked.

“Definitely not!”

“Well, I think we just found our final member,” Kaede laughed. “That was easy.”

“For you, at least,” Kaito snorted. “What position are you looking for? The ones already taken are president, vice-president, secretary—”

“—Historian,” Korekiyo refuted.

“ _Secretary_ , and enforcer. That’s me! We’re leaving out treasurer since there’s no actual money to look after, so what’s left?”

“The point of a student council is to communicate with the non-members so we have an even system, right?” Tenko brought up. “Which means, somebody needs to be the people’s voice! It just so happens I’ve got a recording function that would really help in that department, and I got new upgrades from Amami-san to help me out, too!”

“So, you’d want a position where you’re more like the representative?” Kaede asked.

“Maybe not, because I’d hate to take up your old mantle. How about something along the lines of ‘public relations’?”

“If you wanna be in charge of that, be my guest! You’ll make a great addition to the team!” Kaede shook Tenko’s hand, making it official. “Welcome aboard, Tenko!”

“Excuse me for interrupting, but shouldn’t we be headed inside for dinner?” Korekiyo reminded. “We’re running a tad late.”

“And, it’d be a great time to announce this to everyone,” Shuichi included. “It’s not much if no one else knows what’s happening.”

“Let’s hurry. We don’t want the others leaving before we can get a word in,” Kaede suggested, standing up and going into the dining hall alongside the other four.

“About time you guys finally decided to grace us with your presence!” Miu barked sarcastically. “Kiyo, you’ve sort of got an excuse, but how come you didn’t show until well after Kirumi did?”

“You’ll see in a moment. We have something to announce,” Korekiyo told her.

“Oh boy. Can’t this wait? Every time someone speaks up during dinner, something bad happens.”

“This will be the first not to because it’s not another event.”

“Fine. Make it quick.”

“Akamatsu-san, the floor is yours.”

“Excuse me! Everyone?” Kaede spoke up, clinking a glass so the others could quiet down. “This is important, so hear us out.”

“Great, this oughta be good,” Ouma snickered.

“And before you guys ask, no, we’re not hosting anything. Instead, it’s more of a first big change among many, but the others will involve you guys more after it goes through us.”

“What? Why would it need to go through you?” Kiibo queried.

“Because, as of today, we’re all proud to announce…!” Kaede stood in the center with her arms crossed smiling confidently, Shuichi on her right holding the side of his hand up to his face and Kaito on the left punching his knuckles together. To the farthest left was Korekiyo saluting, and positioned the farthest right being Tenko gripping her flexed bicep. “The first ever Ultimate Academy Student Council! Introducing me, Kaede Akamatsu, as the president running the whole shebang and overseeing new order!”

“Shuichi Saihara, the vice-president!” Shuichi continued. “I’ll be in charge of handling things whenever Akamatsu-san can’t be available and working very closely with her every step of the way.”

“Kaito Momota, the enforcer!” Kaito declared. “If none of you plan on answering to President Kaede, then you’re sure as Hell gonna answer to me! And believe me, you won’t want that, so behave and listen to her authority!”

“Korekiyo Shinguuji, the council historian—” Korekiyo started to say.

“—Secretary.”

“— _Historian_. I’ll be in charge of note-taking during meetings and sharing them with all students both member and not to ensure proper information is maintained at all times.”

“And finally! 10-K0, pronounced Tenko, the public relations officer!” Tenko concluded. “Any and all concerns or suggestions shall be given to me, which I’ll happily relay to our lovely President Kaede! I am the student body’s voice that will never go unheard!”

“Together, we’ll all work to make sure this killing game can’t make it easy to take away another one of us!” Kaede declared. “And by the time it’ll try to, we’ll all be long gone and safe back home!”

“We’re instilling new rules, order and prosperity under our president’s watchful eye,” Shuichi made clear. “None of us will have anything left to fear with her around.”

“And if any of you have a problem with it, tough!” Kaito barked. “Either you listen to us, or you’ll end up going right under when there’s a better way out of it!”

“Wow, our very own student council,” Rantaro hummed, impressed. “It’s a big step up from class representative, and a new and improved leadership.”

“Not to mention, a fairer one,” Kirumi agreed. “Although they’ll be deciding on protocol, Tenko-san mentioned being our voice. Does that mean we’ll have a say in the new rules?”

“Yes,” Kaede answered. “You guys will get a shot at pitching your concerns and ideas, and we’ll make a decision on whether it’d help everyone out here. Everyone deserves a voice!”

“Are there going to be rules you’ll come up with yourselves?” Kiibo asked.

“That’s also a yes, but we’ll hear what you guys think of them first before they’re made official. We want to avoid having too much power on our hands.”

“Where are you gonna hold your little meetings?” Ouma wondered, half-invested.

“Umm, we— haven’t decided yet. But, soon! There’s plenty of rooms to use in the school.”

“Hold on, something’s missing from you guys…” Himiko pondered, snapping her fingers. “Ah-ha! That’s it.”

“What is?” Tenko inquired, suddenly having her arm measured with flexible tape and watching Himiko do the same for the other members. “Whoa! Himiko, what are you doing?”

“Taking numbers.” She collected Kaito’s last, putting away her tape. “Perfect. I’ll have those done by tomorrow.”

“Have what done?” Kaede quizzed.

“It’s a surprise I’m only letting Angie see early. You’ll find out when they’re done, and trust me, there’s not a chance you won’t like it.”

“Okay? I can’t wait.”

“Well, you five have my support,” Kirumi said. “Kaede-san’s leadership skills are bound to only do good for us.”

“Eh, could be worse, I guess,” Miu muttered. “And, if I get a say in how to do things, maybe she won’t shit herself too hard after all!”

“Don’t presidents of any kind need to be elected?” Tsumugi bit, glaring at Kaede. “I’m sorry, but it’s plainly obvious at how messed up this is.”

“Run that by me again?” Kaede asked.

“I’m just saying, maybe some people aren’t as cut out for leadership as someone else might be. Particularly when it’s in their title to be the one in charge, hmm? Correct me if I’m wrong, but is this a daycare, Akamatsu-san? Do you have a place leading people well over 5 years old?”

“No one saw you coming up with any ideas,” Rantaro scolded. “At least Akamatsu-san’s taking initiative.”

“For the Ultimate Supreme Leader, you do seem rather lacking in the ‘leader’ department and are more cast off to the sidelines,” Korekiyo added.

“Yeah, so pipe outta this, Plain Jane!” Miu snapped. “You had your chance to do something and Kaeidiot beat you to the punch! Get over it!”

“Besides, having jurisdiction in a separate group doesn’t affect how you are in another,” Kiibo stated. “That’s just like being the prime minister here and trying to make up laws during a vacation in France.”

“But, as someone who still runs her own organization, I understand there are some positions you inherit— like mine, and others you need to be elected into,” Tsumugi argued. “And if Akamatsu-san wants our opinions to count so much, she should let us pick a leader.”

“Then let’s do a quick vote,” Shuichi suggested. “All in favor of Akamatsu-san being the student council president?” He counted off the raised hands. “Okay, and those against?” Only Tsumugi and Himiko raised their hands. “Yumeno-san, you voted twice. Which is it?”

“Nyeh? Oh no, this one’s not for me, I’m for it,” Himiko corrected. “I’m raising my hand for Angie’s vote because while she thinks Kaede has potential, she has some disagreements with her intentions.”

“Ah. Well, majority vote still wants her in, so in she’s staying. Happy now, Shirogane-san?”

Tsumugi only glared his way at first, then resuming her mild persona. “There’s no arguing with a majority vote,” she admitted. “Have it how you want.”

“Thank you,” Kaede said.

“So, Miss President, when’s the very first meeting gonna take place?” Rantaro asked. “I know you haven’t found a room yet, but it’s still good to plan ahead.”

“We’re hoping to get both of those out of the way tomorrow. Once we find a room, I’m aiming for meetings to be more towards the early afternoon. If that’s alright with you guys.”

“Depends,” Kaito spoke. “You, me, and Shuichi have training right before dinner, so how would that work?”

“The meetings don’t have to be every single day,” Shuichi proposed. “We could make them every other day so we can fit both in.”

“And, we’ll just work out a specific time later that works for all five of us to meet at,” Kaede said. “No need to do everything in one day if we can’t.”

“Blab about this over dinner. Sit and gimme your orders so we can actually get a meal started,” Miu demanded.

The new student council sat relatively close with one another, but still in proximity of their usual comrades to keep talking with them while requesting what kind of meal they wanted from Miu. From another seat, Tsumugi sipped her drink and glared, notably at the oblivious Kaede and what she was planning. She played it off if any wandering eyes caught wind of how she looked, lying and claiming to have something in her eyes while taking off her glasses to clean out imaginary grains. After the coast was clear, the look stayed on her face for the duration of dinner, bitterly stewing from her seat.

* * *

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“Say it!” Monosuke’s voice demanded off-screen, pointing a water gun to Monotaro and Monophanie’s heads while they were tied up in one rope.

“I think I’m getting stage fright!” Monophanie gulped.

“Neither of you have a choice, now do the announcement exactly how I told youse to or face the consequences!”

“What’s a little water gonna do to us?” Monotaro challenged. “You’d have to crack us open to really do any damage with that!”

“Didn’t say this thing had water in it. Do you wanna find out what?”

“Ahem! Look at what time it is! It’s now 10 pm, which means the dining hall and gymnasium are both off-limits!”

“Plus the pool! D-Don’t any of you go in that pool or you’ll get a faceful of Exisal foot!” Monophanie gulped.

“And?” Monosuke’s voice prodded.

“Oh, and our tall, dark, and damn sexy leader Monosuke is the greatest ever!”

“Uh-huh! We should have listened to him long ago instead of that clunky yutz Monodam!” Monotaro exhaled. “How stupid we were and I wish I could turn back time to fix my foolish past self!”

“Me too, Monotaro! Me too…” Monophanie laughed nervously.

“Very good,” Monosuke congratulated. “Now, here’s your reward!”

The monitor shut off just as Monosuke pulled the trigger and squirted his siblings with an unknown substance despite doing everything right. While heading for his bedroom alongside the others, Korekiyo felt his backside be poked, turning and immediately catching Ouma to be responsible. Acknowledging the boy with a wave, he continued, receiving more playful pokes and jabs that he continued ignoring. Since that hadn’t been working, Ouma jumped in front of him, directly cutting off his path no matter how many times the detective tried going around.

“What’s wrong? Mr. Student Council Secretary too good for me now?” Ouma teased.

“Never, but I’m not too good for my bed, either,” Korekiyo answered. “I’m sure yours misses you, too.”

“How about I pay yours a visit and keep it warm?”

“That won’t be necessary. My mattress doesn’t require an extra person to reside in.”

Ouma took Kiyo’s hand and played with it, putting the back to his cheek affectionately. “Not even if it’s me sleeping with you?”

It finally hit him, Korekiyo taking his hand back and dusting it off with an irritable color to his pale cheeks. “You stop that. It’s much too late to put up with your pretend flirting.”

“My flirting’s pretend? Why didn’t you tell me?” The surprised look on Korekiyo’s face sent Ouma into a laughing fit. “The look you just had right now! I wish you could see it!”

“Boorish. Simply boorish. What if you’d done that to someone that harbored actual feelings for you, and you’d just laughed in their face and made them look like a damn fool for reacting?”

“Sucks for them, then. Besides, that scenario’s completely hypothetical. Other than my stellar good looks, few are worthy enough to fall for me.”

“Not worthy, or simply won’t because you have an irritating personality involving insulting every single person you lay eyes on?”

“My bad for calling it how I see it with this species. I don’t see a point in ignoring the glaring flaws of people as a whole, so I’m speaking my mind loud and proud!”

“It’s not speaking your mind, Kokichi. It’s bullying. Especially since I have yet to see you say at least one kind word to Momota-kun or Miu.”

“They both have it coming for different reasons.”

“No reason in the world could justify constantly mistreating somebody that badly, whether or not they’ve personally attacked you. Have you ever stopped to consider that by mocking and berating others, you are becoming the 'human scum' that you oh-so despise?”

“Fat chance! I’m just putting them in their place. The so-called ‘God’ watching over us tortures people and lots of them still ask how high when He tells them to jump.”

“You’re lucky Yonaga-san is no longer around to hear such sacrilegious talk.”

“Or what? She’d lecture me from her straitjacket?” Ouma had his ear pulled by a displeased Korekiyo, rubbing it as soon as he’d released him. “Owie! What did I do?!”

“Spoke ill of the dead, for one. You need to learn how to watch your mouth. As a member of the student council, I highly suggest you start behaving more lest you wind up being the reason more drama unfolds that we’re trying to prevent.”

“Oh, blabbity, blabbity, bullshit! You jokes have been telling me that since the first day, and yet you blatantly ignore the fact that Upupu Bear’s the real issue! Even if I did pretend I wasn’t stuck with a bunch of hare-brained scumbags, nothing would change!”

“Kokichi, that isn’t what I meant, and you know it. We know Monokuma is the problem, but he can’t be helped. You, however, can, but choose to make things go from bad to worse with your tendency to instigate fights and wreak havoc. I wish you would take that as seriously as I or anyone does.”

“Good thing I’m neither of those. Otherwise, I’d have a huge pole up my butt and snoop into business that’s not mine.”

Korekiyo pinched the bridge of his nose, weary. “If I’m such a stick in the mud, then why do you bother conversing with me?”

“Depends. Why do you have so much faith in me that’s not there?” Ouma started to turn and leave, only stopped on his heel by Kiyo’s next statement.

“The same reason you carry faith in me despite having seen me fall to pieces, I suppose. Why is that, again?”

“...Because. For the many, MANY flaws of humanity, I know lots are capable of bouncing back from the bad things. Even if they don’t think they are, they are. Anyone would find it easy to give up after going through what you did, but you kept going instead. Crazy as that is, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t even a little impressed.”

“Alright. I still don’t see how that makes you any different than me, though.”

“What do you mean? I’m super capable of bouncing back!”

“I don’t see you doing it.”

“That’s because I’ve got nothing to bounce back from.” Ouma grinned casually. “I’m just too powerful for that garbage.”

“...Then perhaps I don’t have a reason to be telling you any of this after all. Egotistical galactic dictators with a false mindset that they’re better than anyone else are no interest of mine.”

“Maybe we’re not, and you should look more towards one-eyed, soft-spoken penists instead.”

“You mean ‘pianists’?”

“That’s what I said! Man, I knew you were deluded, but I didn’t think you couldn’t hear, either. I wouldn’t be surprised if you wound up getting killed next at this rate.”

Kiyo was openly appalled, wasting no time in storming past Ouma angrily. “I refuse to put up with this from you, if you’re only going to keep acting this way.”

“Hey, wait!” Ouma grabbed Korekiyo by the wrist, pulling him so he couldn’t leave as easily. “I don’t say any of this because I necessarily _want_ you to be next! It’s more of a warning, like you’ve been giving me.”

“If you don’t care to listen to what I or anybody else has to tell you, then why should I take the advice of someone who won’t stop belittling people that don’t deserve it?”

“Big deal. Nobody here is anyone’s real friend. Just killers in the making waiting to backstab you literally and figuratively when you let your guard down. And no, Akamatsu-chan’s half-assed excuse of a student council isn’t gonna fix that.”

“Then why do you think I won’t backstab you? It’s insulting to hear this, only to be regarded as the holy ‘exception’.”

“See, that’s the thing. I don’t know, so I’m only keeping close tabs on you and everyone. No exceptions here, Detective.”

“If that’s how you want to have your way, then we’re done here.” Korekiyo ripped his wrist from Ouma, walking away from him without turning back. “I’ve had more than enough stress today, and I won’t be building it by playing parent and speaking to a brick wall. Good night.”

“Don’t let the bed bugs bite when you think of me!” Ouma turned and left the other way, going upstairs until he reached the second floor. Stopping at the door with the honeycomb border, he knocked on it over and over until Kiibo answered.

“Yes? Oh! Kokichi, I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight. Did you need something?”

“Company.” Ouma simply waltzed inside the Ultimate Entomologist Lab and up to its scientific examination room full of tanks and supplies uninvited, which Kiibo was helpless to stop as he followed and joined. “I got shooed away by Kiyo-chan, so I figured I’d pester you instead.”

“O-kay? Did you want some tea? Sometimes I’m in here well-past dining hall hours, so I found an electric kettle to keep in here in case I need to drink something hot.”

“I don’t want your stupid tea! Are you trying to poison me?”

“What? No! I’d never— oh! I know what you want. I’ll be right back with it.”

“Is it world domination-slash-destruction? About time!”

“Just as good!” Kiibo pulled a plastic food container out from one of the cabinets, putting some fresh pieces of honeycomb on a platter and showing it to Ouma. “Ta-da! I remembered how much you enjoyed the other batches, so I thought ahead and collected more. I was gonna wait until tomorrow to give it to you, but why wait when you popped by so early?”

Ouma flushed seeing the honeycomb Kiibo had once again saved for him, only to direct his laughter at the gesture to rid himself of being too vulnerable. “Ha! What makes you think I want your worthless bee brittle? Now I KNOW you’re trying to poison me!”

“Didn’t I catch you trying to break into the hive trying to get some yourself?”

“That was my evil twin.”

Kiibo sighed. “If you really don’t want these, then I could save them for the others—” Before he could put the plate away, he noticed there wasn’t anymore honeycomb left on it, turning and seeing Ouma helping himself to them with a face covered in honey. He grabbed a napkin to help clean his face, only to receive a glare in return.

“What do you think you’re doing with that? Get that out of my face.”

“I’m cleaning off the honey from your face. You’re quite a messy eater.”

“Maybe focus more on yourself.” Ouma smeared more honey onto Kiibo’s face, sending the blond boy frantically rubbing it off in disgust. “Nishishi! Look at you squirm! Just like one of your soil-pooping earthworms!

“Earthworms—!” Kiibo finally got his face relatively clean. “Don’t poop soil. Their feces is good for actual soil, but in the same sense as cow poop makes a good fertilizer.” He saw Ouma eat more honeycomb, pleased he appeared to be enjoying it. “Do you like it?”

“No.” Despite saying that, Ouma kept biting and swallowing.

“Then why are you still eating it?”

“Because I can eat it, and I will eat it.”

“You said it tasted bad, though! I don’t want you making yourself sick—” Kiibo reached for the honeycomb, only to get his hand slapped by Ouma. “Ouch!”

“No take-backs. If you wanted some, you shouldn’t have given me all of it.”

“Ugh. Do you like it, or don’t you? Which is it?”

“That’s none of your beeswax. Infer from it whatever you want.”

“On the contrary, that’s literally _my_ beeswax you’re shoving down your throat right now.”

Mimicking Kiibo, Ouma jerked his head from side to side smiling derisively. “And that’s ‘literally’ an expression.”

“Fine, then! See if I ever give you honeycomb again if you’re going to be that way!”

“Do it or don’t, I couldn’t care less. I’ll just steal it anyways.”

Kiibo grew afraid. “No, you can’t! If you do that, my bees will…!”

“What? Sting me? Big deal, I’ve gone through worse than a few tiny stingers. I’m not scared of them.”

“No! They’ll… die.”

Ouma nearly choked on the honeycomb, coughing to clear his throat. “Are you serious? Why do they sting people so much if it kills them?!”

“It’s a last resort defense method. When a honeybee stings, the barber can’t be pulled out once it punctures. So, when it leaves behind the stinger, the digestive tract, muscles, and nerves go with it. An abdominal structure that extreme is impossible to survive, so it kills them.”

“Oh… I mean! Gross. Well, whatever! Who needs your lousy honeycomb, anyway? Only bears would risk killing bees for this junk for the rest of their lives! Pass!” Ouma handed the empty plate back to Kiibo. “You can keep it.”

Kiibo only looked at the plate stricken, giving the same look to the astronaut. “B-But… you looked so happy the first time you ate it.”

“Yeah, yeah, tell it to the judge, Kiiboi. If you don’t wanna gimme anymore and risk your bees kicking the bucket, no one’s gonna force you.”

“Aside from the fact that I know how to beekeep and thus wouldn’t get stung, that’s the thing. I really do wanna share it with you, Kokichi. I liked seeing you finally happy.” When Ouma ignored him, Kiibo sniffled, wiping away tears beginning to leave his eyes. “But, if nothing I do will make that possible, then perhaps you should leave. I was trying to be kind, you know.”

“Ugh, just what I needed tonight. Another Kiyo-chan on my case. Why do you two keep repeating the same thing over and over to me like a pair of parakeets?”

“What do you mean?”

“I had to sit through the same lecture from him before I barged in here to play with you. Something about ‘bullying people’ and then telling me to leave out of the blue.”

“But, that’s exactly what you’re doing. It’s not playing at all. Shinguuji-kun has been very patient with you, but everyone has a limit they’re bound to reach with your constant joking and misbehavior.”

“See? Just like him. So annoying.”

Kiibo sighed, setting the plate somewhere to wash later. “It’s just in one ear and out the other with you. No wonder he made you leave him alone.”

Ouma finally turned to him, glaring. “Run that by me again, Larvae Boy?”

“If all you did when Shinguuji-kun was talking was making jokes and dismissing him, he probably felt annoyed or perhaps even bad. He must've needed a break.”

“Why would he feel bad? He knows I’m a pain more than anybody, so what else was he expecting from me exactly?”

“I’m only able to speak for myself, but logically speaking, given the time he’s spent with you, he’d have to have seen something that’d make him think more of you than just the class bully. But, I don’t know what that would be.”

Ouma remembered both times he’d brought Korekiyo down from a panic attack, and his insisting that he take care of himself even for the sake of his evaluation, but kept everything inside for privacy’s sake. “It’s for him to know, and you to not find out. But even though I have an idea, I dunno what that guy would see in me either. The only other evil person here besides Monokuma, the Mastermind, and those stupid Monokubs is me. Point blank and period.”

“That I can’t bring myself to agree with you on.”

“Excuse me?”

Kiibo sat at the stool beside Ouma’s, hands folded and propping up his chin while his elbows supported everything. “Why don’t I put this logically since you’d prefer that over an emotional answer? You’re stuck in this game with the rest of us, and as a result, that debunks you being the main threat and absolves you from being on Monokuma’s level.”

“That doesn’t mean a thing! Did I kidnap all of you and put you in a jar like a bunch of fire ants? No. Am I a jackass who plans on blasting you all to bits when we get out later? Absolutely.”

“I don’t think you seem to realize how absurd your plans for global destruction sound, do you?”

“Disbelieve it all you want, but it’ll be too late when you look up at the sky and see it in action.”

“Anyways! I mean what I said. As snippy as you can get, I don’t and won’t think you’re truly evil. You act like it on a comical level, but that’s where it stops.”

“Still doesn’t stop me from giving you guys crap. Does that sound like a good person to you? No.” Ouma glanced off to the side, eyes creasing half-lidded and distant. “So, you and Korekiyo can do me a favor and quit pretending it does.”

“It’s not necessarily pretending. Sometimes, people who act this way this badly could be in need of… well. A hug? Or some sort of help, at least.”

The reminder of what Kirumi suggested before made Ouma freeze, but he forced his face to contort and bellow out the biggest laugh he’d ever mustered thus far. “WHAT?! Are you crapping me right now— a HUG?! Man, I take it back! You Earthlings can spew out stupid things, just when I thought I’d heard them all! This isn't a show about rainbow bears with pictures on their bellies! It’s real life where people are gonna die, Iidabashi!”

“I was just… theorizing. Stop laughing at me.” Kiibo shied away, Ouma continuing to laugh obnoxiously before clearing his throat.

“Even if that were true, I'm not someone who needs that. A hug can't solve anyone's problems, nevermind mine if I had any.”

“I know. I wasn’t even talking about you specifically.”

Whoops. “Well— in this context, it sounded like it. Besides, maybe it’d work on someone, but for the most part, not everyone. As for help… I guess? Some people just can’t be helped ever, though. That’s just life.”

“It doesn’t hurt to try.”

“Helping someone, you mean?”

Kiibo nodded, smiling. “I will admit, it is difficult to give it to someone who refuses it. But... I would still like to try!”

“Hey man, I won't stop you, but in my personal opinion, you're wasting your time.” Ouma got up onto his feet, now facing Kiibo genuinely confused. “Besides, why? Why help someone that refuses it and acts like a dick 24/7? You should hate them! Why are you such a pillow?!”

“Why, you ask? Well! For starters, I know they simply want me to leave them alone. But, if I do that, I’m just giving them what they want, and it won’t do anything.”

“Isn’t it better if things don’t changes? Nothing will.” Ouma peered more towards the floor, seeming more sullen. “All things stay the same and there's nothing you can do for it.”

“But, if nothing changes, then how did we wind up here?”

“That’s not what I meant. People are scummy to the core without any genuine good in them, animals hunt for food and get hunted in return, the planet's killing itself, and so forth.” Ouma’s fingers curled in bitterly, glaring as if faced with his greatest enemy. “None of that will ever change. So why, humor me, should I believe anyone would wanna genuinely help someone else? Especially someone that's rotten like compost.”

“...Humans. Have littered. They’ve polluted, dumped, tarnished, all of it for centuries. Always finding some new way to make a big mess.”

“Exactly! It’s disgusting!”

Kiibo went over to one of his insect tanks, running a finger across it while watching them thrive intently. “But, nature’s always persevered. It’s adapted, and… changed. There's always going to be bad things in the world.” He remembered all those times of his youth where people have pushed him around, cursed him out and ridiculed him to tears, but still managing to find something worth being happy about in life despite the imperfections. “I've experienced some of those things myself, but… I've also experienced hope. I think the two will always coexist, but I want to be able to live and provide to the hopeful side as much as I can.”

“Why bother, though? It doesn’t matter in the end.”

“It does to me.”

Ouma joined him over by the tank. “But, bad things happen and are gonna for all time. It’s what you do with that is what’s a game-changer. Expecting hope to come to you on a silver platter is just a death sentence. If this world wants to take a bite of you, your best course of action is having lots of venom, right? Kinda like… what do you call them? Black widows! Besides birds, no one can hurt it, and one bite means you’re screwed trying to mess with it.” He smiled to himself, melancholic. “...I kinda respect that. They don’t expect anything nice from the world, so it’s got lots of poison to keep it going for as long as possible. Nothing can get it, but it can get anything that tries to while others are at a safe distance.”

“Well, yes, they have their predators because no bug is safe from birds, but it can’t be vulnerable forever. Nothing is, and that’s another fact of life you’re missing. And I wouldn't say that I am hoping and wishing for good things on a silver platter. I am making an active attempt to do good things. Like my parents! They’re also scientists that work to find cures to many diseases. As long there are people like them in the world… that in itself is hope.”

“I may not speak for your folks, but you can’t seriously believe people wanna do good underneath, can you?”

“There’s still good and bad inside of everything, people included. Nothing’s black and white, Kokichi.”

“What about my overalls?”

“Now who’s literal?! The bad doesn't outweigh the good, and the good doesn't necessarily spoil the bad.”

“Okay, then tell me why I’m not seeing any good. Hmm?”

“Because you don’t like to look for it. You only focus on the inevitable bad in people while ignoring their positive qualities.”

“I’m only focusing on what’s really there. And like the black widow, someone’s only hope at not being vulnerable is their venom, not because something else wants to give it a break and not eat it. Even if things don’t wanna have it for lunch, they won’t be around it for too often, will they? All it does is eat, sleep, and breathe the predators, and the minute it stops giving off toxins, it’s gonna die.”

“Your problem is you are comparing humans to an arachnid. You are not a spider, you are a human.”

Ouma angrily slammed his fist against the nearest surface that wasn’t the bug container, furious. “You GET what I’m saying! Stop being such a literal-minded moron!”

“I’m not being literal-minded! You’re just making yourself out to be something you’re not!”

“Oh? So, you didn’t just say the words ‘you are not a spider, you are a human’?”

Kiibo grabbed Ouma, fed up until he gradually cooled. “Listen to me! Bugs are much simpler creatures. They do not have to worry about what others think, or what to wear in the morning. All they KNOW is eat, sleep, and survive. My father has shown me before. Humans are much more complex. We have the ability to feel, to grow, and to change.”

“Great, has Yonaga-chan’s ghost been whispering sweet nothings in your ear, too? Himiko-chan won’t like that.”

“Kokichi, what I mean to say is that you are much more than a venomous insect. Making that comparison is like saying a pebble is the same as a mountain.”

“...Fine. But, what’s your point in this, Professor?”

“My point is thinking of yourself as an apex predator will only lead others to act like your prey and avoid you in fear of being hunted. I know you hate them and all, but perhaps you should try acting human for a change.”

“Have you ever thought I _want_ people to avoid me in fear of being hunted, huh? Being highest in the food chain means no one can touch me. I’m invincible, hahahaha!”

Kiibo only looked at him pitifully, moving away disappointed and going back to focusing on his insects. “Then I still have my duties to attend to, and would prefer to not be struck down at the moment by your teeth and claws. Feel free to come back to me when— ...if. You change your mind.”

“No skin off my nose! I’ve got better things to do than hang around you.”

“Then I won’t keep you. But, I really hope you think about what I said. And if you don’t, well, I can’t do anything.”

Ouma stared at him for a moment, almost getting caught up in the strange empty feeling before walking out of the Lab and shutting the door behind him. “See ya.”

Kiibo’s tears dripped out more, wiping them away on the sleeve of his lab coat and putting on a smile for the bugs. “I promise I'm fine, friends. As much as I wanna believe in Kokichi, he reminds me too much of… them. ...Phew! Back to research, huh? This is a Research Lab for a reason!”

“Wow, just when I thought no one could be a wetter blanket than Kiyo-chan. What’s so bad about being king of the food chain? You can’t get hunted, no one will try to, and more importantly!” Ouma stopped after reaching the first floor, smiling, but feeling just as empty as ever. “...You can’t get hurt. It’s a win-win, so what gives? Why doesn’t that sound right?” He looked at the Academy’s exit, brows creased in more of a conflicted way. _Why the heck are those two so hellbent on trying to help me? They're wasting their time that could be spent trying to escape this joint. People don't help, they only hurt, so why are they trying to do the first? Yutzes…’_

Deciding he wanted answers, Ouma went outside and walked under the night lit artificial sky until he’d reached the Dormitory. Going inside, he arrived at the left of the staircase connecting the upper and lower halves of the boys’ rooms, knocking on the door with Korekiyo’s pixelated figure as a label. Given his condition, Ouma didn’t have to worry about whether or not he was waking him up, but he didn’t particularly care even if it weren’t for the detective’s insomnia. Just as he expected, the door was answered, and Korekiyo gave him a bewildered look seeing his visitor.

“Oh, Kokichi,” he greeted.

“Look who decided to come crawling back to me,” Ouma joked pompously.

“Actually, I was just about to finish up some tasks and take my—” He spotted the smear of honey on Ouma’s face, poking his own. “You have some… around here.”

“That’s my face, genius. I know, I’m gorgeous, I’ve been told many times before.”

Korekiyo rolled his eyes, pulling Ouma inside and seating him on his bed. “Wait here, please.” He went into his bathroom for a second, coming back holding a wet handkerchief. “There we go. That should take care of your sticky situation.”

“Gimme! I can do it myself.” Ouma stole the wet cloth, cleaning off his own face. “I'm not surprised you carry this thing around. It just fits you as a detective and an old-fashioned kinda guy. And it's less wasteful than a tissue.”

“A detective is always prepared.”

“Do you have pot, then? Those cases can get pretty stressful.”

“No. I do not resort to using drugs as a mechanism.”

“Darn.” Ouma’s face was honey-free, letting him give the handkerchief back to Kiyo. “All done!”

“I take it you’ve come back from spending time with Iidabashi-kun, then?”

“Yep. He didn’t have anything important to say, so I just booked it. ...It’s actually why I came to you. Kiyo-chan, I’m gonna ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“It’s not so bad being an apex predator, is it? I mean, no other animal is dumb enough to hunt down a lion, tiger, or bear, so where’s the downside?”

Oh my. “Well, even though it’s less animals getting eaten, most would expect the apex predator to strike and hunt. No matter what the predator does or goes, it will always be… alone. Forever.”

Ouma’s heart twinged recalling Kiibo mentioning not wanting to get “struck down”, unable to help himself feeling even lower. “Don’t you think it’s better to be alone? No one can get you and eat you if you are. And no, I don’t mean physically alone. Like, maybe you’re around other people, but no one to fall back to and have your skull get broken. Essentially being— ah! Alone in a crowd.”

“What about having someone to catch you when you fall?”

“Easy, not possible. People just let others fall and break their skulls like walnuts, then go about their day like it didn’t happen.”

“I’ll admit this to you. There was a time after Sister’s trial where I too believe it was safer to have no one around at all. A dark time without anybody by my side.”

“What happened?”

Kiyo wrung his forearms, sliding his hands up to grip his biceps for comfort. “I’ll let you infer that answer.”

“...Ah. Alright, fair. What made you change your mind? You of all people know that other people can and will hurt you at any cost. Why put yourself in even bigger danger like that?”

“It was very hard to believe for a while, however… I came to understand there are people that can and will also help you. It was because of those people that I am still alive now. Maybe I didn’t have a whole group of friends due to my rather unsettling appearance, but even just a few good ones does wonders.” Kiyo sat next to Ouma, peeking at his bed shelf of novels and spare journals. “It can still sometimes be hard to place trust in others. Maybe that's why, at first, I wished to handle this game alone.” He smiled, scratching his head bashfully. “However, you’ve made it nigh-impossible from the start.”

“That doesn’t apply to everybody. Some people will just never be good and can’t.”

“It depends on the person themselves. Could She have changed? No. She made her decision long ago and has very vocally stood by it. Others that desire to do better? Absolutely.”

“How can you be so sure someone wants to change or can? And even if they do, no one's obligated to give them a chance.”

“That's what makes being given a chance that more special, no?”

“People just blow those chances, though. A leopard can’t change its spots and is stuck at the top of the food chain waiting to be hunted for sport.”

“Well, what about a human? Say what you will about them, but if people couldn’t change, I wouldn’t be alive right now.”

“I dunno what happened for you! You’re your own person.”

“As are you. You are free to make your own choices, whether they be one day destroying this planet or anything else your mind can conceive.”

“And I’m still gonna blow this miserable planet into little chunks through space.”

“I don’t believe you’d be Kokichi Ouma if you didn’t try to.”

“Darn skippy! But, my other question is this. Why are you and Kiiboi so bent on kicking a dead horse by wanting to help me? I get why you'd probably see good, but he's totally lost on me.”

“People have many reasons why they choose to give second chances. I cannot speak for Iidabashi-kun, so you would have to ask him yourself. As for me, you have shown me that you have many sides. Therefore I am inclined to believe that you cannot be the full bad guy you attempt to make yourself out to be.”

Ouma flicked him in the neck, smirking devilishly when Kiyo covered it with his hand. “How about now?”

“You are still sometimes— and now quite literally— a pain in my neck when you wish to be, but that doesn’t change my opinion.”

“Will nothing?”

“I find it more likely you’ll sprout wings than kill someone, so, no. Nothing.”

“Better start flying when I blow up the planet and thus kill literally everyone, Tinker Bell.”

“Mmm-hmm.” Korekiyo playfully ruffled Ouma’s hair. “That will be the day you show us all.”

“Gyah-ha! Well, if you and Kiiboi wanna help me so badly, I’ll give up on stopping you. Do what you want, it’s your funerals! I don’t know what your reason is, and I don’t wanna.”

“That’s all we ask, dear.” Ouma poked him in the armpit, Korekiyo closing both arms tightly from the ticklish feeling. “Keehee! What was that for?”

“Secret.”

Kiyo exhaled. “I should have known you were going to say that. At least I’ll always appreciate you trying to make me smile.”

“That wasn’t the intention.”

“It was the result.”

Ouma’s heart skipped a beat, hiding his blush. “Take it or leave it, Mister.”

“Definitely taking it.”

“Yeah? Will you take… this?!” Scooping his arms underneath Korekiyo, he lifted him bridal style and stood shakily. “Huh? Huuuh?!”

“Oh! Kokichi, wait, I’m too big!” He held on to avoid falling off when Ouma started to walk as practice.

“Beg to differ, I’ve read your Report Card.”

“Do be careful!”

“I am! I’m always careful—!” Realizing he was about to drop Kiyo, Ouma hurried back to the bed and let him go. “Guh!”

“Oof! Kukuku, how gentlemanly of you.”

“Careful. You warned me earlier about not saying things the dead wouldn’t wanna hear. That includes Gonta’s ghost if he’s listening.” Stretching his arm, Ouma flopped belly-first onto the bed. “And, I’m not saying you’re _fat_ or anything— in fact, I think you might be more underweight— but have you considered an all-helium diet, Kiyo-chan?”

Korekiyo rolled his eyes. “I’m quiet fine, thank you very much. Do you mind if I ask why you carried me to bed?”

“To woo you.” Ouma leaned up and wrapped his arms around Kiyo’s abdomen, resting his chin on his shoulder and feeling the paced heartbeat against his embrace. “Since you’re apparently so fond of me, why not throw my name in the hat?”

“Kokichi, I said I don’t intend to get into any romantic relationships here or outside.” He tried removing the smaller boy from his body, but he only hugged tighter and made him give up.

“Why? Something wrong with me?”

“No, it isn’t like that. Aside from your loud, excessive nature, you’ve shown to be quite intelligent, perhaps crafty, even. You have an agenda of your own, and don’t hesitate in using it when all else fails to be suitable.” Kiyo played with one of the sections of hair hanging off on the side. “And you may not always show it, but you’re quite caring, making sure I’m taking care of myself and validating how I feel. True, you claim to have ulterior motives, but that’s likely not the full story, if the true one.”

Ouma was rather surprised, cheeks reddening as he tried to keep his confidant bravado, but only got halfway. “Sh-Shut up, most of that stuff is common knowledge.”

“And, when someone genuinely praises you, it causes your guard to fall, even just a little for a short bit. You may move the goalposts whenever I try to understand even one part of you, but the thing is, I’d rather not stop running to try and cross. I actually have yet to grow tired of doing it, easy as it would be for most, but I haven’t even with my annoyance of some of your antics.”

“Why not?”

“That’s a mystery even I have trouble solving, but I could live the rest of my life letting that one slide.”

“Could you live the rest of your life… with me?” Ouma ran his fingers through Kiyo’s hair, emitting a shudder from him and smirking. “Something wrong, handsome?”

“N-No, nothing. Aren’t we getting a bit too comfortable?”

“I don’t think so. Maybe it’s not comfortable enough between us, hmm~?” In sensually twirling ocean green locks and putting his lips close to Korekiyo’s ear, Ouma was shooed off the bed and quickly ushered out the door. “Hey!”

“Oh, my, look at the time, it’s getting quite late! I’d hate to oversleep and miss the first student council meeting tomorrow, so I’d better head to bed for that!”

“I thought it wasn’t until the afternoon?”

“Boy, you said it! Good night, Kokichi.” Flustered, Kiyo slammed the door after Ouma was out, face redder than a chili pepper. More knocks after forced him to answer aggravated. “If you’re here to get more of a rise out of me, don’t—! Oh.”

“Sorry, I didn’t think I’d be the type to get a rise out of people I’m not in charge of,” Tsumugi apologized. “Even more surprising with my plain appearance.”

“No, no, I’m sorry, Shirogane-san. I thought you were Kokichi. He stopped by and we were having a little talk.”

“Oh, so that’s what all that commotion I just heard was? Why would you let him into your room in the first place? If I was able to, I’d have brought my security guards along just so he wouldn’t go near my door.”

“He wanted to see me, and I had no reason to refuse him. Requiring the use of guards to keep him away seems a tad excessive, yes?”

“Not when it’s Ouma-kun we’re talking about.”

“Look. I understand he’s quite a headache-inducer, but I will not stand here and let you talk ill of him, okay? He has his downsides, but also his upsides, just like the rest of us. Treating him otherwise won’t change any of that, or do any good.”

“Does that mean you like him, then? I never took him to be your type.”

“I don’t in the way I feel you’re implying. I’m fond, but we’re only friends.”

“You say that now, Shinguuji-kun, but usually people who do wind up falling too deep. Even better when it’s boys who haven’t really considered other boys before, but find themselves unable to resist one another after tensions get too high to deal with!”

“I can assure you, this is not one of your fantasies. This is the real world and a real situation we’re all in.”

 _‘Or so you all think. He HAS been spending a lot of time with Ouma-kun. That pairing would be a walking disaster, and this season would tank again for sure! And to think I gave up a forbidden love subplot for this…’_ Tsumugi went back to talking with Korekiyo, putting on a fake smile. “You’re right, but fiction can affect reality in more ways than you think. But, I’ll spare you those theatrics for some other time. You oughta be getting some rest; big day for you and the student council tomorrow, huh?”

“That’s right, I nearly forgot. Good night, Shirogane-san.”

“Good night!” 

As soon as Korekiyo went to bed, Tsumugi left to the girls’ side of the Dormitory, sneering at the thought of what awaited the next day. Under the stairs, Ouma heard most of the conversation, pleased at the half the things that were said about him. Looking upstairs, he went there and knocked on Kiibo’s room door several times, listening in for an answer that didn’t come. Realizing he hadn’t gone to bed yet either, he back to the main building, going upstairs and stopping at the Ultimate Entomologist Lab. Ouma peered inside, opening the door a crack and checking for any sign of life.

“Kiibo? You in here?” he asked, getting no response and going in the rest of the way. He went to the upper level, then returning to the laboratory room where he found Kiibo having dozed off at one of the counters. “Tch. Loser…”

Quietly sneaking closer, Ouma found Kiibo’s notebook and stole one of his pens, opening up to an empty page and writing a note. Stealing a slip of adhesive tape, he attached it to the bug scientist’s forehead after lifting him enough, then laying his head back down the way he found him. Ouma walked out, not seeing Kiibo snap awake with drool in the corner of his mouth when the door shut behind him. He looked around, but saw only shade, taking off the piece of paper covering his eyes as he rubbed them one at a time.

“What have we got here?” Kiibo asked, reading what was written.

_Your honeycomb makes me happy, and if you want, you can bring me as much as your stupid little heart desires (just not *all* the time; I’m not a bear). And, who wants to kill a bunch of dinky little bees by getting stung, anyways? They at least trust you. So... thanks._

_—_ ~~ _Ko_ ~~ _Nunya Business_

Kiibo smiled, closing his notebook and putting it away safely in the drawer before getting up and walking out of the room, then leaving his Research Lab altogether on a much better note. His bed was calling him loudly, beckoning to the oncoming fatigue of the night’s hour. A little time spent showering, brushing his teeth, and slipping into comfortable clothing got him fully prepared for a full night’s rest. He slipped under his covers, feeling a tad more ready to face tomorrow’s day of events than he might have earlier. A yawn left with his stretching; he must have been in his Lab for longer than he thought. But, with each scientific discovery, he did find something after all thanks to Ouma.

“Evolution,” Kiibo hummed to himself pleased, turning the lights off and drifting away to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (As you might've guessed, the Kiibouma/KoreKichi ending was directly from an RP with a few small changes. It will be the second-to-last one I put in this story before the rest becomes fully original [not to say this one wasn't bc I helped write it, but you get it]; I really wanted this one in bc it's highly essential to Ouma's growth as a character imo)
> 
> I really, really liked the "student council" idea from canon V3's Ch. 3 and decided to keep it, but with my own personal spin on it. Obvs, it's not a pseudo-cult here bc Angie kicked the bucket last trial, but I was super keen on the authoritative tone it had, and I feel like it could be used here, too. Though whereas Angie was trying to end the Game™ by making sure no one had a reason for leaving the school, Kaede's is... well, more of a normal student council, but one trying to maintain order before the inevitable exit from the Academy. All of that goes without saying, look, I just thought it was neat okay? XD
> 
> (Also, Kiyo, shut up; you're the secretary, end of story)
> 
> Hope you guys liked this update, I'll try and survive jury duty as best as I can and get the next chapter out to you very soon. Thanks for taking a gander at this one, more to come, and I'll see you very soon! Stay fresh!
> 
> Update: NVM BITCHES, I'M FREE FROM JURY DUTY BY PURE, NAEGI-LEVEL LUCK. HAHAHAAAAA


	24. Episode XXIII: Daily Life 3.3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is SUPER late, but the chapter was getting a little complicated to write, so I finally managed to pull through and get it done at last. Sorry for the delay everybody, but here it is! It's nice and long for you guys, so enjoy the ride! And, I wanna wish a happy birthday to our dear Shuichi as today is Sept. 7th and he deserves the world. Now, with that out of the way, have at it with the chapter! Thanks for being patient, guys!

The day had come, breakfast passing and everyone leaving except for Miu cleaning up, and the student council discussing where to make their official meeting room. Plenty of them were available for use within the school, even an array of classrooms at their disposal, but none seemed ready to decide on one to utilize. Ideas that went around were thought over, only to wind up being shut down because of an inconvenience or flaw rendering it unable for freer use. Taking even one step forward just sent them two back, stuck in a loop until someone came up with a better idea to get things going.

“Are you sure we can’t use one of the classrooms?” Kaito groaned. “They’re usually empty enough, and there’s plenty of places to sit for all of us.”

“Yeah, but most club meetings involve sitting together facing one another,” Shuichi argued. “It’d feel more like a lecture, if anything.”

“Then where else would we go?”

“How about the A/V Room? No one really uses that,” Tenko suggested.

“...No,” Shuichi, Kaede, and Kaito all declined without waiting.

“We’ve all agreed the basement isn’t the ideal choice to be in this school,” Korekiyo noted. “Given its grim history and what currently lies down there.”

“Oh yeah,” Tenko sighed. “How about one of your Research Labs? Neither mine nor Shinguuji-san’s has opened, so that leaves Kaede-san’s!”

“But, ours are available, too,” Shuichi said.

“And highly unsuitable for formal business. Besides, Kaede-san’s Lab actually has tables and a fridge for refreshments!”

“They’re kinda small, though, don’t you think?” Kaede wondered. “And daycares don’t really scream ‘club office meeting’.”

“Utilizing a Research Lab to turn into a meeting room does sound like a smart idea,” Korekiyo pointed out. “How about one more suited to our tastes that wouldn’t look out of place?”

“A Lab that could double as a meeting room? Who’s open…? Toujou-san’s might not work, I’d feel too bad invading Maki’s, I _really_ don’t wanna go in Iidabashi-kun’s, so that leaves…” Kaede paused. “Iruma-san’s? Really?”

“What about me, Sunnyside?” Miu bit, leaving the kitchen to approach them. “If you have something do say, I’d rather you said it to my mug and not my gorgeous, slim ass.”

“Just an idea. We’re still looking for a room to host student council meetings in, but we’re coming up dry except for maybe using someone’s Research Lab. And of all the ones that are open right now… yours came up as the best option.”

“And why should I give you people the privilege of using my Lab? Me being an expert at cleaning isn’t the checkered flag to let anyone throw my study space out of whack!”

“Does anyone even go in there besides you?” Shuichi tested. “It’d be kinda pointless having no one in your Lab to serve when that’s your main job.”

“Besides, how will you know what real people prefer if you don’t have occupants?” Tenko wondered. “This would be a wonderful experience for you to stretch your wings farther than ever before!”

“Do you even eat, Misandroid?” Miu asked.

“I have the option, but not the requirement.”

“Tenko’s got a point,” Kaito agreed. “If we use your Lab as a meeting room, you could also work on serving people at the same time without needing to rely on breakfast, lunch, or dinner.”

“Feeding and catering to only five people isn’t really a big crowd, but it’s higher than zero,” Miu gathered. “What time’s your meeting at?”

“We’ve decided 3:30 to 5:00 works best for all of us, and we’ll meet every other day except weekends,” Kaede answered. “Unless an emergency comes up, then weekends are back open.”

“Meetings include a short 15-minute break for free time,” Shuichi added.

“You really planned all of this out, huh?” Miu wondered. “Fine. If you wanna use my Lab for a meeting room that badly, be my guests.”

“Thank you for your generosity, Miu,” Korekiyo expressed. “We’ll respect our boundaries, yet put the room to good use.”

“Is today gonna be the first day you use my Lab?”

“We were hoping to find one before 3, so now that we have and if it’s okay with you, yes,” Kaede decided.

“Guess I’ll see you grandmas then. Gimme something to do since you’re so ballsy to show up on my turf!”

“Wow, we scored ourselves a room AND free food and drinks!” Kaito cheered after Miu left. “Are we good? Because I gotta get going.” He cleared his throat, fighting back an oncoming cough. “Like, really soon.”

“To where? You weren’t in such a hurry before,” Korekiyo said.

“Don’t worry about it! I’ll be able to make the meeting, but I need to check something out really quick before I do.” Kaito purged his airways again, hastily leaving the dining hall with his arm around his mouth. “See you guys in a few hours!”

“How odd. Momota-kun appears to be hiding something from us that’s certainly very crucial. I wonder what it could be?”

“It’s none of your business,” Kaede chided. “If Kaito doesn’t think it’s important to disclose, then he doesn’t have to. So, don’t you go prying into whatever it is.”

“I was only making an observation. There isn’t any need to be so irritable with me.”

“Like that’s the truth,” Shuichi muttered. “Are the rest of us good, Akamatsu-san?”

“Yeah, we’re all set until the meeting,” Kaede said. “Go do whatever you guys please and prepare for it. I need to go see what Yumeno-san wanted to show me from yesterday.”

“That’s my cue for gathering intel on the others’ desires!” Tenko chirped. “Could I go with you to see if Himiko has any requests for new guidelines? She’s be a great place to start!”

“Sorry, Tenko, she wants this to be a surprise, and for me to get a first glance since I’m the president and all.”

“Oh. I understand.” Tenko frowned, but jumped out of her seat with a sudden burst of energy. “Then I’ll have to see what the big surprise is later! Until then, Miss President!”

“I’ll be seeing you this afternoon as well, Akamatsu-san,” Korekiyo bid farewell, standing and tucking in his chair. “This is our first official day of action, but I await seeing how you intend to ensure second, third, and ones hereafter without this going awry.”

“Don’t thin the ice and there’ll be one less problem source,” Kaede warned, letting Kiyo leave.

“You’ll do great,” Shuichi praised. “I just know it.”

“So will you, too. ‘Vice-’ means your job’s as important as mine, not less. Are you nervous?”

“A little, honestly. This is going to be my first time in a leading office.”

“It won’t be so bad. We’ll be as much of a team as ever. I’m not leaving you hanging high to dry!”

“Wish me luck, then. I’ll see you at meeting time. Tell me what Yumeno-san wanted, too, huh?”

Kaede watched Shuichi leave, then stepping out herself to look for Himiko. “Yumeno-san? Are you here? I’m ready for whatever you want me to see!”

“Give that back!” Himiko’s voice shouted, the girl helping Kiibo chase Ouma down the corridor while the shorter male waved a red armband of some sorts above his head laughing maniacally.

“You want it so bad, come take it!” Ouma taunted, running into the dining hall for sanctuary, only to be grabbed by Kaede. “Hey! Lemme go! I’m being held hostage!”

“Not until you return whatever you took from Yumeno-san,” Kaede scolded, stealing the armband and getting a good look at it. “What— is this? An accessory?”

“It _was_ a surprise until this idiot ruined it,” Himiko hissed, taking the armband back and stuffing it inside the wooden box she was holding.

“That was my surprise? Sorry, I didn’t know…”

“Don’t lose sleep over it, it’s not your fault. Come over here, and I’ll show you all of them.” Himiko opened the box on the table for Kaede, Ouma and Kiibo spectating as she unveiled five identical red armbands with black borders reading “Student Council” in dried white paint. “After a night of carefully putting together your unique measurements and lots of stitching my design, I hereby give you the official armbands for the student council.”

“Wow! You made all of these for us?! Thanks, Yumeno-san, you didn’t have to.”

“Oh, but I insisted. It’d be blasphemy for me to let you run something this big without the proper garbs. Even Angie agrees with me on that. And now, all of you can be just like the SOS Brigade, although their school actually had a student council, but they weren’t really the focus of the show too much.”

“The SOS Brigade?” Kiibo wondered. “Are they some kind of obscure rescue team? That’s an odd club for a school to have. Useful! But, odd.”

“I don’t expect you to really know that one too well. Pity you haven’t seen the classics, but I guess another good comparison would be the Elite Four.”

“From Pocket—?”

“—No, Kill la Kill. They’re kind of a student council, but even stronger under Satsuki-sama’s command.”

“Sheesh, Kiiboi! Get with the program!” Ouma berated. “Everyone knows there’s more than one Elite Four.”

“I didn’t…” Kiibo murmured, embarrassed and yelping when Ouma slapped him on the back.

“That’s okay! You’re just one of those scientists who are still kind of a dummy, but you manage to make it surprisingly attractive.”

“I thought you found a lack of intelligence to be unattractive? Does this mean you secretly admire Momota-kun after all? He is the one you call an idiot the most.”

“Barf! I’d rather kiss Monokuma than that loser!”

“Am I picking up on a tsundere attitude you’ve been repressing?” Himiko asked. “Someone who can seem really crabby and snippy, but is actually really sweet and loving underneath and is hiding their true feelings? Or the other way around, in some cases?”

“No, you’re thinking of Kiyo-chan. I just have reasonable taste in men that doesn’t include stinky jocks like Momota-chan.”

“Does that mean Shinguuji-kun is the one you’re interested in, then?” Kaede inquired. “For someone who hates the human race, you seem to linger by him often.”

Ouma lightly slapped Kaede repeatedly. “He's a special case! I'm not getting the same experience with him like I am most if not all other Earthling scum.”

“Hey! Hands to yourself.” Kaede lowered his small hands, only for the astronaut to get slap-happy until she held them together. “Ghh! Calm down, Ouma-kun. We’ve got a lot of energy right now, and letting it out on me isn’t good.”

“My energy cannot be tamed!”

“Can’t it?” Kiibo challenged, scratching Ouma’s head delicately with one set of fingers. “Ease up there, Kokichi. Shhh…” In response, Ouma quelled and slumped back on him completely content. “Oh! Someone’s cozy…”

“I think he likes you,” Kaede cooed.

“Gee, I wonder what could give that impression.”

“Knew it,” Himiko snickered. “If it wasn’t Shinguuji, it’d probably be you.”

“Be me for what?”

“You know. Ouma possibly coming onto you.”

Kiibo stammered. “Please stop! It isn’t like that between us!”

“It’s okay, Kiiboi, we all know you’ve fallen madly in love with me,” Ouma teased, standing up and poking fun of the scientist’s pinkening face.

“I have not!” Kiibo squeaked when Ouma pulled him close and dipped him for another rise, face going from pink to red in a moment’s notice.

“How about now?”

“And so it blooms,” Himiko commented as if correct.

“The buds of love,” Kaede joked.

“No, no, NO!” Kiibo objected. “No buds of love here! I’d only _love_ it if Kokichi let go of me right now!”

“Hmm… okay!” Ouma agreed, carelessly dropping Kiibo onto the floor. “Since you asked.”

“Oww! That’s not what I had in mind…”

“Are you alright, Iidabashi-kun?” Kaede asked, helping him up by pulling at his hand.

“Yes, I’m fine, thank you. A little sore, but fine!”

“I’m still steamed at Ouma for stealing from me,” Himiko huffed, glaring the shortest boy’s way.

“Which sounds like a you problem. Your Lab’s not even opened yet,” Ouma mocked. “It was like taking candy from a baby.”

“That doesn’t give you the right to put your hands on someone’s work without asking,” Kaede chastised. “How would you like it if someone tried ruining what you spent so much time on?”

“Big whoop, my intergalactic genius can just make more regardless of what it was! My brain transcends that of Himiko-chan’s and everyone else’s.”

“I seriously doubt that,” Kiibo scoffed.

“Because your primitive brain can’t comprehend it.”

“Translation: ‘my lie has just been found out and I’m trying to cover it up’,” Himiko stated, getting flicked by Ouma. “Gah! Hey!” She jabbed him in the ribs back.

“Kokichi, that wasn’t nice,” Kiibo reprimanded.

“Oh, she can jab me in the ribs, but I’m not allowed to give her a little flick?” Ouma hissed, jabbing both Kiibo and Himiko in that area as payback. “Ha!”

“G’ah!” they both exclaimed, retaliating with more fighting until Kaede split everyone up.

“Okay, none of that! Break it up!” Kaede demanded, holding Ouma away from Himiko and Kiibo. “As the student council president, I’m declaring we don’t cause more discord with all this bickering where we could be trying to get along. Ouma-kun, no flicking people; same for you too, Yumeno-san.”

“But, she started—!” Ouma prepared to whine.

“—I don’t care who started what, don’t do it. Period. Do either of you understand me?”

“Yes, ma’am…” Ouma and Himiko murmured begrudgingly.

“Thank you. Now, what do you say?”

“...Sorry I poked you or something, Ouma,” Himiko muttered.

“Like you _mean it_.”

“Which I’ll know if you don’t, just like right now,” Ouma teased.

“Nyeh… okay, I’m sorry, Ouma, for poking you in the ribs. That was wrong of me to do, and I won’t do it again.”

“That’s more like it.”

“And you, Ouma-kun? What do we say to Yumeno-san?” Kaede quizzed.

“Nuttin’. My conscience is clear as a window.”

 _‘What was that thing Shinguuji-kun and Toujou-san do when he’s acting up? Ah!’_ Kaede grabbed his ear, pinching it. “Try again.”

“I’m sorry for jabbing you and Kiibo, Himiko-chan! It won’t happen again because of my undying love for you!”

Kaede removed her hand, petting Ouma on the head. “A little excessive, but very good.”

“Excessive is right,” Himiko muttered, pulling her hat over to hide her mild blush. “‘Love’? Really?”

“Don’t deny your feelings for me, either.” Ouma started to fake cry. “Here I am pouring my heart and soul out to you, and you shoot me down like a dog and a bird?! Ouch!”

“Aren’t you late for annoying someone else?”

“Not until four. But, in the meantime, I could squeeze someone in. Eeney, meeney, miney…” Ouma turned to Kaede, not hesitating to cling to her. “You!”

“Damn it,” Kaede griped, still leaving pets on the boy’s head. “Fine, but you can’t stick to me forever.”

“Can too.”

“I wouldn’t challenge him on that one,” Kiibo warned.

“Oh, sure, he can cling to others like a leech, but I can’t get a little piggyback ride?” Himiko pouted.

“One per customer, Yumeno-san, I’m not a school bus,” Kaede said.

“Ha! Akamatsu-nee likes me more!” Ouma jeered, blowing a raspberry at Himiko.

“‘Nee’?” Kiibo inquired.

“Yup! She’s my long-lost big sister. Can’t you tell by the eye color?”

“He’s lying. If he were my brother, he probably would have gotten adopted by a relative like my sister,” Kaede said. “Most likely first.”

“But, you wouldn’t do that to me, would you, Kae-nee?” Ouma gave his best babydoll eyes, Kaede’s heart clenching from the sweet appearance. “I thought we had something special.”

 _‘Gah! So cute, I can’t look away…! It’s too strong!’_ Giving in, Kaede kept Ouma there. “Fine, stay, but you have to be on your best behavior and leave before the meeting. Non-council members aren’t allowed in.”

“I promise. I’m a good boy!”

Kaede smiled and held him close, but shook her head free of being too submissive. _‘Get a grip, Kaede, he may be cute as a button, but it’s a face used for evil!’_

“With a secret weapon like that, it’s no wonder he goes so far to get his way,” Himiko commented.

“At leat he’s calmed down some.” Kaede lifted Ouma, weighing him some. “You’re pretty light for someone our age. Are you eating, Ouma-kun?”

“Ugh, yes! You sound just as naggy as Kiyo-chan!” Ouma groaned. “I just have a faster metabolism than your slow, junky Earth bodies.”

“You still need to eat properly,” Himiko warned. “A healthier diet means more of a chance at puberty, and then and only then will they grow bigger.”

“Don’t you mean _you’ll_ grow bigger?” Kiibo asked.

“I know what I said.”

“As if puberty will ever be that kind to you,” Ouma ridiculed, getting his ear pulled by Kaede. “Oww!”

“Don’t be rude,” Kaede hissed.

“People only say this stuff to you out of concern,” Kiibo said. “We ask because we care, and wanna see you grow healthy.”

Ouma looked at Kaede and Himiko skeptically, but had a more meaningful glance for Kiibo. “...Well, you Earthlings can call it whatever you want. I call it nagging! I just might start calling you guys ‘Mom’ instead of Kirumi-chan at this rate.”

“Likewise, at this rate, you might be short for the rest of your life,” Himiko said.

“Still taller than you.”

“What’s wrong with being short?” Kiibo asked.

“Because it prevents me from cosplaying tall people correctly!” Himiko complained. “Do you know how many times I’ve been mistaken for someone’s kid at conventions? Too many! And that’s without going into the short jokes.”

“Don’t fret, Himiko-chan,” Ouma laughed. “Your next cosplay can be Dumpy, the lost eighth dwarf.” He got bonked on the head by the side of Kaede’s fist. “Oww! Ouchie! That hurt!”

“You’d made a better Dopey, if anyone.”

“At least Dopey’s a real dwarf and not some redheaded reject.”

“Kokichi, that’s going too far!” Kiibo barked as Himiko glared at Ouma.

“Nah, I’ve gone too far, and that’s nowhere near it.”

“Just forget him,” Himiko decided. “He's just saying things to tick us off…”

“That doesn’t make it right!” Kiibo replied. “No one deserves being called a reject, no matter who they are, and Kokichi needs to realize that.” He got a touched look from Himiko, confused. “What?”

“Your purity levels… they’re almost superceding ‘cinnamon bun’!”

“Eh? I’m— pure?”

“Yep! Just like a baby!” Ouma stated.

“I am not a baby. I’m the same age as the rest of you!”

“No, he means _like_ one, not that you’re actually one,” Kaede corrected. “It’s a way of saying you’re really sweet.”

Kiibo smiled, modest. “Sweet? I only wish to be kind to everyone.”

“Spoken like a true protagonist of an anime,” Himiko remarked. “Just don't sacrifice yourself for the greater good. Those tropes are so overdone.”

“I… can’t say I fully understand all of what you just told me, but I won’t. I don’t plan on dying anytime soon.”

“Also don't sit too close to the window!” Ouma warned, amused. “The last guy that did had his girlfriend stabbed to death after she tried framing him for murder.”

“What?”

“Ouma-kun,” Kaede said in a warning tone.

“Come on, Akamatsu-chan! I’m just palling with my sweet Bugaboo over here!” Ouma contended.

“I’m not your ‘Bugaboo’,” Kiibo fought. “You’re giving me such a nickname as if we’re a couple.”

“Who’s to say we couldn’t be? I’m irresistible.”

“Debatable,” Himiko mumbled.

“It’s okay, Himiko-chan, I love you for who you are on the inside, not your outside!”

“L-Like I care what you think!”

“Hmm? Is it your turn to be the tsundere?”

“No! Ugh, I’m not obligated to take this from you. This is my surprise that I wanted to show Akamatsu exclusively, so you don’t have a reason to be here in the first place.”

“Oh, yes! I feel so ashamed that you don’t want me seeing your half-assed armbands! How it hurts me so!”

“Knock it off, Ouma-kun. Yumeno-san just wanted to do something nice for us,” Kaede chastised.

“Earthlings don't belong with the word ‘nice’. More like ‘idiotic’ and ‘mind-numbingly dumb’. Imagine living in a fantasy world where every day is Halloween and you’re subjected to wearing ugly cosplay! What a rip!”

Kaede grabbed Ouma’s wrist. “I’m warning you, little man.”

“My cosplay isn’t ugly, you uncultured swine!” Himiko roared, red in the face and angry. “When my Research Lab opens, see if I ever let you inside of it!”

“Newsflash, idiot, I can easily sneak in when you’re sleeping or turn to sneeze,” Ouma argued, ignoring Kaede’s warning. “You like the rest of this pathetic, worthless species can't scare me and never will.”

Himiko glared her nastiest. “...I’m out of here. You’re done wasting my time with this conversation.”

“Good. I’m the superior one here that doesn’t have to bother with a lowlife like you.” Ouma got up in Himiko’s face, smiling condescendingly with disgust. “I for one have a talent that's actually meaningful and not just living up to my geek fantasies, and above all, this stupid closet's gonna burn alive like the rest of you when I blast you all to smithereens—!”

“—ENOUGH!” Kaede shouted, something in her snapping and prompting her to yank Ouma’s arm back as hard as she could and downwards. “Cut it out with the senseless shit talk already!”

“Ak— Akamatsu-san?” Kiibo gasped, worried for the change in Kaede’s attitude.

“Gah! Wh— Kaede, you're hurting me...! Stop it! Ouch…!” Ouma whimpered, unable to fake his pain.

“Huh?” Kaede exhaled, snapping out of it and realizing what she’d done, quickly letting go of Ouma. “Ouma-kun! Oh, my God, I’m so sorry! Are you okay?!”

“Jesus on a stick! If you do that to your daycare kids whenever they misbehave, I can’t imagine how many parents you’ve pissed off!” Ouma exclaimed, gripping his injured shoulder area.

“It’s not… broken, is it?” Himiko gulped.

“Doesn’t look so,” Kiibo guessed. “If it was, Kokichi would have screamed much louder.”

“I’m sorry! I have no idea what came over me, and—!” Kaede apologized, fretting over an unconcerned Ouma.

“‘Sorry’? Are you kidding me?!” Ouma beamed. “That was amazing! Not so much that you used it on me, but I should hire you as my bodyguard instead of Shuichi so you can use it on other people!”

“Shuichi’s not a— wait, off topic! I’m not gonna be your fake bodyguard.”

“Why not? You’d actually be using moves like that for good! And not something suspicious, right?” Ouma glanced at Kaede, smirking at her nervousness. “You wouldn’t act sketchy and secretive a second time, would you?”

“N-No, never. But, I’d also never go and use violence on anyone here, because that’d be doing what Monokuma wants.” Kaede picked Ouma up over her shoulder. “Also, we can’t leave you like this. Come on, let’s go get that taken care of.”

“Absolutely not! At this rate, I’ll have to start pimping people for treating my boo-boo’s!”

“Then try learning some self-preservation for once, and we won’t have this problem.”

“Ouch, Akamatsu-chan. Ouch. That actually hurts, unlike my shoulder.”

“If it doesn’t really hurt, then you should have no problem with us looking at it,” Kiibo said.

“I don’t need you peering your noses into my business!” Ouma objected, beating on Kaede’s back. “I’d rather see more bone-breaking from our student council president! See those puny humans squirm and beg for their mommies while you tear them limb from limb!”

“NO!” Kaede screamed, defensive in her fury. “No hurting people! No killing, that's final! Do you understand me?!”

The other three went quiet until Kiibo managed to speak up. “...Yumeno-san, did you wanna stay here and help?” he asked.

“Nyeh, three’s a good number for squads,” Himiko declined. “Besides, Angie never got to try the Casino while she still had a body, so we were gonna go check that out. See you, and good luck for your first meeting, Akamatsu. Put those armbands to some good use.”

“I will! Promise!” Kaede vowed, letting Himiko leave while taking Ouma to the kitchen with Kiibo following. “Iidabashi-kun, hold him steady while I get some ice so he doesn’t try and run off.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Kiibo obeyed, securing Ouma and immediately getting struggling. “Hey! Hold still!”

“Never!” Ouma refused. “I’ll never give into what you creatures wanna do to me!”

“We’re just trying to help you! You’re hurt!”

“So my arm got yanked too hard, big deal! At least I wasn’t murdered by someone, say, potentially dangerous. Am I right, Akamatsu-ch— AAAAAAN?!” Ouma screeched when Kaede put the ice pack on his shoulder to shut him up, taking a strip of tape and fastening it in place.

“Hold still and be quiet, I still need to fix your boo-boo,” Kaede ordered, gently stretching the upper limb to Ouma’s further pain. “I know, I know it hurts. This won’t take long.”

“And the pain’s a good sign that it’s not dislocated or anything,” Kiibo said.

“It doesn’t hurt! I just make noises every now and then when the time calls for— it!” Ouma winced, Kiibo grabbing his hand. “Dinner first, Geek Bug.”

“Sorry. I thought I could offer a source of comfort.” Kiibo started letting go, only for his hand to get gripped when Ouma felt a sore spot get stretched out. “Ghee! You’re doing great…”

Ouma panted. “This is the only time you get to pity me, if only because your hand’s useful right now, so make it last!”

“Who said I was pitying you? Help does not always equate to being pitied. Or at the very least, it’s not the only reason.”

“And what other cop-out excuse is there?” Ouma rolled his eyes at Kiibo’s claim.

“Caring for someone,” Kaede interrupted, taking off the ice when the injury had been sufficiently cooled.

“Okay, now gimme a reason that makes sense in this context.”

Kaede sighed, bandaging the shoulder. “Look, Ouma-kun, believe it or not—”

“—Which I don’t.”

“BELIEVE IT OR NOT, people are capable of being genuinely caring about others without having ulterior motives. Sure, some out there spoil the lot by being rotten, but life’s not black and white like thinking there’s only bad folks in the world. If there weren’t anyone good, it’d be a lot harder going outside. What you really have to do is pick out the good ones so the bad ones don’t matter as much.”

“That… was actually very well said, Akamatsu-san,” Kiibo commended.

“Yeah, yeah. Blah, blah, mushy, mushy, mushy, bullshit!” Ouma spat.

“I’m serious, little man,” Kaede said, firm.

“Given with how bored to death you’re making me.”

Kaede sighed, fastening the bandage around Ouma’s arm. “Well, nothing’s broken, but that arm’s going to be really sore for a bit. Don’t do anything stupid until the pain goes away.”

“Why would I ever do such a thing? It’s my body, and I choose what to do with it!”

“That’s not what that— nevermind.”

“I’ll take two and call you in the morning, doc! Don’t waste my time like this again.”

“Wait, one more thing.” Kaede leaned and kissed the injury, patting the bandage. “All better?”

“Eww! What’d you do that for?! Now, I’m gonna have your disgusting Earth cooties crawling over and inside me!”

“I— was just kissing your boo-boo better. It doesn’t actually do anything, but it works like a charm at my daycare whenever I’m patching up cuts and scrapes.”

Ouma blinked, head tilted. “I’ve… never heard of that.”

“Are you serious?! Moms and dads do that for their kids all the time when they’re young! You’ve gotta be pulling my leg again, aren’t you?”

“Nishishi! You got me! Ain’t I such a stinker?” Ouma grinned, yet Kaede didn’t fully believe he was lying from that casual response. “Well, since I’m already infected thanks to you, you might as well do it again.”

“Well, you do have something more serious than a cut. Maybe one more will help it.” Kaede pecked the injury with soft lips, rubbing it delicately. “That good?”

“It’s perfect! Because now, I’m healed on the spot!” Ouma raised his arm, only to grab it when a searing pain shot through it. “Mmph! See? Never better!”

“Kokichi, you don’t have to lie about your condition,” Kiibo pleaded. “Given your arm got pulled so hard, it’s given it won’t make such a sudden recovery.”

“Not true! I’ve got a higher invincibility than any of you.”

“Then why does your arm still hurt?”

“It doesn’t. Your simple mind can’t tell hurt from not.”

“Somehow, I don’t think that’s true. Deep down inside, based on previous conversations we’ve had, I personally think you’re hurting more than you wanna let on. It’s never easy to admit, but it can show itself in different ways no matter what you try.”

“With this again! For the last time, don’t bother prying into what’s not really there. Try as you may, you’ll just hurt your head at worst, and be a Nosy Nina at best.”

“Ouma-kun, he’s only trying to help you,” Kaede said.

“As a friend,” Kiibo finished.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You won’t clam up about that,” Ouma snorted, heading out. “Look, Iidabashi, if you were really my so-called ‘friend’, you’d do me a favor and stop pretending like you’ll ever wanna know me. I’m a tight lock that’s never coming undone for nobody or nothing.”

“I… I’m sorry.”

“If that’s not a lie, then make like one of your bees and buzz off. This conversation is boring me, so I’m gone now! Bye, bye!” Without another word, Ouma left the dining hall, slamming the door shut.

“The nerve of him! Why does he have to act this closed up?” Kaede growled. “I know people have their closet skeletons, but this is a whole ‘nother level! Right, Iidabashi-kun? ...Hello?”

“Hmm? Oh, uhh… sure. What you said,” Kiibo murmured, shaking as his eyes shut tightly.

“Kiibo, what’s wrong? I can tell when someone’s upset.”

“I-It’s nothing, really. Except for the fact that I crossed a line in trying to help, only f-for me to wind up being just plain nosy.”

“Aww, come here.” Kaede opened her arms, allowing Kiibo to run to them and hug her tightly as he finally burst into tears.

“I didn’t mean to make him upset! I was only— trying to be a g-good friend, but I made it worse!”

“I know you didn’t, and I’m sure Ouma-kun knows, too. He can’t stay mad at this forever. If there’s one thing we both fully know, it’s that he’s… well. An ass. When it comes to feelings of any kind. He might have just reacted poorly to you trying to hit a sore spot for him before he was ready.”

“Just when I thought I was beginning to understand him.” Kiibo sniffled as Kaede rubbed his head resting on her chest.

“You definitely won’t get through to him on the first try. That requires a lot more time and elbow grease to make any deep strides.”

“Do you think he’s a lost cause? One thing I know is that he seems to.”

Kaede shook her head. “Unfortunately, some people in the world can’t be helped no matter how hard you try to. They’re stuck being miserable and are too set in their ways to change. But, luckily, Ouma-kun isn’t one of those people. Make sure that in making the effort to help him, you don’t go so far that it winds up causing more harm than good.”

“I still wanna make the effort.” Kiibo cleaned his eyes, lifting his head from Kaede. “I wanna be the friend Kokichi needs. Heaven knows what would happen to him if he felt forced to deal with this horrible game all alone. It’s just… difficult, and reminds me too much of a time when I only had bugs to call my friends. No one should have to go through anything like that.”

“He’s a tough nut to crack, but by no means impossible.” Kaede grabbed a tissue and wiped Kiibo’s eyes clean, unintentionally taking some of his eyeliner with it and dying the white black. “Sometimes, kids— well, _people_ , have ways to cry for help that don’t seem as obvious as others. Usually because they feel like no one wants to bother. How’s an old saying go? Umm, ‘if a village doesn’t hug a child’... oh! ‘Then the child burns it down to feel its warmth themselves’.”

“That’s graphic!”

“It’s just a saying. No one’s actually committing arson, but it still means results end poorly if no one gets the love and care they need from others.”

“You sure seem to know a lot about this stuff, Akamatsu-san.”

“Hello? Ultimate Child Caregiver?”

Kiibo chuckled. “It doesn’t help that Kokichi hasn’t fully let go of his inner youth.”

“That’s not always a bad thing. It beats growing up before you’re ready to.” Kaede glanced somberly in her thoughts growing dark, putting on a smile to avoid suspicion. “But! You’ll do a-okay! Ouma-kun just needs a little deeper reaching. And, in his… own special way, he seems to really like you.”

“You really think so?”

“I know so.”

“...Thank you, Akamatsu-san. You’re not just a good leader; you’re a great friend.”

“It’s no trouble. It’s both my job and a choice to look out for everyone here, even the ones who insist they’re better off alone. Outside of privacy, no one is, really.”

“Fully agreed! Kokichi may hate it when we say so, but you can’t take down an army without a little help from others.”

“Exactly what we’re gonna do soon. We just have to readjust protocol, reduce the heavy blows, and reject the killing game! ...By leaving and not feeling like we have to do anymore killing, that is.”

“You’d better not!” Kaede spun her hand and playfully poked Kiibo in the nose, getting him to laugh. “We’ll have the chance to ditch this place in no time. And when that time comes, maybe Ouma-kun will start opening up for others a tad more.”

“That would be nice…”

“In the meantime, if he does give you too much trouble, come straight to me and I’ll handle it. This isn’t my first rodeo with rowdy small people.”

“Yes, Kaede-neesan.” Kiibo didn’t notice the tongue slip until Kaede pulled him into a tighter hug to her chest using her inner strength.

“Oh, you are so CUTE! I could eat you up for breakfast, lunch, and dinner all in one!” Kiibo was muffled from where his face was, tapping her on the shoulder a few times to get her to let go and taking a breath. “Sorry. Got caught up in the moment.”

“Don’t worry about it. Has anyone ever told you you’re a tight hugger? Not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course!”

“Uhhh, not really, no. You’d be the first directly telling me, as far as I know.”

“Even after such a tight grip? I’m surprised.” Kiibo cracked his back into its proper place. “I think I’m gonna go now. Good luck with the student council meeting! I hope everyone likes Yumeno-san’s armbands.”

“So do I, or she’ll be really steamed. Have a very good rest of your day, Kiibo!”

Kaede and Kiibo left through the hallway exit of the dining hall, neither seeing Ouma secretly looking at them before going another way to leave himself. Tenko could be spotted taking suggestions from parts of the hallway, more happy accepting ideas from Kirumi than she was Kiibo when he passed her by. Plenty was sure to come up by the afternoon, leaving Kaede with lots of time to prepare for the agenda. Now, to just get back to her bedroom and start writing it down. Everything had to go right and shape her as the class leader her friends needed most and should have gotten first in this horrible, nerve-wracking time…

* * *

The mid-afternoon arrived, and with it, near the start of the first ever student council meeting in the Ultimate Academy. Kaede and Shuichi arrived first, the latter knocking on the door to Miu’s Research Lab, only receiving a curt “Wait your ass! I’m still tidying up!” from the maid herself inside. Sighing defeated, they waited to see if any of the other members were on their way to arriving yet, spotting no sign of the other three on the second floor at all. None of them would qualify as late for another few minutes, but time was ticking by the passing.

“Have you seen Kaito today?” Kaede asked. “Besides after breakfast, I mean.”

“Yeah, downstairs,” Shuichi answered. “I think he might have been coming from Maki’s Lab, but when I said so, he denied it and ran off.”

“Poor guy. Stuck in mourning, but feels like he can’t talk to anyone about it. Doesn’t he know we’re his friends for a reason?”

“He probably doesn’t wanna come off as holding anybody back. You know how he rolls; not being on top of his game goes against his policy.”

“Then he’s free to adopt a new one if he’d ever want to. It never hurts to ask for help from people who care about you.”

“Oh, there he is!” Shuichi pointed to Kaito down the hall, who stopped and quickly took a swig and a puff of two things that weren’t visible to him or Kaede. “What’s going on down there?”

“Makks, forgive me wherever you are, but I had to see how you made that stuff,” Kaito said to himself, quickly putting away a bauble and his inhaler. “...It’s working, but just doesn’t taste the same as you enchanting it.”

“Kaito? Are you ready for the meeting?” Kaede asked. “And are you feeling alright for it, that is?”

“Why wouldn’t I? I feel great as usual!” Flexing his arm, Kaito wound up throwing it to his face to exhale the tickle in his throat into it, relieved that it was still clean upon putting it down. “See? Never better!”

“You sure?” Shuichi wondered. “Because I saw you near Maki’s Lab earlier, and figured you still have some things on your chest that you’re not telling us.”

“And we wanna let you know you can anytime,” Kaede reassured him with a smile. “We’ll support you and get you through these tough hours.”

“I’ve got nothing I’m hiding,” Kaito insisted. “Don’t worry about what I was doing around that Lab, either. It ain’t a big deal.”

“Somehow, I’m not convinced. Saying ‘don’t worry’ and ‘not a big deal’ usually signify the exact opposite.” Kaede put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Look, we get it. Maki was taken from us way too soon, and you think you need to deal with that by yourself. But, you don’t! Getting support doesn’t make you weaker or any less of a respectable man.”

“If anything, it’ll just help you,” Shuichi added. “It takes a whole lot of strength to accept help for most people, so doing so would only add onto how strong you are already.”

“Uhhh… alright,” Kaito nonchalantly said, clearing his throat a few times. “If that’s floating your boats. So, where’s Tenko and Shinguuji? And why aren’t we inside?”

“We don’t know to both of those. Iruma-san said she’s still getting things ready. I gotta say, for all of her… everything, she definitely takes pride in her work, at least.”

“Ready, clean and waiting!” Miu called, throwing the door open and pointing inside so the three could enter. “Take a seat, I prepared some berry tartlet and tea sandwich platters for you guys to munch on, but don’t start using tongue until everyone’s here! In the meantime, I’ll start taking orders for hot drinks, so what’ll it be?”

“Some Lady Grey with a bit of honey, please,” Kaede requested, sitting at the shorter table edge so she could face everyone on arrival. “Boys?”

“I’ll take oolong, a squeeze of lemon and one lump of sugar,” Shuichi politely stated.

“Coffee for me today,” Kaito said, then leaning in to whisper to Miu. “With a bit of sugar, but no cream. I still want a little bit of a punch to it.”

“Those’ll be right out,” Miu confirmed. “Tell the other two to hurry their asses up! I haven’t got all day to waste!”

“We don’t know where they are. They should be here any minute,” Shuichi guessed, watching the door fly open and let in Tenko running to her quickly-picked seat.

“Sorry, Miss President! I was sorting through my gatherings for the meeting,” Tenko excused, bowing halfway whilst sitting. “Where is Shinguuji-san? Degenerate males being inconsiderate and late is expected, but I’d have figured it’d come from that one first.”

“Me?!” Kaito exclaimed, seeing Tenko point to him. “My trusty sidekicks and I got here at the same time!”

“I guess not even being the council’s leading officers can save us from that title,” Kaede sighed to Shuichi under her breath.

“Don’t take it personally. It just means we’re the ones he’s got the most faith in,” Shuichi whispered back. “It’s almost flattering in a way.”

“Kinda.”

“I’m deeply— sorry! Everyone,” Korekiyo panted, using the door to pull himself in with one leg still outside. “At the last minute, my arrival was… stalled.”

“Come on! I wanna go, too!” Ouma demanded, revealing himself as the cause of Kiyo’s delay by being on the floor grabbing his ankle. “Ran-chan won’t come out of his Lab and play with me, so who else am I gonna torture for an hour and a half?!”

“Kokichi, for another time, this meeting is exclusively for student council members. Unless you miraculously obtained membership, you don’t have a reason to be let in.”

“GUH, so dumb! I can be that little creature that steals food and kicks people’s ankles from under the table to pin on someone else!”

“Yet another reason you aren’t allowed inside. Are you sure you don’t have any other priorities to attend to?”

“Just two.”

“There you are!” Kirumi called, running over to the door and pulling Ouma to stand up. “I was wondering where you’d run off to.”

“Oh, look, here’s one right now!”

“What’s the other priority?” Korekiyo asked.

“Don’t ask questions you’re not prepared to handle the answers to.”

Figuring he wouldn’t get an answer, Korekiyo gave Kirumi his attention. “Could I assume he had piano lessons today and ran off?”

“You’d be right to,” Kirumi confirmed. “Kokichi, if you weren’t able to come today, you could have just told me so.”

“No, I’m all set and ready to go!” Ouma cheered, holding onto Kirumi’s hand. “I just needed to bug Kiyo-chan first. I wouldn’t stand a lady up.”

“Perhaps not. Come on, I’m rescuing Kiyo-kun from your clutches. We’ve a lot to cover today, so don’t keep getting this antsy, please.”

“We’ll see where the road goes.” Ouma waved to Korekiyo as Kirumi took off with him. “Bye, Kiyo-chan! Kirumi-chan’s getting me ready for my alien abduction by doing it first!”

“Hush with that, I’m only borrowing you for a little while so the student council may debate in peace.”

“Same thing.”

Korekiyo smiled at Kirumi and Ouma leaving, putting on his more neutral face when entering the room and seating himself courteously after closing the door for confidentiality. “As I was saying, please pardon my slight tardiness. I got held up.”

“It’s fine, we’re all here now,” Kaede said, putting the wooden box Himiko gave her for everyone to see. “Before we start, Yumeno-san made these for us.”

“She did?” Tenko inquired, heart missing a beat despite lacking one. “W-What could they be?”

“These.” Kaede opened the box up, revealing the five identical armbands. “They don’t really do anything, but she wanted us to really dress the part by wearing them.”

“Armbands, of course! She pays so much attention to detail, it’s adorable!”

“Okay, bottoms up, bottoms!” Miu called, exiting her Lab’s kitchen area holding a platter with three porcelain teacups each filled with a different drink. “A piping hot cup of Lady Grey with honey, some oolong with one sugar and a bit of lemon, and last, but not least—!” When Kaito finally got his armband on, the jerk of his elbow accidentally knocked into Miu, causing her to spill the coffee cup over his shirt.

“AH! Shit, that’s hot!” Kaito screeched, hugging the burning area.

“Sorry! I’m so sorry, M-Master Momota!” Miu started frantically bowing to Kaito, panicking. “My clumsy ass should have been more careful, p-please let me make it up to you by pouring you a fresher cup! A-And if that still doesn’t satisfy you, I’m begging you to have mercy on m-me! I’m just begging you! Hell, I’ll even punish myself three times as hard and spare you the t-trouble! D-Does that sound good or d-doesn’t it?”

“What— are you talking about? It’s just coffee, chill with that.”

“Yeah, and the number one thing you don’t spill on your Master or Mistress is coffee! Not only is it almost as hot as I am, but now I’ve c-cost you a drink!”

“Iruma, it’s really not a big deal.” Kaito saw no change in Miu’s distress at all, realizing it mattered more to her than him and frowning sympathetically. “Okay, look. It’s fine. I’m not mad at you or anything. Believe me, I’ve gotten worse things on my clothes that’s a lot harder to get out.”

“...Like—?”

“—Paint. I mean paint. Just tip me off with another cup, and let’s move on from it. And if it’s really getting to you, then— I dunno. Toss this in the washer and fetch me the spares you were already washing for me?”

Miu blinked picking up the cup, bewildered. “...You’re not mad? You’re seriously not mad?”

“I promise. It’s just coffee, I’ll live.” Kaito started untying his jacket’s sleeves around his neck and pulling up his shirt, only to have them pushed back down by Tenko. “Hey!”

“Pervert! Stripping in front of Miu-san after you just scared her into thinking you were going to overreact!” Tenko angrily snapped. “Go change elsewhere and spare that girl from something so unsightly!”

Grumbling, Kaito stormed off to the laundry room section of the Lab and redressed in an identical, clean copy of his T-shirt and jacket cape, dumping the dirtier ones into the hamper basket and coming back to sit after sliding his armband back onto his bicep. “Happy now?”

“I’ll never be so with _men_ aces like you in the world. Shape up, or shut up!”

“Would you like some earplugs to go with your coffee?” Miu suggested. “God knows you’ll need them sitting near Yokeloid for over an hour.”

“I’m good, thanks,” Kaito sighed.

“And, while I’m out here, what kind of drinks would you two want?”

“Green tea for me, thank you,” Korekiyo requested. “A bit of honey, but no sugar.”

“I’d like a cup of your finest blueberry iced tea,” Tenko politely appealed. “Also sugarless, but could I get a lemon wedge on the side?”

“Comin’ right up, and I won’t spill either of these!” Miu declared, leaving to the Lab’s kitchen to fix up the beverages.

“Kaede, can we get this meeting started, or what?” Kaito wondered.

“Yes, I too would like to use this time wisely,” Korekiyo agreed. “We have much to discuss about the Academy’s new protocol amongst us 12.”

“Okay, then this first ever Ultimate Academy Student Council meeting is hereby in session!” Kaede declared, folding her hands at her seat. “First order of business, Tenko. Please play back the requests you were able to gather from the others.”

“With pleasure, President Kaede,” Tenko cooed, a rewinding sound coming from her as she turned the dial just under her neck left. When she pressed its center like a button, something that wasn’t her normal voice came out.

‘A suggestion for a new rule? Me? Okay, here me out, then,’ Rantaro’s voice began. ‘Since it’s too dangerous to bust out of here all willy-nilly, why not do something with the Death Road Tunnel so no one tries going down and getting hurt? Don’t get me wrong on this; I _fully_ intend on escaping this place without being in a body bag, but right now, those booby traps make the tunnel too hard to go through. ...That’s just my two cents on the matter; if it’s not a good idea, then it’s not a good idea. But, personally, I believe something should be considered.’

‘Ran-chan! Are you professing your undying adoration for me?’ Ouma’s voice asked, the sound of his footsteps running up to the inventor after shoving past Tenko.

‘Not right now I’m not, Ouma-kun, sorry. Since I’m getting the feeling you’re about to see if I can play with you, it’s a no. I’ve got some stuff I need to take care of back at my Lab.’

‘You’re always crammed up in there! At this rate, you’re just gonna die a lousy shut-in like Harukawa-chan did.’

‘Don’t say that; she might not be here anymore, but she doesn’t deserve to be talked about like that. Besides, I still come out, I just have to get some things done really quick. And frankly, I’m sure you’ve got somewhere to be yourself, young man.’

‘I do not!’

‘So, you _don’t_ have piano lessons later today with Toujou-san?’

‘...This conversation’s a snore! I’m out of here. Thanks for boring me!’

‘You don’t have any requests for Tenko-san to take?’

‘If you’ve got something, make it quick and simple,’ Tenko’s voice hissed at Ouma.

‘Sure, I have a request!’

‘Okay, what is it?’

‘Leave.’

‘UGH! Typical male! Thank you for the input, Amami-san, but I’ve got more to gather.’

‘Anytime, Tenko-san. Good luck,’ Rantaro said, the recording shutting off right after.

“Doing something about that underground tunnel, hmm?” Korekiyo wondered, writing it down in his journal set aside for meetings. “It is rather perilous to venture in the state it’s in. Not that we haven’t already learned that at this point, yes?”

“But, it’s our only known escape route,” Shuichi stated, taking a tea sandwich and using one bite to eat it whole. “It may not be safe to go down there right now, but we can’t not use it at some point.”

“You mean to say ‘we’ll have to use it at some point’, don’t you?”

“Who cares? They mean the same thing.”

“I’d rather never set foot inside there again, but if we really won’t have a choice in the future,” Tenko gulped, slapping her cheeks once. “No! We’ll focus on that when the time comes! For now, we need to ensure no one else is getting hurt trying something dangerous!”

“That would mean… blocking it off until further notice. We don’t have any way of dealing with all those booby traps, so what other option is there?”

“Isn’t that a little risky?” Kaito wondered. “The others are gonna start raising some eyebrows if they find out our only way out is… out.”

“We won’t set anything in stone until we talk it over with the rest of the class and see what they think,” Kaede said. “Remember, the whole point of the student council is putting in new rules, but making sure everybody’s comfortable with them first.”

“Therefore, we’ll highly consider blocking the Death Road off if it’s for the better, but considering an alternative if none are too keen on it,” Korekiyo stated, taking a fruit tart off the platter and eating it. Miu came back and served the remaining drinks, then leaving without a word to wash Kaito’s soiled clothes after being thanked.

“Alright. All in favor of temporarily blocking off the tunnel? If it goes through?” Kaede raised her hand, everyone else’s except Kaito’s going up. “Kaito, why not?”

“Doesn’t it feel like giving up if we don’t use it?” Kaito asked, sipping his coffee. “True, it’s dangerous, but sitting and not making an attempt feels like we’re— I don’t know, wasting time. What if someone makes a breakthrough, and now it’s not possible because of the tunnel getting blocked off?”

“Trust me, Monokuma wouldn’t leave things to be that easy. You get close to the finish line, and he just moves it further up.”

“Besides, we aren’t giving up or wasting time,” Shuichi corrected. “We’re just making adjustments until it’s safest to go back down there. We will soon, just not now.”

“Fine, but the sooner we’re good to go, the better,” Kaito decided, raising his hand. “And if not, then we’ll need to be just as quick finding a backup way out.”

“That’s been the plan from the start,” Kaede said. “Now, Tenko, who else pitched some ideas?”

‘By no means feel obligated in implementing this,’ Kirumi’s voice clarified from the recording, ‘but, could the student council look for a way that keeps any murders from happening behind everyone’s backs? A way of monitoring somebody trying to wander off by themselves to do something awful? Given how we lost Harukawa-san and Yonaga-san, I fear history repeating itself.’

“Kirumi-san is so thoughtful and modest!” Tenko beamed. “She shouldn’t have any reason to be scared of speaking her mind. Any idea from her is bound to be a great one!”

“I agree,” Korekiyo stated, seeming a tad lost in writing down Kirumi’s suggestion. “If there’s anybody here looking to ensure welfare, it’s her. One would say it’s almost angelic of her.”

“Of course you would. Just keep those thoughts PG-rated, understood?”

“They aren’t going any further, contrary to your assumptions.” Kiyo held a hand up when Tenko prepared to scold him more. “I will discuss this no further with you, unless it involves interpreting a new rule. Akamatsu-san, your thoughts?”

“Keeping a better eye on everybody sounds like a great idea, but I’m not sure how possible it’d be to pull off,” Kaede admitted. “All of us are scattered throughout the school in the daytime and night. I don’t wanna just control someone’s personal schedule and restrict all their freedom.”

“We might not have to go that far,” Shuichi said. “Too heavy of restrictions would only make people more likely to rebel and cause trouble, but if we let them have enough freedom with certain limits, it’d reach a better ground for all involved.”

“Having freedom… without going too crazy? Hmm.” Kaede hit her palm using the side of her fist. “Ah-ha! How about we set a curfew? A time for everyone to not be wandering around school grounds and thus nipping the chance to commit murder in the bud?”

“That seems as though it would do nothing but restrict freedom,” Korekiyo argued. “Problems are guaranteed to arise for night owls such as myself and Iidabashi-kun.”

“I mean, Monokuma’s rules only let you do so much after 10,” Kaito said. “You can’t go to the dining hall, the gym, or the pool without risking getting got by that bear.”

“And what of Research Labs? We’re permitted to visit those and everywhere else after dark. Those with open Lab wouldn’t take too kindly to being forbidden from going in them.”

“No, they wouldn’t. Especially not Amami-kun,” Kaede said. “But, we can’t just let people go wherever they want under the radar. That’s how the past two murders went down.”

“Maybe… we allow Research Lab visits,” Tenko started suggesting, “but they either don’t let anybody else in at all, or must have two or more guests. That way, there’s at least one witness present in case a crime happens.”

“And the same could go for the Dormitory,” Shuichi included. “Besides Shinguuji-kun’s talk with Iruma-san, having two people alone anywhere at night would let anything happen. So, no sleepovers or visits between what could turn into a murderer and their victim.”

“I doubt there’s too many people so willing to let any old person in their room at night or any given time,” Kaede noted. “It’s for that very reason. But, you can never be too careful. All in favor of a 10 pm curfew?” All five members raised their hands. “Then it’s settled. And if everyone else is cool with it, we’ll make it official.”

“Here’s one more concern I was able to get,” Tenko said, playing back the audio.

‘I’d like something to be done about the warehouse,’ Kiibo’s voice reported firmly. ‘Both murders involved items being taken from there in secret, and… I’m willing to bet that if we could have seen who went in, maybe Gonta would still be here and this killing game wouldn’t have started. Same goes for Harukawa-san, plus Hoshi-kun and Yonaga-san. Someone could have intervened and maybe— I dunno, talked them out of it? Better than nothing.’

“Poor guy,” Kaito said sympathetically. “But, he’s got a really good point! We’ve been too careless with grabbing whatever we want from the warehouse, and what happened? Our friends have gotten poisoned in some way, and someone eaten by a giant dog monster. This one can’t be up for debate!”

“I propose a means of tracking who takes what out of the warehouse,” Korekiyo threw out there. “A sign-out sheet comes to mind for an idea. It may not be possible to just stop somebody from going in aside from curfew, but we can at least see who tried pulling a fast one and what they intended to use.”

“But, how would we be sure who went in?” Tenko asked. “Anybody could just write someone else’s name down and turn attention from themselves!”

“That’s where we’ll receive some help,” Kaede said. “Last time I asked him for a favor might have been a no, but Amami-kun might be more willing to comply since he supports the student council’s cause. We just get him to build a device meant for tracking DNA that records whoever goes inside the warehouse!”

“And, if they don’t provide that, they won’t be allowed inside at all until they do,” Shuichi noted. “I’m sure Amami-kun would be able to whip up something along those lines. It’d be really useful to have.”

“So, all in favor of warehouse security and barring it after Night Time?” Kaede raised her hand, the other four following unequivocally. “Awesome! That one’s our first official rule because we don’t really have a choice there. If there’s anything else you guys wanna bring to the table, we’ll reconvene after a quick 15-minute recess.”

The student council’s downtime began, Miu taking their cups and refilling anyone’s drink that wanted more. Kaito sat on one of the chesterfield sofas waiting to see how long it’d be until his shirt and jacket were done, while Korekiyo sorted through his notes thus far with Shuichi at the same time Kaede spoke with Tenko. When all fifteen minutes were up, everyone sat down where they had been before and got the rest of the meeting all squared away, putting together what they were able to gather and discuss as a group before being formally dismissed to head for dinner by Kaede after the clock struck five o’clock so the disclosure of what they’d settled on could commence.

* * *

“Hey, Iruma-san, the student council held their meeting in your Lab, right?” Tsumugi asked after her meal got served. “Did you catch wind of what went down?”

“Barely. Who cares what they were talking about, anyway?” Miu snorted. “I’ve got my own junk to deal with, and I’m not sitting pretty to listen to some dull debate that doesn’t have jack to do with me.”

“And it’s no one’s place to reveal anything except for the ones responsible,” Kirumi warned Tsumugi. “Trying to get it from Miu-san is just plain unfair to attempt.”

“Yeah! What do you take me for? Some mole lumpier than the one you’ve probably got on your flat ass?”

“Good luck trying to get it out of a member, too,” Himiko said. “Tenko wouldn’t tell me anything that’d spoil the ‘surprise’.”

“You just might get what you want in a few seconds,” Kirumi noted, pointing to Kaede standing up and clinking her glass to start the announcement. “Make that now. I wonder what they’ll do with my request.”

“What’d you ask for? Another piano?” Miu wondered.

“No, there’s nothing wrong with the one I have. Gaining a second would just be excessive.”

Miu batted her eyelashes. “Did you happen to ask for anything that’d do me a hard, fat solid? Like something automatic that’d make waxing the floors less of a pain in my shithole?”

“Also no. Sorry, Miu-san. There’s always such thing as next time.”

“Fuck, Kirumi! You had one job… guess that’ll have to wait if I can’t get my hands on it myself somehow.”

“Can I have everyone’s attention, please?” Kaede requested, standing up with the other four members of the student council. Himiko smiled seeing they were all wearing the armbands, the rest simply attentive of the new announcement. “We’ve got a lot to show you guys from today’s first ever meeting, and we wanna see what rules you’d all be up for having and what you don’t.”

“Whatever ones we do put in are effective immediately,” Shuichi added. “One rule’s already gotten past that point, but that’s because of how crucial it is that we can’t risk not putting it in.”

“Get on with it already!” Tsumugi barked, surprising everyone with her angry tone. She resumed a simpler exterior, though sneaking a glance towards Shuichi and Kaede with it. “Don’t keep us all waiting to hear what’s gonna change now. Dinner only lasts so long.”

“...Right,” Korekiyo said, opening his journal and clearing his throat. “Proposed rule number one: ‘No roaming the Academy carelessly after Night Time’. As soon as the Night Time announcement goes off, everyone is expected to head for the Dormitory per a 10 o’clock curfew and remain within that vicinity until the Day Time announcement that day following. If going by themselves, Research Lab visits are permitted during that time as an exception, but please use discretion.”

“A curfew?! Screw that!” Ouma objected. “No one wants to stay in their rooms all night! What if we have stuff to do?”

“Hardly anything’s available after 10,” Shuichi corrected. “The dining hall and gym are off-limits, and if you stick so much as one toe in the pool, Monokuma will kill you.”

“So? What if I wanna stretch my legs and take a nice long walk around the outside? I can’t do that in a cramped, stuffy old Dormitory or my bedroom!”

“Tough,” Kaito bit. “It’s just to prevent anyone being alone enough to kill someone. Is that something you really wanna risk?”

“Momota-kun has a point,” Kiibo agreed. “Limiting the number of people going around the Academy would greatly reduce someone winding up dead.”

“And you said Research Labs are an exception, right?” Rantaro wanted to clarify. “Because—”

“—We know, Amami-kun. Some of you spend lots of time in your Labs, and forbidding that would be unfair to do,” Korekiyo finished. “Just be careful from now on if you’re there after dark, and don’t let anybody else in.”

“No need to tell me twice. A guy’s gotta have his privacy when you can’t afford to get distracted from something big.”

“Are you working on something big?” Kirumi asked.

Rantaro put a finger to his lips, smiling coolly. “My secret.”

“So, show of hands. How many of us are good on that rule?” Shuichi asked, counting off the ones raised and only getting a veto from Tsumugi and Ouma. “Alright, it’s official. Curfew is in place starting tonight.”

“We’ll be patrolling to make sure that’s being followed,” Kaito clarified. “If you don’t wanna be caught, don’t give us a reason to catch you!”

“Now, for proposed rule number two, somewhat related to the first,” Korekiyo continued. “‘Guests are not allowed in a neighbor’s dorm room or Research Lab after curfew unless a third person is accompanied’. That also extends to sleepovers, which means no one is permitted to sleep in anybody’s room besides their own.”

“...Too easy,” Miu decided. “Just know I feel bad for all of you.”

“As if an ugly whore like you’d have been able to get somewhere even without the rule in place,” Ouma snorted. “People are stupid, but no one here is _that_ desperate.”

“Knock it off, you two, this isn’t the time for that,” Kirumi scolded. “The point, I assume, is to stop anyone from being alone with their potential victim and getting them killed. Nothing involving how deep in the gutter both your minds are.”

“And whatever you have to say to someone else, you can say it to the rest of us,” Korekiyo stated, “lest you look the most suspicious.”

“Those in favor of this rule?” Shuichi wondered, getting raised hands from everyone except Tsumugi and Himiko.

“Himiko, what’s the matter?” Tenko inquired. “Are you scared of sleeping alone? Because if you’d like, I could play sentry outside your room door to protect you from males!”

“No, that’s not the problem,” Himiko said. “I’m just wondering if the rule applies to classmates who aren’t physically alive anymore.”

“Why would it matter? Dead people don’t—” Kaito prepared to object until Tenko elbowed him in the stomach to shut him up.

“—Angie-san… can sleep in your room if she wants,” Tenko gulped, forcing out a smile. “We trust her not to make the same mistake twice. Don’t we, guys?” Only a few heads nodded, the others not dignifying a response.

“Oh, that’s a relief,” Himiko said. “In that case, I’m fine with it. For a second there, I thought I’d have to give up Angie and Atua keeping me safe at night.”

 _‘I just wish you’d look more into people who can actually be there when you need it most.’_ Tenko got rid of her personal thoughts. “With that cleared, let’s move onto the last two rules. They’re very important! Shinguuji-san?”

“Proposed rule number three states this,” Korekiyo started. “‘Nothing shall be taken out of the warehouse without the use of a fingerprint scanner and sign-in sheet’. This one we won’t be taking a vote on because it’s not up for debate, but we do need the assistance of somebody to make it happen.”

“I’m guessing that somebody is me?” Rantaro conjectured. “What do you need?”

“A device capable of detecting fingerprints and recording the identity of whom they belong to, but bars entry to the warehouse without them.”

“So, a scanner that’s also a lock? I might need some time to get that together and working, but I don’t mind putting one up. It’d definitely stop people from getting their hands on a murder weapon.”

“Take as much time as it needs, but try to hurry,” Kaede suggested. “Who knows when trouble’s gonna pop up?”

“Speaking of trouble popping up, now that brings us to our final proposed rule. Bear with us on this one,” Korekiyo cut in. “‘The Death Road of Despair is off-limits until a safer strategy has been reached’.” He raised a finger. “To clarify. It is not a permanent blockade, merely temporary because at the moment, there are too many obstacles getting in the way of a safe escape. Monokuma included.”

“But, we don’t have anymore ways out besides that,” Kiibo confessed. “While I’m not exactly keen on the underground passage, what other choice do we have left?”

“Are you jokes trying to keep us all here forever?!” Miu exclaimed. “I knew letting you use my Lab for your bullshit was a mistake, and yet, I did it anyways!”

“Nyeh, maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as you think,” Himiko proposed. “Angie says that being too hasty to get out is gonna provoke people into killing more. Without the reminder, we’ll kill less, won’t we?”

“That… had _better_ be some kind of joke I just heard,” Rantaro hissed, noticeably angry in his stern gaze. “It is, right, Himiko?”

“Look, all we’re saying is, don’t go killing yourselves jumping down an obvious death trap. It didn’t work before, so what makes you think it’ll work now?”

“Maybe not now-now, but one of these days, it doesn’t have a choice.” Rantaro raised his hand, getting the student council’s attention. “Since this probably comes from my suggestion, I’m not entirely against blocking off the exit because it’s not safe right now. But, let me make another one to add onto that.”

“Sure? Shoot,” Kaito affirmed.

“Don’t put this into effect right now. The underground tunnel needs to stay open just a little longer for the sake of us.”

“Oooh, is someone trying to make a jailbreak before the rest of us?” Ouma teased. “Smart move on your part, Ran-chan!”

Rantaro ignored him. “While I don’t advise anyone to jump into that thing all gung-ho, something can be done to make it safer faster. Just waiting and hoping for a better result isn’t enough if you’re not doing anything.”

“Do you have a plan?” Kaito asked. “If you’d said so, then we wouldn’t need to close the underground passage to begin with!”

“...All I can say for certain that blocking the tunnel right away is a _huge_ mistake. Block it later all you want; just not now.” Rantaro started heading out of the dining hall through the courtyard’s side. “If you don’t wanna take my advice because of how cryptic I sound, that makes sense, but I don’t have a lot of time I can afford to waste right now.”

“Where are you going?” Kaede quizzed.

“To get some fresh air and walk off dinner. Good luck to your cause, Akamatsu-san.”

“My food isn’t enough for ya?! Fine!” Miu snapped, shaking her fist. “No one needs a jigsaw freak like you, anyhow! Good riddance!”

“Try not to take it too personally, Miu,” Kiibo advised. “I’m sure Amami-kun loves your cooking, but he has his own agenda to take care of.”

“A very, very strange one at that,” Tsumugi hummed, eyeing the door Rantaro exited from. “...So! Closing the tunnel isn’t gonna be a forever thing?”

“Not at all,” Shuichi said, shaking his head. “Only until we don’t have to worry about the booby traps or Monokuma playing a trick. Afterwards, we’ll open it back up again.”

“How are you gonna do it?” Ouma challenged. “That manhole cover’s still stuck in the ground, and Gonta’s long gone, so no one else here’s strong enough to lift it out.”

“Anybody know how to bring back the dead?” Himiko wondered.

“You can’t, next question,” Kaito hastily gulped.

“We’ll improvise,” Shuichi answered. “Now, all in favor of—?”

“—Rise and shine, ursine!” the remaining three Monokubs bellowed, popping up at the students’ feet.

“Zero days since dinner’s gone to shit,” Miu grumbled.

“Let’s see what they want this time,” Kirumi said. “Speak up, Monokubs.”

“Sorry to interrupt your little political sesh,” Monosuke apologized without meaning it, “but, my fellow associates have got something extra for youse! Whip it out, Monotaro!”

“Here? In front of everyone?” Monotaro snickered, getting a slap to the back of his head by his brother. “Yowch!”

“Don’t be a wise-ass, I mean the you-know-damn-well-what. Monophanie?”

“I’ve got it, boss!” Monophanie whimpered, shakily presenting a Flashback Light for all to see. “Merry Hanukkah, Happy Christmas, and Peppy Kwanza!”

“Another Flashback Light?!” Kiibo gasped. “But, we just got one! Won’t this mess us up?”

“This ain’t the same as getting more than one booster shot in the same appointment, dicknips,” Monosuke corrected. “No, we figured we’d add more onto your discussion with the missing pieces of your peabrains! So, enjoy. This one’s on the house!”

“It’s all a part of ‘Operation Shine, Shine, Shine A Light’!” Monophanie chirped. “We show you guys new things, you break out into a fist fight over them, and I don’t get my face beaten in by—”

“—By _who_ , Monophanie?” Monosuke growled.

“No one! She wasn’t gonna say names!” Monotaro laughed, scared. “Just turn that bad boy on and let the food fight begin!”

“Yeah, I do love me a good school brawl. What are you all waiting for?!”

“I’ll take that,” Kaede decided, plucking the Flashback Light from Monophanie. “Thank you.”

“Hey! We didn’t hand it off!” Monophanie snapped. “You can’t just take things out of my cute little paws just because the chance is there! How rude!”

“Sorry for raining on your sick little parade, but I for one think we should wait a little longer on this one. Aside from it being too soon from our last Flashback Light, I won’t have any fights breaking out because of you bears.”

“Aww, but I like seeing everyone beat each other up!” Ouma claimed. “Now, since that’s over with, I don’t think we should use this Flashback Light, either. Too soon, and too sketchy to be true.”

“Of course you believe that,” Kaito spat. “Kaede, I’m all for having no infighting, but maybe we oughta make an exception for getting back lost memories. That’s kind of, you know, important?”

“I’m not saying it isn’t, but we can’t turn this on right now. A lot’s still going on, so I think we should wait a bit until everything’s settled down some. Given it’s probably just like the last two, it’ll take plenty of preparation time to fully digest what we’d be about to see.”

“You might be onto something,” Korekiyo acknowledged. “Flashback Lights are no laughing manner, so in the event one of us doesn’t take the new revelations well, we’ll hold off until everyone is of sound mind to process it.”

“And, we can’t flash it without Amami-san,” Tenko brought up. “I don’t know what he’s up to, but I wouldn’t feel right leaving him out.”

“Oh? Does someone like Ran-chan?” Ouma joked.

“Gross! Don’t joke about that! I’m only saying so because it might cause trouble if we remember something while he doesn’t!”

“But, does he really not remember it? That’s not the impression I’m getting from him…”

“Are we all good to hold off on using the Flashback Light on ourselves, then?” Kaito asked, receiving nigh-unanimous nods from the others. “Okay, waiting it is.”

“So much for an entertaining melee,” Monosuke lamented, cracking his knuckles at his siblings. “You guys are gonna make up for it! Two-on-one, let’s go!”

“Oh, it’s not even gonna be the fun kind of pain…” Monotaro gulped.

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs all sang, leaving.

“Pardon me, Kaede-san,” Kirumi cut in, raising her hand, “but, how long will it be until we use the Flashback Light if not right now?”

“Whenever you guys are ready, just say the word,” Kaede answered, putting the device inside her backpack. “I’d recommend waiting a minimum of a few days just to be sure, but until then, leave this to the student council. It’ll be staying with me in my room until showtime.”

“How come you get it?!” Miu demanded to know.

“Because she’s the president,” Shuichi sternly reminded her. “It’s only fair.”

“Thank you all for hearing us out, by the way,” Kaede expressed. “We’ll be patrolling from tonight onward to make sure nobody’s violating curfew, but although the warehouse doesn’t have its security in place yet, we still expect you guys not to do anything you’ll seriously regret later. Got it?”

“Yeah, yeah, Chief Bakamatsu,” Miu snorted. “Can we get on with finishing dinner? The grub’s getting cold!”

“We have nothing else to say for now, so yes,” Korekiyo agreed, taking his seat with the others headed for their own preferred chairs.

Dinner went on without anymore interruptions, be it from the student council or the Monokubs. Everyone got up and left Miu to clean up the meal after they’d all eaten, going about what was left of the evening and carrying in mind the new changes the majority of them had just agreed to comply with.

* * *

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“G-Good evening… you bastards?” Monotaro wheezed, covered in bandages and a black eye. “The time’s now, uhh, shit. 10? 11?”

“I don’t know anymore,” Monophanie sighed, propping herself up with a crutch under her left arm and holding an ice pack to the large lump on her head. “I’ve got too many broken bones, a lost tooth, and some serious short-term memory loss! ...Oh, and I also have serious short-term memory loss!”

“You just said that.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Can youse guys do anything right?!” Monosuke snapped, not a single injury on him. “It’s 10 pm, which means it’s Night Time! Don’t go in the dining hall, gym, or pool, or you’re gonna get what’s coming to ya like these two bozos! Am I loud and clear?”

“Yes, Monosuke, we hear you!” Monotaro and Monophanie gulped.

“Wasn’t talking to either of youse, but good. We don’t want any trouble after that little friendly scrap you got yourselves into, yeah?”

“No! Not again, thanks!”

“Great, ‘cause I’m all tuckered out. Get some shut-eye, everyone! Bedtime, ursine!”

“Okay, gang, first night of patrol,” Kaede told the other four student council members in Hallway 1F. “We’ll all work our way up from the courtyard to the highest floor accessible until everything’s clean. I’ll take the outside.”

“I’ve got here,” Shuichi added, referring to the first floor.

“Leave the second floor to me!” Tenko declared.

“That gives me the third,” Korekiyo said. “And, last but not least…”

“For real?! Why am I stuck with the fourth floor?!” Kaito griped. “That place gives me the creeps!”

“I thought human men needed courage more than anything, according to you,” Tenko pressed. “If you can’t survive even one night of patrol, then you aren’t ready for the others!”

“Hey, I’ve got more courage than grains of sand on the beach! I just have every right not to like a certain area of the school is all.”

“Why don’t you spare us the excuses and pair up with me?” Korekiyo offered. “We can patrol the third floor together, and I’ll join you in looking at the fourth floor. No one really goes up there, anyways.”

“You’d really do that for me? Aww, Shin, I’m flattered!”

“‘Shin’?”

“That’s part of your last name, ain’t it? I figured I’d start being on a more casual basis with the other student council members since we’re in this for the long haul.”

“By that logic, should I refer to you as ‘Momo’ from here on out?”

Kaito tilted his hand back and forth. “Eh… just my first name’s cool. It doesn’t really work the same with me.”

“Very well, I’ll accept that. Let us proceed with our duties. Does everyone have their flashlights ready?”

“All set here,” Shuichi answered, switching on the light strapped to his chest while Kaede, Kaito, and Korekiyo did so, too. “You, Tenko-san?”

“Don’t need one. I’ve got my own,” Tenko said, raising her index finger.

“...Where is it?”

“Hold on. Wait for it…!” By an automatic switch, a bright light came out of Tenko’s fingertip. “Ta-daaaa!”

“Your flashlight function’s in your finger?” Kaede wondered. “Why not your eyes?”

“My eyes do something even cooler. Besides, now I don’t have to twist my neck around like an owl trying to get a wide range!”

“That works for me,” Korekiyo decided. “Everyone, let’s go.”

Kaede was the only one to head outside, her chest light capturing everything in its path. Up ahead, she spotted a figure moving, running to apprehend them. “Hey! Stop where you are!” she demanded. “You’re violating curfew!”

“Sorry, officer, I was on my way to wash up for bed,” Rantaro chuckled, hands up while his hair and skin were sullied by scorch marks, scrapes and bruises.

“Amami-kun? What happened to you? I haven’t seen you since you stormed off at dinner.”

“Lab,” Rantaro fibbed. “And, yeah, sorry about that. You’re all set to close off the underground tunnel for a bit now.”

“What made you want us to hold it off?”

“It’s not important anymore. I seriously need to get going so I can turn in.”

“Can I at least patch you up? You must have been dealing with some tough equipment to get that many cuts.”

“Nah, this is nothing compared to accidents I’ve gotten into in the past. I’ll be okay after a shower.”

Refusing to take no for an answer, Kaede took out some wound disinfectant and a roll of bandages, pulling Rantaro to her level. “This might sting a little.”

As she warned, one spritz of the cleaner made Rantaro hiss in pain, his scrapes wrapped by the gauze. “You weren’t kidding… isn’t it a little late to play ‘doctor’, don’t you think?”

“No. It’s a great time to send you off to bed without an infection.” Kaede patted the bandages in place. “Good as new! Those should clear up by tomorrow.”

“I hope your kids’ boo-boos weren’t nearly as bad as mine looked.”

“Oh, please, you’re the easiest ‘patient’ I’ve had to patch up today. Try getting Ouma-kun to sit still long enough to put a bandage on him!”

“You treated him today? What happened?”

“Uhh, long story. He’s doing okay now so long as he doesn’t overdo anything.”

“Which, knowing him, is bound to happen.” Rantaro yawned, stretching his arms. “Thanks for the quick check-up, Akamatsu-san. Are you gonna be up for a while?”

“Yeah, the student council and I are on patrol until everyone’s in bed. Speaking of which, you’d better hurry along so I can look out to see if anybody else is out here, too.”

“I’ll leave you to it, then. G’night.”

Rantaro went to the Dormitory watched entirely by Kaede, who saw him go inside and was given the liberty of monitoring the rest of the courtyard for more curfew violators. Sneaking within the school’s building was Kiibo, footsteps quiet in going past Shuichi roaming the corridors and making it downstairs to the basement. It was its creepiest at night, but it helped up his odds of having privacy without any wandering eyes barging in to interrupt. Carefully opening up the library, Kiibo switched the lights on, entering and making his way towards the only spot worth noting.

“Sorry I’m late, Gonta,” Kiibo apologized, “Kaede-san put in this new rule for being in bed by a certain time, and—!” He stopped in his tracks, seeing the yellow police tape barring off the Mastermind’s secret lair, but no sign of the memorial he’d placed where Gonta met his end. “What?! It’s all gone! Oh no, did Miu come in here and throw it away?! I hope not, I seriously hope not!” There was a note placed at the foot of one of the shelves, Kiibo picking it up and reading it. “Hello! ‘Go upstairs to your Research Lab and look on the table where something isn’t.’? Right, that’s totally not ominous, but it must relate to this, so I’ll do it!”

Kiibo peered up from the basement stairs, watching Shuichi go by him and turning the corner to where the school store was. He hurried up to the second floor, coming to a halt when a gleam of light revealed Tenko’s presence. One glance from her would land him in the mother of hot waters, so he needed to be extra careful if he wanted to elude her and stay intact. As soon as she left to inspect Classrooms 2B and 2C, Kiibo made his move, creeping through the hallway past her and arriving at his Research Lab, closing the door behind after going in.

“That sure was a close one,” Kiibo sighed. “Now, what did that note mean by what’s _not_ on my table?” Going to the upper level, he approached his wide desk and realized what was missing. “Arcus? Arcus?! Where are you?!” Picking up a piece of paper from that spot, he started to look at it. “More notes?”

“Hey! Who’s in there?!” Tenko barked from outside, banging on the door. “Open up if you know what’s good for you, you foul delinquent!”

“Sorry, sorry, be right there!” Kiibo went to the entrance, opening up and waving to Tenko. “Hi, Tenko-san! Having a nice evening?”

“Are you alone in there, Iidabashi-san? No secret guests?” Tenko folded her arms and tapped her foot suspiciously. “Don’t bother lying to me, either, because I’ll know!”

“How?”

“With my new and improved infrared signature detection, of course!” When Tenko blinked, her eyes turned a bright orange, seeing Kiibo only by the varying degrees of heat in his body. “I also picked up on your footsteps and they led me right to here, so nice try in sneaking behind me.”

“Oh, that’s how you found me. Sorry.”

“Luckily, I’m not spotting any other presence in this area, but I’ll have to get a closer look just in case. This is a pretty big Lab you have here, after all.”

“Feel free to, but please don’t dig into my specimens or notes.”

“Neither of those are breaking curfew, so I have no reason to mess up all your research.”

While Tenko was busy inspecting his Lab, Kiibo got a better look at his new note and saw it said “If you ever want to see your ugly grasshopper again, come to the fourth floor ALONE”. Deciding he’d have a few choice words for the writer insulting his animatronic memento, the entomologist snuck out and ran upstairs to the third floor. Kaito and Korekiyo’s voices were heard from around the corner, forcing him into hiding and letting them pass. The feeling that Tenko wasn’t too far behind in hunting him down combined with how much time the dual guards took in sniffing out potential intruders made Kiibo more nervous than he’d remember being in his years existing, wishing they’d hurry along.

“Shin, I’m just saying,” Kaito insisted, “that with us on patrol together, it’s just like some kind of sitcom!”

“I fail to see how this is even remotely like a sitcom,” Korekiyo argued. “We aren’t actually living together if you don’t count being trapped inside the same school.”

“Come on! We’ve got the outgoing, sporty type meeting the quiet, kinda creepy effeminate weirdo type as an unlikely pair! How is that not a sitcom?”

“Aside from the fact it being entirely imaginary, where do I begin?”

“You know, if you’re just gonna be like this, I might reconsider adding you as my third sidekick. Lighten up a little, man!”

“I’d prefer to be no one’s sidekick except for my own. Especially not yours.”

“Ouch, Shin. Sitcom-worthy as this is, I doubt we’d last a season at this rate.”

“If it helps, we’re not even at a pilot episode because there is no sitcom.”

“Yeah, I know there’s—! Do you know what ‘hypothetical’ means, or don’t you?”

“Hypothetical, an adjective meaning ‘of based on, or serving as a hypothesis’. It can also be used as a noun to define a hypothetical proposition or statement.”

“Alright, now try giving me the definition for ‘literal-minded’.”

“Certainly. That too is an adjective which means—”

“—I know, I know! I wasn’t being serious, sheesh.”

“Oh. Well, perhaps you shouldn’t ask me for a definition you don’t actually want, yes?”

Kaito groaned, him and Korekiyo failing to find anybody in their line of sight and unknowingly allowing for Kiibo’s escape to the upstairs. The fourth floor, of course, was darker than its lower levels without anybody to monitor it yet. Ahead, a row of lit miniature candles illuminated things somewhat, Kiibo blowing out each one after passing it to avoid everything burning to the ground. Past the final candle, he found a normal flashlight with a note attached to it, taking the paper off and using his new brightness to read it.

“‘Ran out of candles, so use this instead and head for a door splattered with green, brown, yellow, and lime paint’,” Kiibo read. “Wait, but isn’t that…? Why there? Is it so hard to ask for a normal night in peace?” Focused on getting back Arcus, he went to the location described, stopping in front of the door to the Ultimate Artist Lab. Thinking nothing would happen, Kiibo pulled the door aside, surprised when it didn’t stay in place. “Huh?! It’s open! How? Okay, whoever’s in here had better have a good… explanation?”

Turning the lights on, Kiibo was first mesmerized by the appearance of the never-before-seen Research Lab. Gonta definitely would have liked it; the entire floor covered by a protective eggshell tarp and the four walls powder blue, but painted over with browns, reds, greens, yellows and blues all making a landscape of trees (deciduous and coniferous) and other flora in a lush forest underneath a sky. White, semi-flush bowl lights hung from the ceiling to erase the shadows otherwise concealing wooden easels against the wall and piles of blank canvases sitting on a hawthorn table for future use. The other side of the room closer to the labelled supply closet hosted more complex items; a kiln, a few pottery wheels, separate shelves for glaze and normal paint, a counter with a functional sink and drawers containing metal tools, and proper storage housing gray bricks of earthen clay.

Sitting criss-cross in front of the back entrance waving to Kiibo nonchalantly was Ouma, Arcus between his thighs without leaving his jar. Behind him were the missing memorial shrine pieces from the incense to the fake flowers and the origami lotus flower, but Gonta’s small photograph had been replaced by a… handmade picture of him in a rather wacky art style that was blown up and taped over a canvas sitting on an easel.

“Oh, hey, Kiiboi, fancy seeing you here!” Ouma greeted, holding up Arcus. “This gross thing yours?”

“Yes,” Kiibo answered, taking his robot grasshopper back. “Kokichi, were you the one behind these notes?”

“Nope! I only came here to get rid of this.” He held up his old night sky painting depicting a shooting star. “My room’s loaded with junk, so I just don’t have to room for this old thing anymore. Good riddance!”

“Then, do you mind explaining all of… this?” Kiibo gestured to the memorial. “I had most of this stuff set up in the library, but it turned up missing when I went there. And given this room was locked earlier, I only have you to suspect for that.”

“Moi? Couldn’t bwah! I just figured since everyone here’s peeing their pants over going to the basement, moving your weird Gonta shrine to his Research Lab would be more appropriate. Plus, with my handy-dandy lock-picking skills, only I’m capable of letting someone in or out, thus ensuring tons of privacy. And given those nosy Earthlings running the student council, anybody wanting to be sneaky after hours could use that best.”

“So, you unlocked Gonta’s Lab… for me?”

“Ha! As if! I only moved all your stuff and set it up here to send you on a wild goose chase trying to find them! Everything I said before that was clearly a lie.” Kiibo didn’t seem to be listening or buying it, his eyes welling with tears to Ouma’s stale bewilderment. “...What’s your problem?” Before he could react, he got pulled into a tight hug by the other boy, frozen in that position for a while as Kiibo sniffled and hiccuped.

“This is—! The nicest thing you’ve ever done for me! And here I was afraid I made you not like me anymore after prying too m-much! Thank you so much, Kokichi!”

“Ugh! Disgusting! You’re getting your human snot all over me, and now I’m gonna need a new skin after this!” It didn’t make Kiibo let go even a little, Ouma giving up and opting to rub the back of the entomologist’s neck. “Quit turning this into some kind of big deal.”

“It is a big deal! I certainly didn’t ask you to move my memorial to a better spot, and yet you did it anyways! How could that be anything short of wonderful?”

“Because you’re getting worked up over one little thing that’s hardly gonna matter in the morning.”

Kiibo frowned. “It’ll still matter to me. Anybody would appreciate you doing this for a very long time if you were nicer to them.”

“Yeah, right. You’re just way too naive to look deeper into this and say I’ve got an ulterior motive. Who’s to say I don’t?”

“I’m not naive. I know fully well how capable you are of being unpleasant, but I’m just as aware of you having more than one side to yourself. Besides, outright claiming you have another reason for doing this only proves you’re just covering up there not being one at all to further deny your more caring side.”

Ouma tried saying something, but his open mouth didn’t speak the aborted argument. “Well, I guess that’s the end of that conversation! I’m gonna hit the hay and leave you for dead here. Nighty-night!”

“No.” Kiibo stopped Ouma from leaving that very spot, stern. “I’m not letting you get out of this. You need to understand that there’s no harm or little benefit in showing others a smidgen of kindness. Okay, maybe I can’t force you to suddenly be sweet as sugar with everyone, but at least try to be semi-decent. Being nice to only me isn’t where it should stop, because that’s not fair for the others to still have to put up with your constant harassment while I get way less of it.”

“And what good would that do me now or ever?”

“Well, you’re nigh-allergic to boredom, so why keep wearing out the same old routine when you could try something new? In other words, cut back a little on being so abrasive towards people and see where lightening up gets you.”

“Please, I _know_ where it’d get me.”

“Do you? You haven’t so much as considered it yet, and I’ve got my doubts that you can see into the future.”

“But, I can! Space travel and having space smarts aren’t my only specialties.” Ouma rubbed his temple in circles. “For instance, right now, I can predict that within the next few seconds, you will experience… pain!”

“I will?” Kiibo got flicked in the forehead, his fingers to the spot. “Ouch! That doesn’t count, Kokichi! You planned on doing that! If you believe that’s enough to make me drop my point, think again. I stand by my words, and you’re still assuming the worst will come of being nice to people without absolute certainty.”

“Even if for some reason I did that, what difference would it make? No one’s opinion of me will change, and more importantly, I won’t suddenly be out of this place any faster.”

“That last one, maybe not, but the first one isn’t inherently true. Some others could warm up to you more if you started showing them you aren’t all bad.” Kiibo looked Ouma right in the eyes, holding up the origami flower on his palms. “Remember what Gonta said before? The lotus may have roots in the dirtiest waters, but it’s still capable of having the prettiest bloom.”

“So, what, now I’m a flower?”

“Not literally, but you haven’t lost the potential to bloom brightly despite where we are currently. Things are harsh, but it doesn’t have to make you harsh, too.” 

A hard round of knocks on the door interrupted everything, Tenko’s voice shouting from outside. “I know you’re in there, Iidabashi-san! Come out with your hands up, and I’ll _consider_ turning you in peacefully!”

“Kiiboi, you did remember to lock the door when you came in, right?” Ouma asked.

“Was I supposed to?” Kiibo gulped.

“You idiot.”

“Ah-HA! Busted!” Tenko declared, ripping open the door and marching inside to grab Kiibo and Ouma by their rear collar and hood respectively. “And an accomplice? I knew a dirty rule-breaker like you couldn’t have been up to any good! What do you two ne’er-do-wells have to say for yourselves?!”

“Tenko-san, I can explain,” Kiibo insisted.

“Do it in ten words or less.”

Kiibo thought hard, piecing together his motive. “Kokichi… moved Gonta’s memorial here. And I followed his notes.”

“Is this true?”

“Yeah, it is,” Ouma confirmed flatly. “I couldn’t care less if you believe me, but at least take Kiiboi’s word for it since he sucks at lying.”

“I’m sorry I made you chase me down tonight, but please don’t punish anybody except myself, if you have to,” Kiibo begged. “Kokichi was only doing me a favor and wanted to make it private.”

Tenko eyed them both hard, then easing up after seeing the new memorial and setting the boys down. “Don’t get used to this, but I’ll let you off with a serious warning this time. Next time, if you’re going to come up here, do it after sunrise.”

“Yes, ma’am! Thank you, Tenko-san.”

“Just wrap things up, and head to bed! You don’t know what other _men_ aces could be lurking around disregarding our new rules.” Tenko started walking out herself. “It’s like they don’t have any concept of life or death! How hard is it just keeping out of danger?”

“Finally, I thought she’d never leave,” Ouma sighed. “Well, since the mood’s killed, why don’t I let you mourn in peace? I only came here to show you this exists.”

“I won’t be long, just a few minutes,” Kiibo said, eyeing what was on the easel. “Did you make this… version of Gonta yourself?”

“You don’t recognize such an amazing art style?”

“It’s certainly— unique. I’ll give it that.”

“There’s nothing wrong with it to me, so that automatically overrides anything bad you have to say about it.”

Kiibo chuckled. “At least you’re confident. Get some sleep and consider what I’ve said, okay, Kokichi?”

“Sure, sure, I’m a fantastic listener! Don’t take too long going to bed, either. I won’t be there to protect you when Tenko yells your ear off.”

Ouma took off and closed the Lab’s door behind him, locking it from the outside and quietly sneaking by Kaito and Korekiyo beginning their patrol of the fourth floor. When he’d made it to the main floor, he stayed hidden for a few moments while Shuichi scanned the halls for any presence that shouldn’t be awake. As soon as the coast was clear, Ouma slithered past and went outside to sneak inside the Dormitory, unaware of someone else’s presence peering out from the girls’ bathroom and bitterly watching the martial artist tend to his new duties before bed.

“A true leader never lets anyone else be the boss of them,” Tsumugi murmured, sneaking out herself and heading for her bedroom before Shuichi or Kaede could spot her. Arriving inside, she looked up to the level above her door, smirking with the moon reflecting off of her glasses. “If Akamatsu-san and her lousy version of the student council wants to be ready for anything, then they’d better buckle up for the fight of a lifetime.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first Kiibouma interaction (feat. Kaede and Himiko) is the aforementioned final RP I will put into this story bc we didn't really do too many before I started actually writing this darn story. As for the one in Gonta's Lab, that was all me. I'm not sure how long the next chapter's gonna take, but hopefully not as long, I'm betting. I hope you guys liked this one, thanks for checking it out, and I'm glad seeing you all again after 4 weeks of not updating! See all of y'all again really soon in the next upload! ♥


	25. Episode XXIV: Daily Life 3.4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Bringing you this update when my ass should be in bed bc I have work tomorrow morning, but I'll make it snappy since I'm just now getting this gd thing done and up. Nothing gruesome happens in it, but it's still drama-packed for all of y'all! I had to make a lot of corrections because I woke up today realizing there were some things that didn't make sense (more towards the end of the chapter, specifically), so rip to me ;w;"
> 
> But, at least it's done and looks relatively polished! Judging by the comments/kudos/bookmarks/etc., I've got some new readers, so this one's for you guys, especially! Welcome aboard, and Happy Reading for everyone old and new! I love all you guys all the same! ^w^

“Open up! I demand you let me in right now!” Ouma barked a few days later, banging on the door to the Ultimate Pianist Lab until Kirumi answered. “Finally. You kept me waiting for hundreds of years! Any longer, and I would have turned to dust.”

“Why, Kokichi, you’re on time,” Kirumi commented. “Normally, I’d have to hunt you down or prevent you from making a getaway.”

“I come on my own time, and that so happens to be right now. Are you up for lessons, or do I have to make a statement?”

“No, no, today’s perfect. Come right in.” Ouma hurried inside, Kirumi getting things set up and sitting beside him until he shuffled onto her lap. “This is the most eager I’ve seen you for our music lessons.”

“Because I wanna have front row seats to watch how blown away you’ll be after seeing I’ve smoked you at your own talent.”

“If that’s true, who do you think is responsible for helping get you to this point? The teacher is always the driving force behind a student’s greatness.”

“And I couldn’t ask for a better one than my beautiful, menopausal mom.”

“How disheartening given I’m not either of those.” Kirumi leered at Ouma. “Especially not ‘menopausal’ as we’re the same age.”

“For now. I have a slowed growth rate.”

“That would certainly explain plenty.”

“Such as?”

Kirumi giggled, petting the irritated Ouma’s head. “Nothing more than a jest, I assure you. Let’s begin with going over the chromatic scale and picking up tempo. I know you don’t like slow paces, but—” Small fingers began working their way up the scale at a patient speed, going in reverse and concluding on the first note. “Oh! You actually started slower this time.”

“That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but— oh, nevermind. Keep going, but don’t rush. Afterwards, we’re jumping into the Blue Danube and Spring Waltz, then picking up where we left on Für Elise.”

“Wait! I wanna show you how far I’ve gotten on the Tetris theme first! I don’t even have to use sheet music for some parts anymore!”

“Oh? Then why don’t you prove it to me after we’re finished warming up?”

“Is that a challenge, Kirumi-chan?”

“Depends. Are you prepared to uphold it?”

“Only if you’re ready to have your words for lunch. Better plate up, Maestra!”

“KIRUMI!” Miu screeched from down the hall, barging in angrily moments later. “Oh, my shit, just wait ‘til you get a load of this!”

“What do you want, whorebag? I was just about to one-up someone!”

“Hush, Kokichi,” Kirumi scolded, turning to look at Miu next to her piano. “Start from the beginning please, Miu-san. I don’t do well without context.”

“Okay, so!” Miu started. “I was gettin’ ready to wash up the dishes in my Lab, right? Well, normally to do that, you _need_ dishes to wash!”

“Don’t you have any?”

“Usually, yeah. I’d find the finest China in the whole damn school right at my convenience. Porcelain, glass, metal soup spoons, you name it! But, instead, I come across these!” Miu held up severed handles to silverware, paper plates, and cups covered in airless balloons. “Tell me what’s wrong with this picture. Go on, I’ll wait for ya.”

“They’re… not high-quality, your knives and forks don’t have heads, and cups aren’t supposed to be covered in rubber.”

“Ding-ding-ding! Rubber goes on dicks, not drinks! Someone sabotaged my Lab! I couldn’t find one breakable or sharp thing in there! Hell, even my iron’s gone AWOL! Do you expect me to give out wrinkled laundry? ‘Cause it ain’t happening!”

“How peculiar. My Lab seems perfectly normal. Are you the only break-in?”

“Nope,” Rantaro answered, entering to show off plastic, rainbow tools only a child under 10 would be caught dead using. “Someone robbed me, too. None of my normal tools were anywhere, and all I could find were these toy versions.”

“Have you guys seen my sewing machine?” Himiko panted, following Rantaro inside. “I looked all over my room for it, but zilch. And I normally never move that thing anywhere. I wonder if there’s more than one phantom here…”

“Doubt it, Himi. But, one of us has definitely been messing with our stuff. Question is, who?”

“Whoever it is better fess up, or I’m wiping the floor with their flabby ass!” Miu barked. “Literally!”

“Hey, what’s all the commotion about?” Tsumugi wondered. “I could hear you guys all the way from the stairs.”

“Oh, Shirogane, just in time,” Himiko said. “We’re all dealing with a mysterious caper-slash-sabotage. Eh, except Kirumi, that is.”

“Lucky you!” Ouma chirped. “And since we’re the only non-victims, let’s get back to minding our own business.”

“In a minute,” Kirumi dismissed. “This is just as important.”

“Wait a second, there’s a caper? You mean like a thief?!” Tsumugi gasped.

“One who’s either stealing or tampering with other people’s belongings,” Rantaro informed her. “My tools are now toys, Iruma-san’s got unbreakable kitchenware, and Himiko’s sewing machine is missing.”

“Hmm… there has to be a connection. Oh! It’s a hunch, but haven’t you noticed one thing they all have in common?”

“Besides being missing?” Himiko asked.

“Uh-huh. They’re all dangerous. Broken glass or sharp knives and forks, hardware tools that could puncture skin, and sewing machines have needles!”

“What are you getting at with this?” Kirumi inquired.

“Something very likely, but you might not like hearing it. Would it be okay to tell you guys later? This might end up being bigger than we thought.”

“Yeah, sure, save it for the funnies!” Ouma impatiently dismissed. “Drama’s always best served with a great meal. You’re all rudely interrupting Kirumi’s passion, so shoo!”

“Cool your tits, we’re going,” Miu muttered, being last to leave. “How poor Rumi can stomach you is a mystery. Call me if you need some painkillers, mmkay?”

“It won’t be necessary, but thank you anyways, Miu-san,” Kirumi said, closing the door once alone with Ouma. “Sorry about that, Kokichi. Let’s continue.”

“Finally!” Ouma readjusted so he was sitting on Kirumi again, continuing the chromatic scale warm ups. “The nerve of some people.”

“By the way, why _are_ you so eager for lessons today? Usually, I have to fight tooth and nail getting you to stay seated, let alone focus.”

“Eh, don’t overthink it. Piano playing is a dingy Earth hobby, but this has a spin on it because of how into it you are. Anyone else sitting here, and I couldn’t care less, but you actually make it a fun experience instead of being so stuffy and stiff with it.”

“Do you really mean that?”

“Figure it out yourself. Just know if I wanted to bail, I would have long ago.”

Kirumi smiled. “Then, rather than putting against one another, why don’t we first try a song… together?”

“Nishishi! You’re scared of losing to me, aren’t you?”

“Oh no, I’m actually rather certain I’d come out on top between the two of us, but if you’re enjoying yourself so much, let’s share that nice feeling amongst ourselves.”

“If that’s how you wanna cover up how intimidated you are of me. Don’t worry, though, I am pretty great, so it’s common.”

Ouma slid from the comfort of Kirumi’s lap while she flipped a music sheet book’s pages all the way to Strauss’ “Blue Danube Waltz” as a good piece to begin with. She sat and played its primary melody while he provided the back up notes between a pause, joining her in the second verse and adding more. During the following part, he thought back to the interruption, not yet knowing what was going on, but secretly grinning to himself at what he’d already gathered from it. When he strayed on a few keys, he went right back to playing with Kirumi, splitting his mind more evenly between his time being spent with her and the sheer catastrophe he predicted was bound to happen in a short while amongst his classmates.

* * *

“Don’t forget to lift, guys!” Shuichi exclaimed in his Research Lab’s main dojo, watching Kaito go to perform a sankyo technique on Kaede in their proper gi. “Step back and remember irimi tenkan, too! You’ll want as much movement on your part and less on your opponent’s!”

“Shuichi, a quick—!” Kaede yelped, getting shoved to the ground face first. “Hey! Watch it with that!”

“Too rough?” Kaito asked, helping her stand up.

“A bit, yeah. As I was saying, Shuichi, shouldn’t we train all the student council members in Aikido? We’re the ones protecting the school, after all.”

“Neither seemed really interested,” Shuichi answered. “Shinguuji-kun you can hardly get to do anything, and Tenko-san wants nothing to do with me or Kaito.”

“Then we’ll have to step our game up and compensate for both of them!” Kaito declared. “Kaede, hit me!”

“What? Why?” Kaede wondered.

“I need to deflect what I can dish out, now do it!” Shrugging, Kaede threw a fist at Kaito, who grabbed her by the wrist and did a variation of the sankyo technique involving spinning her from behind and lowering her to the ground in a singular, swift motion. “Hee-YAH! Just like that, right, Shuichi-sensei?!”

“Actually, yeah!” Shuichi commended, clapping. “Nice ura variant, Kaito, very nice. Do you wanna go next, Akamatsu-san?”

“Sure!” Kaede chirped, jumping onto her feet. “By the way, Shuichi, would it kill you to use my first name? You’re my vice-president, but there’s no need to be this formal with me.”

Shuichi flushed, shy. “Your first name? Am I ready for that?”

“Ugh!” Kaede did a swift nikyo flip and pin, nearly dropping Kaito right on the ground. “I’m not asking you to go to bed with me, I just want you to call me ‘Kaede’. Ka-e-de! Using my last name when I use your first seems a little unfair if we’re… you know, as close as we are?”

“Erm, could this wait until after training? We still have some things to cover.”

“Fine, but this isn’t the last you’re hearing of this.” Kaede pulled Kaito up. “Ready to go again?”

“Lay it on me!” Kaito declared, the match interrupted by a banging on the door. “Who’s that?”

“President Kaede, VP Saihara-san, and Momota-san the enforcer!” Tenko exclaimed. “Open up, it’s crucial! And bad!”

Shuichi hurried over and pulled the door open, seeing Tenko having gotten Korekiyo along judging by how much she had his wrist in her grip. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Initially, I’d been enjoying my day outside,” Korekiyo exhaled, “until Tenko-san next to kidnapped me and dragged me here with ‘no time to explain’.”

“There is now!” Tenko proclaimed. “Everyone’s got a bone to pick with us!”

“What? Why?” Shuichi inquired.

“It’s best if we all head for the dining hall and see for ourselves. Hurry up!”

“You heard her, guys. Sorry to cut training short, but this sounds like an emergency.”

“That’s okay, the student council and related issues with our classmates always come first,” Kaede said, grabbing her normal clothes to change after throwing Kaito his.

The training three used little time in getting ready, following Tenko and Korekiyo to the dining hall using the entrance from the courtyard. As soon as they’d stepped in, they were all greeted with a surprising amount of dirty looks, a smaller few only appearing concerned in their displeasure. In some hands were unusual items; Rantaro’s toy tools, Miu’s modified kitchenware, Himiko’s hand-drawn missing poster of her sewing machine, and a roll of bubble wrap and a pair of plastic scissors in Kiibo’s possession.

“So, come back to face the music, have ya?!” Miu spat. “You’re lucky you raided my Lab and the kitchen, otherwise I’d be putting you assholes on the chopping block!”

“Raided? What are you talking about?” Shuichi wondered.

“Don’t play dumb with me, Pooichi! You know damn well what I’m talking about!”

“This doesn’t look familiar?” Himiko accused, waving the poster. “Maybe your eyes were closed when you confiscated it.”

“Your sewing machine?” Kaede quizzed. “We never went in your room.”

“Oh, yeah? Then why is it missing? Quit covering stuff up and tell me where it is so I can go back to my work. I wasn’t breaking any rules by you or Monokuma in stitching a few accessories.”

“We don’t know! Hell, we don’t even know what you’re going on about!” Kaito exclaimed.

“Rather than point at us, could somebody care to elaborate on this situation?” Korekiyo requested. “This is getting no one anywhere.”

“Apparently, some things have been pilfered and… substituted,” Kirumi explained. “Amami-kun’s tools were replaced with toy ones, Miu-san no longer has any sharp or breakable kitchenware in her Lab or the dining hall, Himiko-san’s sewing machine is gone…”

“What about Kiibo?” Shuichi asked. “Are you missing some scissors?”

“No, this was all I could find to try and cut off the bubble wrap all over my bug tanks,” Kiibo answered. “Keeping the glass from breaking is one thing, but I can’t get it off! How am I supposed to take care of them when they’re trapped in a tight wrap?!”

“You couldn’t find any scissors?” Tenko questioned. “Why didn’t you just go get some from the warehouse?”

“Because it’s locked.”

“So? That’s just because of the new fingerprint scanner in place. Give it a finger and go right in!”

“Oh, you’re so right!” Ouma said sarcastically. “We all just forgot to show those metal chains the finger and got locked out! Silly us!”

“Chains? What chains?” Kaede asked.

“Look outside,” Tsumugi ordered, the student council peeking out across the hallway to see chains and a keyhole padlock wrapped around the warehouse doors above Rantaro’s installed fingerprint security system. “Seems you guys got so caught up in putting in new safety procedures that you went overboard, hmm?”

“Wait, you think _we_ did this?!” Shuichi gasped.

“No one else gets to stay up so late at night forcing the rest of us into bed!” Miu yelled. “Who else would have the time for it?!”

“Yeah, Iruma’s right,” Himiko agreed. “You guys have the biggest opening to enforce more rules while the rest of us snoozed the night away alone in our rooms.”

“Whatever happened to asking for our permission?! Liars, liars, planet’s ires!” Ouma accused.

“Isn’t it supposed to be ‘pants on fire’?” Kaede tested.

“Sounds like something a liar would say.”

“We ain’t lying!” Kaito argued. “Sure, the student council’s main goal is to keep you all safe, but we ask first! None of us would do something this insane unless you were all somehow cool with it!”

“Then how do you five explain… this?” Tsumugi quizzed, dropping the Flashback Light from days prior onto the ground, everyone gasping at how bent, cracked, and damaged beyond repair it now was.

“How—? That’s the Flashback Light!” Kaede cried. “How did it end up like that?! And just as importantly, how did you get it from my room?!”

“You can yell at the Monokubs for that one, they never seem to have a sense of privacy. But, that aside, I saw them running through here with it after finally getting it back from _your_ clutches exactly how you see it now. Funny how we’re supposed to have faith in the student council, but they can’t even be trusted with something as important as our lost memories.”

“But, but! That can’t be! I kept that thing in a safe spot; there’s no way it could have broken!”

“Save it for the funnies, skank!” Miu roared. “And you can forget about using my Research Lab for your back alley business deal meetings, too!”

“Gotta say, nothing’s looking good for you guys,” Rantaro sighed, shaking his head disappointed.

“You were all doing a nice job before, why did you go this far?!” Kiibo wanted to know. “There’s safety, but this? It’s madness!”

“Burn the witches! Roast marshmallows and weenies over ‘em, too!” Ouma instigated, further exacerbating tensions.

“Stop it, you aren’t helping,” Kirumi scolded.

“To be fair, neither are they.”

“Wait, everyone, we can explain!” Tenko pleaded. “This is all a huge misunderstanding!”

“I’ll tell you what’s a misunderstanding. All of us putting our faith in this joke of a student council,” Tsumugi hissed. “From now on, you five had better start knowing your places and just stay out of trouble for the rest of us. Never leave leadership to people who clearly can’t do it right.”

“You all can’t actually believe this, can you? The student council has no reason to suddenly go back on their words,” Korekiyo insisted, no one responding from their disappointment.

“Seriously? This is a setup!” Kaito exclaimed. “We’ve all been set up!”

“Everyone, let’s go,” Tsumugi ordered. “These five have a lot to think about when it comes to making bigger decisions than they can handle.”

“Wait, wait! You have us all wrong! We didn’t do any of this!” Kaede tried to plead, getting ignored by nearly everyone leaving.

“I’d hate to be you guys right now!” Ouma taunted on his way out.

“Shirogane-san, this is all a mistake,” Shuichi attempted to tell Tsumugi, who showed no reaction. “Don’t you think there’s some sort of other explanation for this?”

“Yes, I do,” Tsumugi answered, coldly leering at the student council before abandoning them too. “It’s karma for not letting a real leader have a chance to do her job. Learn from this.”

“...What just happened?” Kaito sighed, disdained.

“I believe our organization just took a nosedive thanks to an obvious framing,” Korekiyo gave as a blunt answer. “Now, I wonder what our fair president’s response to this is. Well, Akamatsu-san?”

“There’s nothing else to say about this besides it being complete crap!” Kaede snapped. “You’re right, someone’s trying to make us look bad!”

“My money’s on Ouma-san,” Tenko accused. “He’s always looking for an excuse to shame people, human or robot!”

“True as that is, he already seems to have enough weird reasons to give people a rough time,” Shuichi pointed out. “I don’t think Ouma-kun would need to destroy a reputation he barely believes we have to start.”

“Well, we still aren’t responsible for this!” Kaito growled. “Ouma or someone else, we’re being sabotaged, and everyone’s been tricked into seeing us as power hungry control freaks!”

“Most, not all” Rantaro spoke up, closing the dining hall door to reveal himself and Kirumi. “You still have people who haven’t jumped to a conclusion yet.”

“Amami-kun and Toujou-san?” Shuichi inquired. “You guys still believe us?”

“Yes,” Kirumi confirmed. “Kaede-san’s already gotten herself into some trouble once, so for her to have been this seemingly careless feels unlikely. I know improvement when I see it, and thus can’t wrap my head around her suddenly going back on that a second time.”

“But, I thought things weren’t looking good for us right now?” Korekiyo quoted Rantaro.

“They’re not,” Rantaro agreed. “You’re just being setup, but that doesn’t mean I believe you guys are behind all of this. Like Toujou-san said, Miss President’s come way too far to suddenly trip and fall this hard out of seemingly nowhere.”

“Now, with that being said, you’ll all need to do something in proving your collective innocence,” Kirumi advised. “Find important intel and expose who’s trying to destroy the student council’s reputation.”

“Kukukuku…” Korekiyo eerily tittered, “then it seems we’ve another mystery on our hands. Finally, one I can solve without involving the deliberate spill of another person’s blood before they’ve succumbed to natural causes. No matter, I’ll have the culprit exposed in no time while the trail’s still warm.”

“Who said you’re gonna be taking charge?” Kaede argued. “We’re all at stake with this, and Shuichi and I have proved in the past that we’re more than capable of filling in the pieces of a mystery, too.”

“And who do you think is responsible for that accomplishment? If it weren’t for my findings during both murders, everyone here would be at Monokuma’s non-existent mercy. While I don’t at all mind sharing clues or accepting aid in some way, you’re— to say the least— completely helpless without my intel.”

“Then maybe we don’t want your clues,” Shuichi hissed. “Either you stop acting like you’re our last hope in the world and be an actual team player, or you can go ahead and butt out. As your technical bosses, we’re not letting you shove us into the backseat like this.”

“Odd, I don’t seem to recall there being more than one Ultimate Detective in this place.”

“Ultimate Detective or not, we’re not wholly reliant on you to solve our problems,” Kaede scolded. “You could be the biggest help, but instead, you’re the biggest pain in the ass!”

“I’m only doing my job. Is that so wrong of me?” Korekiyo spat.

“Kiyo-kun, they do have a point,” Kirumi admitted. “You do get rather overbearing whenever someone lacks the same experience as you. Everybody’s doing their best just as much as you are and capable of accomplishing plenty, so it’s quite unfair for you to claim all the credit for yourself without giving some where it’s due.”

“Give ‘em a chance,” Rantaro suggested, tapping his temple. “No one has to be a detective to have a solid brain. You might find yourself surprised as what other people pull off.”

“Well… alright, I suppose I could hold off on spearheading an investigation,” Korekiyo resolved. “But, I’d still like to dig up plenty of clues since I’m still involved.”

“That’s fine, just don’t pretend we aren’t, either,” Kaede sighed. “Each of us will secretly gather important info on our own and expose the perp using it.”

“Let’s split up to cover our bases,” Shuichi further suggested. “Whatever we find, we’ll report back to each other before dinner.”

“And whatever you all do, don’t tell anybody else until this case is closed,” Korekiyo advised. “Amami-kun and Kirumi may already know, but remember another one of us is responsible for this, so nothing will stop them from making this go from bad to worse.”

“So, like, a secret stakeout?” Kaito wondered.

“Pretty much,” Kaede answered. “Just until we tell everybody the truth.”

“Great plan! Let’s get it started!” Tenko cheered. “Not only will my recording function be a blessing, but I have another feature that might come in handy as well.”

“Student council, move out!” Kaito declared, fired up.

The quintet split up, going to as many places in the school and outside as they could where their classmates might be. One of them was directly responsible for setting them up and tarnishing a once acceptable reputation, and without such evidence to bring that to light, it might prove the end of the student council and their efforts to bring about order within the Academy’s bounds. Since he was closest to the Ultimate Magician Lab’s discreet corridor, Kaito initially lingered behind for a quick sip of his secret “potion” after feeling a cough coming on, but instead took it closer to the warehouse doors after realizing something else.

“Hits the spot…” Kaito exhaled, quickly putting away the bauble and getting a good look at the entrance sealed by the fingerprint scanner lock and the array of metal chains that made it impossible to pass through. “Alright, let’s take care of this! Clearly, our framer’s got everything inside and doesn’t want anyone finding the missing goods. Well, you should have thought of that before messing with the Shining Star of the Court, now trained in martial arts!” Grabbing the chains, Kaito tried to pull them over and down, running out of steam when they failed to budge. “I guess Aikido only works on people, not metal…”

“You find something, Momota-kun?” Rantaro asked just as Kaito was about to take his inhaler out, only to quickly stuff it back in his pocket.

“Nope! Well, yeah, the chains from before. I’m betting the person behind this used these to both make it look like we sealed off the warehouse completely, and to hide their crime! It just makes sense taking care of two things at once, don’t you think?”

“Hmm, nice speculation. But, maybe there’s no need to try this hard to find an easy answer? Remember what I programmed the lock to do.” Rantaro gave the scanning screen his thumb print, the little light above it going from red to green as it took back its coils hugging the door. “Not just that, but it hasn’t forgotten me yet.”

“At least not until a full day’s passed.” When the mechanism locked up the warehouse again, Kaito pressed the up arrow button in search of previous visitors. Only two were available for the day, Rantaro’s from a few seconds ago, and one other person. “Ah-ha! Caught red-handed! I knew your invention would come in great handy, Amami.”

“I built it to keep track of potential murderers, but I guess normal troublemakers work, too. Though, given the name on the screen, something doesn’t seem entirely right. I honestly had my suspicions on someone that seems actively against you guys.”

“So did I, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned from this place, it’s that when you think you know somebody, you wind up thinking wrong.” Kaito’s brows furrowed. “I hate believing that of anyone, but as much as it sucks, it also happens.”

“Which is why you’re all going through this much effort to keep your eyes on surprising killers. The only person you can trust with absolutely anything is yourself.”

“But, I can’t just assume everyone’s gonna be a bad guy on the spot. That doesn’t sound like it’d do much good, either.”

“I’m not saying to go that far, but just keep your eyes peeled and don’t give away important facts to just anybody you see in a good light. You never know what they end up doing with that info.”

“You got that right, at least.” Kaito cleared his irritated throat, stepping away from Rantaro. “Mega thanks for helping me find some clues, Amami.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s kinda crap that someone would stoop this low to make you guys look bad when you’re only trying to help.”

“It’s complete horseshit! The minute we bust them, we’re keeping an especially close eye on ‘em in case they try this twice!”

“Something tells me they won’t be getting away with it more than once, if it helps. Don’t worry.”

Kaito marched off to the secret corridor where Maki’s abandoned Lab sat after Rantaro left, taking a few puffs of his inhaler and stashing it away again. He was pleased to have information on the likely perpetrator now, but needed to find more to get as clear of an answer as possible. In going further down that discreet hallway, he was shocked seeing wooden boards nailed to the Ultimate Magician Lab, barring him from any sort of access no matter how hard he pulled on the knob or the planks. Now red with anger, he stormed off, more determined than ever to expose whoever was behind such ridiculous “safety” measures.

* * *

“Okay, here’s the plan,” Shuichi told Kaede a bit later, standing outside the school pool’s doors. “I saw Kiibo go inside and get ready for a swim, so I’m gonna go to the boys’ locker room and see what he might know. And once I have everything, I’ll relay it to you.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me going inside?” Kaede asked. “I’d just have to wait in the pool area for him to start swimming.”

“There’s lots more private talking in a boys’ locker room that goes down than you’re aware of. Believe me, I’m bound to get lots more where you can’t step in.”

“Fine. Do whatever you can to make him sing, but don’t let him find out what’s going on yet. The second a target becomes aware of a secret mission is when they’ll do everything and anything to save their skins and really make things difficult.”

“How specific… but, I see what you’re getting at. I’ll meet you out here soon, but while I’m gone, see if anybody else comes here to spill some beans.”

“Go on in there and play it cool. I’ll be seeing you soon!” Kaede shooed Shuichi away, about to leave when she glanced back at the building. _‘You know… it’d save a lot of time if I got my ears on the intel directly. I trust Shuichi to get everything, but some opportunities are rarer than others! Should I…? No, that might look bad if I’m caught! Although… it is just a little stakeout, and I haven’t gotten spotted on a risky mission yet. That’s it, I’m going in! Final answer!’_

Sneaking in after Shuichi, Kaede found a spot that kept her hidden, but in close enough proximity of the boys’ locker room. Peering her eyes through its glass, she observed and maintained a good range to hear oncoming banter. To the surprise of both herself and Shuichi apparently, there was a third guest who’d snuck up on him and Kiibo, hair pinned up using a jaw clip while changing carefully into his preferred swimwear. Nothing crucial went down yet, but Kaede kept her eyes peeled whilst partially indulging in the baring view in front of her.

“What are you doing here, Shinguuji-kun?” Shuichi asked.

“Is it not obvious? I’m changing into proper attire to be around water with,” Korekiyo answered calmly.

“Yeah, that part I get, but…”

“And, I’m here for reasons you likely are that I won’t say in front of Iidabashi-kun. You and I both know what they are, so there isn’t any need for elaboration.”

“Maybe a little would help,” Kiibo retorted. “Aren’t you guys just here for a swim? That is, if it’s safe enough to do under your watch…”

“It’s perfectly fine, but we don’t have to say that,” Shuichi said.

“You seemed to have a say in whether or not I can do my research.”

“We understand that this time makes us look rather untrustworthy,” Korekiyo replied, “but while convincing, things aren’t nearly as they seem.”

“Besides, if we were to go so far as to close off your bug pens, why would we adjust the curfew rule so that you could be in your Lab at all?” Shuichi questioned, taking off his hakama pants, then undoing the black belt around his matching gi after getting barefoot.

“Good question,” Kiibo pondered. “But, whatever’s happening, could you guys undo it, anyway?”

“We’re trying, but we don’t know who’s making us look bad. Do you have any idea who seemed off recently?”

“Or if someone has been sneaking around not doing what they should?” Korekiyo probed.

“Umm,” Kiibo reviewed, fetching his swimming trunks to cover his bare rear. “I’m not sure if I’ve noticed anything big, but I at least know everything was fine yesterday. Then, today, when I went to my Research Lab, it— EEP!”

“What’s wrong?” Shuichi inquired.

“I just felt something whap me on the butt.” Kiibo rubbed the reddened cheek, the area slightly damp. “Was that you, Shinguuji-kun?”

“I’d never do such a thing, but I have a feeling it’s not just us three present,” Korekiyo conjectured. “As if we’re being watched.”

 _‘Crap! Do they see me?!’_ Kaede gulped, ducking down a bit under the viewing glass.

“Yeah, I think that, too,” Shuichi agreed, following the sound of shuffling to near the door. “And that person’s right around… here!”

Kaede shut her eyes, prepared to apologize when nothing happened. Peeking, she saw Shuichi inside holding up a rolled white towel and hoisting up the one holding it. _‘Oh. Of course it’s him.’_

“Shumai! You ruined my stealth mission!” Ouma whined, completely bare of his clothes and using the towel to protect his decency now. “I take it that means you still wanna keep your job as my bodyguard? Wonderful!”

“Are you here to change into your swimsuit or bother people?” Shuichi quizzed, ignoring everything Ouma just said.

“Yes. But, now I wonder what two of our not-so ‘esteemed’ student councilmen are doing here? I thought you were too good for us common folk. Are we gonna compare dick sizes?!”

“No,” Korekiyo declined, batting Ouma on the head. “Don’t be lewd.”

“That’s not being lewd, ya prude! It happens all the time in locker rooms! And right now, Kiiboi’s looking like the also-ran for the contest.”

“I am not! Mine’s normal sized and fully functional!” Kiibo barked, blushing. “We just got done saying we aren’t doing that, so I don’t know why you’re pointing it out.”

“Nothing’s going on, Ouma-kun,” Shuichi half-lied. “We were just asking Kiibo some harmless questions is all.”

“Oh, you mean on who framed you? I know the answer to that one,” Ouma said casually.

“You do?! Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

“Because the point of secretly towel whipping people is doing it as a _secret_ , which means not revealing yourself.”

“Whatever, just tell us what you know.”

“Shirogane-chan did it.”

 _‘Just like that?!’_ Shuichi and Korekiyo thought at the same time, the latter speaking up. “How do you know?”

“You mean besides the fact that she’s been throwing a hissy fit over you guys stealing her thunder as a leader? Something even a toddler would guess first? Weeeell! There’s that, her stopping by Kirumi-chan’s Lab and taking a conveniently ‘lucky guess’ at how the sabotaged items were connected, and I saw her going to Himiko-chan’s room to speak with her in private.”

“Did you happen to catch what they were discussing?”

“Nah, I didn’t care, but it’s gotta be related to this.”

“Are you sure? This seems a little dirty for Shirogane-san to do as a leader,” Kiibo commented.

“Leaders aren’t always goody-goody or moral, just large and in charge. Which is how I’m guessing she became an Ultimate in the first place.” Ouma snorted, pulling up his solar system swimming trunks and hauling his water gun over his shoulder. “I mean, when I rule the rest of the cosmos, I won’t need to stoop so low as to make my competition look like dirt; they’ll already look that way when I rise with an iron fist and everyone flocks to me naturally! But, again, everyone’s different and uses certain tactics to get their way, even if they are cheap, half-baked ones like Shirogane-chan’s little ploy right now.”

“...Huh,” Shuichi blurted. “I guess that clinches it. Thanks, Ouma-kun.”

“I didn’t do anything except offer my best guess. I _am_ a liar after all.”

“We’ll still take it into consideration, even if it somehow winds up being false. Because in that case, it narrows down our list of suspects.”

“Say what?”

“I said it’s a good hunch, still. Lying or not, you’ve pointed us in the direction we were looking for. So, thanks.”

Ouma stared at Shuichi blankly, then waving him off. “Right. Hey, you guys wanna see my impression of a dead goldfish?”

“Do it under one of us so you have a means to resurface,” Korekiyo warned, following Ouma out the locker room. “And please, put away that toy.”

“Why? It’s the number one thing you use at a pool!”

“And we’re his unlucky victims,” Kiibo sighed, him and Shuichi fully dressed for a swim and heading out behind Kiyo and Ouma.

 _‘Shoot! They’re coming!’_ Kaede yelped internally, bolting from the entire pool and jumping outside before any of the boys could catch her. “Phew. Well, I definitely got what I wanted.”

“Kaede-san! What were you just doing?!” Tenko asked, surprising the caregiver. “You weren’t being a peeping tom just now, were you? That’s unbecoming of a young lady such as yourself and something I’d expect from—!”

“—A ‘degenerate male’?”

“Well, yes! Exactly!”

“If it makes you feel any better, I was only getting intel.” By spying on the boys changing in the locker room, but Kaede wasn’t going to make Tenko blow a gasket hearing that. “I know who’s been setting up the student council.”

“You do? Who?”

“Kaede-san, Tenko-san, excuse me,” Kirumi interrupted just as Kaede was about to reveal the secret. “Could you both do me a favor? It’s about Himiko-san.”

“Is she in trouble?! What’s wrong?”

“That’s just it, I don’t know. I begged for her to tell me what was troubling her, but she just wouldn’t bite. So, I was hoping one of you two would have better luck.”

“We’ll take care of it, thanks, Kirumi,” Kaede said. “Also, do you have any info on the person getting us in trouble? I’ve got a prime and likely suspect, but if there’s anything I’ve missed that’d point somewhere else, go ahead and say so.”

“Personally? I have more than enough reason to think Shirogane-san’s involved given her issues with you five, but I fear Himiko-san might be, too. Both of them went off to the Dormitory, so I’m afraid of my suspicions ending up correct about the second part.”

“Shirogane-san?! _And_ little Himiko?!” Tenko gasped. “No, impossible! Well, at least with one of them given the other I do admit seems to have it out for us, but there has to be an explanation for such a sweetie pie like Himiko being potentially linked!”

“Then you’d better hurry and find out.” Kirumi leered towards the side, highly vexed. “This entire situation is just plain immature of somebody to do, and I don’t feel a drop of sympathy for whoever made everyone so divisive for the sheer sake of it.”

“Me neither,” Kaede affirmed. “I’m not a perfect leader, but I’m still one who’s trying! Why ruin all of that?”

“None can say, but we’re putting a cork on this!” Tenko declared. “Kirumi-san, we commend you for being as helpful as always!”

Kaede smiled. “Top secret info from a cute girl like her is the best kind. Talk about having good looks and a good head on her shoulders!”

“Finally! Someone who gets it! I knew picking you to be president was a good idea!”

“Girls, girls, please,” Kirumi giggled, flustered. “This can wait another time, really. I mostly came out here for… my own business. If you’ll excuse me.”

“Sure, sure, go right ahead,” Kaede accepted, seeing Kirumi head for the Casino and immediately calling out to her. “Come back out here in an hour, or I’m going in to fish you out myself!”

Nodding once to each other, Kaede and Tenko went to the Dormitory and stayed by the stairs just before Tsumugi’s bedroom door. They listened in and heard voices from inside, one belonging to the owner and the other very clearly Himiko’s. Since the door was locked, Kaede took it into her own hands, politely asking for Tenko not to look while reaching inside her backpack. Picking a clip point knife, she wedged it between where door met deadbolt, pushing it to where it came from until everything had unlocked with force. Allowing Tenko to open her eyes now, she quietly opened the door enough for them to look inside, getting a clear view of Tsumugi and a distressed Himiko.

“You’re gonna get caught, you know,” Himiko swallowed. “Did you really think Kaede was gonna take having her reputation messed up again lying down?”

“Oh no, I fully expected such knowing her,” Tsumugi admitted. “But, luckily, I covered my tracks pretty well to drive all suspicion from me. I didn’t think I’d pull off destroying the Flashback Light, but I’m not complaining, either.”

“But, that leaves me to get thrown under the bus because I’m the one who put all the stolen junk in the warehouse. Rantaro’s lock is gonna know I went inside, and I’ll end up the scapegoat for something _you_ started.”

“Don’t be so quick to assume the worst, Yumeno-san. Remember, you pretended _that_ got taken by the student council.” Tsumugi pointed to the white sewing machine sitting on her writing desk. “They think you’re a victim, too.”

“I’m a victim of something right now, that’s for sure. Just let me go; I don’t wanna get involved in stuff that shouldn’t affect me.”

“Oh, but it does affect you, remember?” Opening a peach folder, Tsumugi pulled out a printed online post and its comments, Himiko’s horror returning. “It’s a good thing I saw and kept these before I thought to order from your website all that time ago. Wouldn’t wanna buy something that had a bunch of bugs in the box…”

“Sh-Shut up! She had that coming for being such a backstabber!” Himiko made a grab for the evidence, only for Tsumugi to reach further away. “Why did you even print that and keep it?”

“A girl in my power has to be prepared in the event of someone trying to pull a fast one behind my back, ranging from bad merchandise scams to nothing short of assassination.”

 _‘She’s blackmailing her?!’_ Kaede and Tenko gasped in their thoughts at the same time, appalled.

“Now, what were you saying before, Yumeno-san?”

“I-I…” Himiko stammered, going quiet.

“You?”

“...I’ll keep up the act for a bit longer. Just, don’t tell anybody about this. I don’t think my body could handle that much stink eye all at once again.”

Tsumugi smiled in a way that would have been friendly were it not for her motives. “I appreciate this. And I promise, after the student council’s abolished, you’ll be my second-in-command here once I’m the new class president. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

“Nyeh…”

“I don’t believe this!” Tenko gasped. “Poor Himiko’s being forced against her will to do something so awful! We must come to her rescue!”

“Shhh! She’s coming!” Kaede whispered, seeing the cosplayer turning to exit Tsumugi’s room. “Scatter!” The girls fled from the door, taking refuge while Himiko left down in the dumps.

“Why me?” Himiko wondered. “She could have gotten someone actually looking for trouble. Nobody likes Ouma or Iruma, so how come not one of those two?”

“I can’t sit by and do nothing while this is being put on her,” Tenko said, catching up with Himiko as Kaede went with her. “Stop!”

“Tenko? Is something wrong? Curfew’s hours away.”

“Not with us, but you’re in peril! It doesn’t take my scanner to catch onto that, either!”

“What are you talking about now? Are you short-circuiting again?”

“You don’t have to hide it from us, Himiko,” Kaede told her. “We know— a certain someone is trying to frame us for being corrupt, and you’re a part of it against your will. Isn’t that right?”

Himiko gulped, blue and stunned. “N-No. You’re making things up, which doesn’t make you look any better, I may add.”

“Then explain what we just saw. Tenko?” Tenko flattened her mouth, printing out a first-person perspective photograph of Himiko speaking with Tsumugi, who was holding up the scathing post and comments. “Wait, I just meant for you to play the audio back! How did you do that?!”

“It’s one of my new upgrades,” Tenko giggled. “Now, I can print out any of my memories as many times as I want!”

“Wow, you never cease to amaze me, do you?” While Tenko grew flustered, Kaede showed Himiko the solid proof. “Still think we’re making it up?”

“I-I! You—!” Himiko whimpered, grabbing Kaede and crying into her apron. “You’ve gotta help meeee! I didn’t wanna be a p-part of Shirogane making you guys look bad, but then she said if I didn’t, she’d tell everyone a really bad secret I have, and—!”

Kaede hugged her close, stroking the girl’s head under her hat comfortingly. “Shhhh, we know, we know. It’s gonna be okay. You’re safe now.”

“We have more than enough proof to bust Shirogane-san,” Tenko added. “The others should understand what happened on your end.”

“Hey, don’t say anything nobody needs to know,” Himiko sniffled, demanding.

“That secret, whatever the full story is, stays with us. All everyone needs to know is the coercion part.”

“You won’t tell?” Himiko accepted the packet of tissues Kaede gave her, using one to clean her face. “...Thanks. Just put an end to this nightmare so we can all go home in peace.”

“It’s all part of our job,” Kaede said, “and right now, we’ve got a big one to do. See you at dinner!”

Kaede and Tenko left Himiko alone to gather the male members of the student council (on their way spotting Miu carrying Kirumi out of the Casino, likely saving her from the hypnotic, Monocoin-eating games), picking up a slightly damp Shuichi and Korekiyo from the school pool. Kaito turned up on the second floor, appearing rather woozy and sweaty that he’d blamed on running all over the place. Without the access to their usual meeting room, the time came for a temporary backup, a place Kaede knew as she led them all there somewhat reluctantly for a quick sit.

“Sorry if it’s a bit of a tight squeeze here, but this is the best we can do for right now until our names are cleared,” Kaede apologized, sitting with the others at one of the small coloring tables in her Research Lab.

“It’s no trouble with us! Right, Shin?” Kaito asked, legs apart sitting in the children’s chair.

“Actually, larger chairs are much preferable,” Korekiyo said, knees elevated due to being the tallest. “But, I understand the choice isn’t ours at the moment.”

“Exactly, so we’ll make this quick,” Shuichi said. “How much evidence were you guys able to get on the traitor?”

“Plenty,” Tenko answered, sliding over the photograph of Tsumugi blackmailing Himiko. “And for context, I’ve got the whole thing recorded! You guys?”

“Testimony,” Korekiyo said. “Your proof is the most necessary, but just in case, Saihara-kun and I were able to confirm from other sources that Shirogane-san is responsible for this petty deed.”

“Even if it’s not a source most people would believe on the spot, it could still be vouched for,” Shuichi added. “Kaito, what did you get?”

“The fingerprint lock list,” Kaito replied. “It said Yumeno was the last to go in the warehouse, which proves she was involved. Also, from what I could get Iruma to finally tell me, she apparently saw Shirogane go upstairs with her on the way to cleaning her Lab. She said she kept going to the third floor, but that clearly wasn’t the end of it.”

“Likely waiting until Miu left to hijack everything in her kitchen. Getting caught doing something naughty means you must backtrack until the coast becomes clear again.” Korekiyo chuckled to himself, smirking. “Someone appearing so well behaved hides a more elusive side to her, just to prove a ridiculous point. I’d be impressed were it not to my detriment. Lord knows what else Shirogane-san has the capability to attempt away from everyone’s attention.”

“Don’t jinx it, you weirdo,” Kaede hissed. “All that matters is we’ve got lots of proof in the pudding to expose her! Dinner starts in a few minutes, so let’s hurry down and spread the word. Emergency half-meeting adjourned!”

The student council all hurried from the Ultimate Child Caregiver Lab, running down two entire floors in hopes of making it to the dining hall before it could be too late to plead their case. Kaede put her arm out before anyone could step inside, leaning an ear against the door and listening in for talking coming from the other side. When Tsumugi’s voice came up accompanied by a faint clanking and rattling of many items in a box, the words “stood tall against evil”, “righted what was sadly wrong”, and “bringing new, better changes of [her] own” to the Academy until everyone got out intact.

“And so, where Akamatsu-san failed, I’ll happily take her place,” Tsumugi continued, holding up the large stone used to help get the box of items. “I propose we abolish her student council, and put me in charge with new members and fairer rules. What do you guys say?”

“Over my dead body!” Kaede shouted, kicking the door open and barging in with the other four by her side. “Everyone, don’t listen to anymore of her lies! Shirogane-san set us up!”

“M-Me? Oh, Akamatsu-san, I knew you played rough, but I didn’t think you’d resort to mudslinging.” Tsumugi fake-whimpered. “And just to prove a point that’s not really there…”

“Real convenient of you coming in right as she was about to take your asses right to the cleaners for doing a shit job!” Miu snapped. “And don’t go begging to have me wipe it up, either! Fuck all of y’all!”

“Miu,” Kiibo said sternly, “let her speak. It’s only fair that Kaede-san has the chance to plead her case and show us if we’re missing stuff or not.”

“Come on, Keebs! You can’t actually be taking her side!”

“I’m taking nobody’s sides until both have said something. Besides, we might be proven dead wrong about what’s been happening after all, but there’s only one way to find that out.”

“Think anything you want; I’ll be over here doing the same, but my way.”

“We’re not mudslinging, we have proof,” Shuichi growled at Tsumugi. “You did all of that stuff, set us up, and tried to get Yumeno-san to take the brunt of it in order to cover your tracks.”

“An accomplice?” Rantaro wondered. “Is this true, Himi?”

“U-Uhh… no,” Himiko lied, nervous. “I don’t know what she’s talking about. I got my sewing machine stolen just like your tools and Iruma’s plates.”

“Then where is it?” Korekiyo questioned, sifting through the box of previously stolen goods.

“Huh?”

“Where is your sewing machine? I’m not seeing it in here, and yet you claim it was purloined. Something isn’t adding up, Yumeno-san.”

“Th-That’s because— Shirogane handed it back to me before we got here, and I put it back in my room.”

“Liar! Liar, liar, LIAR!” Ouma sang, pointing at Himiko. “Wow, if you’re gonna try and fool us, at least try to make it semi-convincing! My brother lies better than you, and he doesn’t even exist!”

“What was the point of saying that, then?” Kiibo wondered.

“The point is that if Himiko-chan wasn’t lying through her teeth right now, then she wouldn’t have come straight here with Shirogane-chan. She’d have taken a few to put the sewing machine in her room again.”

“And, if for some reason that’s not enough for you, we have photographic evidence of the machine’s whereabouts,” Korekiyo said. “Tenko-san, care to show everyone?”

“Behold!” Tenko declared, revealing the photograph of Tsumugi and Himiko and pointing to the sewing machine behind them. “It’s right here in Tsumugi-san’s room where it shouldn’t be!”

“So, that’s why you’ve been behaving so strangely,” Kirumi exhaled. “Himiko-san, why did you help do this?”

“I can’t tell you,” Himiko croaked, hiding her face under her hat.

“Do you really have a choice in that?” Rantaro pressed, arms folded austere. “We can’t handle much more secrets being kept from us.”

“But, are you one to talk, Rantaro-chan?” Ouma asked, smirking.

“What Himiko’s hiding has nothing to do with everyone or our situation, just herself,” Kaede stepped in. “Just know that she didn’t willingly help Shirogane-san.”

“Play it back, Tenko!” Kaito cheered.

‘You’re gonna get caught, you know,’ Himiko’s voice from Tenko’s recording repeated through her mouth after the footage was rewound. ‘Did you really think Kaede was gonna take having her reputation messed up again lying down?’

‘Oh no, I fully expected such knowing her,’ Tsumugi’s voice answered just like before. ‘But, luckily, I covered my tracks pretty well to drive all suspicion from me. I didn’t think I’d pull off destroying the Flashback Light, but I’m not complaining, either.’

The rest of the conversation replayed, shutting up with a click as the audio ended. “My God,” Kiibo breathed. “So, it’s really all true.”

“You four-eyed blueberry bitch!” Miu yelled, furious. “You mean you’re the reason I almost got stuck with using chintzy kitchenware for dinner?! Fuck you, and double for being a little pussy trying to pin it on someone else!”

“‘Four-eyed blueberry’?” Kiibo mused. “That’s a new one.”

“And it fits just fine without breaking!”

“Gotta say, Muggs, this is a new low for you,” Ouma casually whistled. “Granted, I knew you did it the whole time, but it doesn’t change much.”

“Like I was supposed to let this be!” Tsumugi argued. “Putting yourselves into such a rush-job leadership is only gonna crash and burn! If I were the leader like I’m supposed to be, we’d have been out of here yesterday. But, no! You all just sat and let someone crown themselves with hardly a fair election, and I wasn’t gonna sit by while it all goes wrong.”

“Would you put that nonsense to rest already?!” Kirumi snapped, shocking everybody and clearing her throat. “Pardon me for my outburst, but I’m not keeping silent on this. Shirogane-san, I make this crystal clear: the only person who wanted you in charge of us is yourself. Not only have you failed to show why you’d be best at leading the class, but I would personally never put my faith in someone this willing to cheat, trick, and throw a tantrum over not getting her way. On top of all that, you smashed the Flashback Light and lied about it! You’ve deprived all of us crucial clues regarding the Ultimate Hunt and mysterious funeral just to spite Kaede-san for doing a good job keeping things relatively peaceful! How— childish! What you did was completely childish!” She drew back, maintaining a cooler tone of voice in her strictness. “In short, Shirogane-san, you _wanting_ to lead us means nothing when we don’t have a reason to agree with that notion apart from it being your Ultimate title. Especially not now or anytime after.”

“Oooh, Mom yelled at you!” Ouma jeered. “But, yeah, she’s right. Manipulating people is one thing; getting caught doing it just makes you sloppy. You did a stupid thing, Shirogane-chan. Boo on you!”

“But! But!” Tsumugi squeaked.

“I think you owe Kaede-san and Yumeno-san both some apologies,” Kiibo scolded. “No excuses, just apo—”

“—Saying you’re sorry!” Ouma interrupted, covering Kiibo’s mouth and being mindful of Korekiyo. “Tell ‘em!”

“Well?” Kaede wondered. “Go on.”

“I’m! Why should I?! You’re the one who—!” Tsumugi growled, gripping her hair until she simmered down. There was nothing but silence for a few moments, the blue-haired girl seemingly more regretful as she looked at Kaede and her student council. “...No. A good leader needs to admit when she’s screwed up sometimes, which I definitely have now. I’m sorry, Akamatsu-san. I went way too far in trying to prove a point, and I can’t excuse any of it, can I?”

“No, you can’t,” Kaede confirmed. “And the sheer fact that you went through all of this, going so far as to drag Himiko with you, just to give me and my cause a bad name… it’s just uncalled for. There was no reason you had to do this and bring on so much distrust. But, for that same reason? I’m gonna forgive you.”

“What?! Why?” Tsumugi was just as confused as the rest.

“Because, making you my enemy is just what Monokuma and his brood want. More chaos, more fighting, and from that, lots of bloodshed. Holding a grudge against you isn’t gonna help me or anybody, not even you.”

“Don’t think this means you’re entirely off the hook, though,” Shuichi warned. “Kaede and the rest of us may be letting this go, but we’re not letting it slip our minds.”

“Or happen a second time,” Korekiyo added. “We know now who to steer clear of more than ever.”

“Y-You do?” Tsumugi gulped.

“Damn right!” Kaito shouted. “This is the first and last time you’re pulling shit like this again! Consider yourself on probation until, well, we say so!”

“Probation?! What are you gonna do?”

“Until further notice, as soon as the clock strikes 10, we’ll be personally accompanying you to your room and locking it for the entire night,” Tenko answered. “That ought to give you plenty of time to rethink your unacceptable behavior!”

“Okay, that’s pretty fair, and not nearly as bad as I was expecting.” Tsumugi turned to Himiko. “Yumeno-san, I’m—”

“—Stuff it, I’m still mad at you,” Himiko snarled, refusing the other anything but her back and folded arms. “I don’t care if you watch so many cool shows, you almost got me in trouble.”

“R-Right. It’s probably for the best if a humdrum thing like me sticks to the sidelines where I belong. Leading my organization is a lot less tiring and what I’m actually better at doing. I’ll play the role of Extra Girl no. 53 in that one Helvetica Standard skit.”

“Even those people have names. You’re really shooting for the obscurity here…”

“By the way, Shirogane-san,” Rantaro spoke. “Although we’ve figured out Akamatsu-san didn’t really smash the Flashback Light, how _did_ you really get your hands on it? I’m starting to doubt the excuse you gave us earlier, and you couldn’t have gotten into her room that easily. What really happened?”

“Well, I—” Tsumugi was about to make up until three voices interrupted.

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the Monokubs chimed.

“The lady’s telling the truth! Have a little faith!” Monosuke scolded. “I made my lackeys here go in and get our Flashback Light back from Akamatsu-san’s room after she snatched it right outta my paws!”

“Actually, it was my paws,” Monophanie argued, flinching at Monosuke holding a fist up at her.

“You want some of this, or do I have to shut you up first?”

“No, Monosuke, sir! I’ll be good!”

“Thank you. As I was saying, we finally got it back, but then Shirogane-san saw us leaving, took it and smashed it under her foot like glass at a wedding! Wasted a perfectly good Flashback Light, she did!”

“All of that’s the truth, and don’t you think otherwise!” Monotaro insisted. “The whole truth, and nothing but it!”

“You can’t handle the truth, Monotaro!” Monophanie snapped. “Or the answers that come with it!”

“Oi, okay, we’d better go before these two make asses of themselves again,” Monosuke sighed, dragging his siblings by an ear each.

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs sang, disappearing.

“...See?” Tsumugi spoke up. “That’s what happened.”

“No matter how it went down, we’re down a Flashback Light,” Kirumi sighed. “It’s an unwanted constant in this situation.”

“And who knows when we’ll get the next one,” Rantaro included. “The only thing to do now is wait and stay out of trouble.”

“Enjoying dinner sounds like a good place to start,” Korekiyo suggested. “Wouldn’t you agree, Miu?”

“Uhh, yeah, I would!” Miu stammered. “And listen, you five. My bad for calling you all kleptos and taking Blue Waffle’s word for it. None of you seem to be screwing me over, so you’re not doing too bad of a job with this whole student council thing. Oh, and go ahead and use my Lab for your meetings again unless I tell you to scram for whatever reason. Besides that, welcome back to it.”

“Thanks, Iruma-san,” Kaede said. “That means a lot coming from you.”

Dinner got started properly after Miu took back the missing kitchenware and sharp utensils from out of the box, Tsumugi forced to sit in close range of everyone’s vision for what the trouble she caused. Although seemingly taking it with grace, it didn’t stop her from glaring her most hateful at Kaede and Shuichi of all the student council members, though the rest of them received their fair share of unnoticed ire. No matter, she stirred up plenty of juicy drama as is, but took loads of comfort in what else she planned for everybody without them coming close to knowing it was her doing.

The trouble was only just beginning…

* * *

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

Only a white sign reading “HELP” in messy red paint was what showed on the Night Time announcement’s monitor, Monotaro getting dragged off-screen by Monosuke afterward completely ignored by the students couldn’t care less about what the bears were up to as the screen went black. Inside the Dormitory, Rantaro was screwing in the last of a little black circular device taking up his entire palm, watching it come to life after. The student council remained nearby, a blank-faced Tsumugi stuck in the middle of them and prevented from going anywhere else outside the specific building.

“All taken care of,” Rantaro said attaching the device to the door frame's right. “No more late-night snafus.”

“Forgetting something else?” Kaito asked.

“I shouldn’t be. I already sawed off the boards on Harukawa-san’s Lab, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Good, thanks! Now, let’s deal with her,” Kaito stood behind the group, forcing Tsumugi to head for her own door. “That’s it, keep movin’! It’s bedtime!”

“I’m going,” Tsumugi muttered. “There’s nowhere else for me to turn to in your custody.”

“And that’s how it’s staying until we can trust you more at night again,” Shuichi warned. The student council and Rantaro let her inside her bedroom and shut the door after her. The inventor set the device to 10 hours and watching several, harmless red beams cover its width from top to bottom. “See you in the morning, Shirogane-san. Good night.”

“Well, that takes care of her,” Kaede said. “Do we really need extra security lasers? We kind of already have them set up over by the entrance.”

“You can never be too careful,” Korekiyo assured her. “This gets rid of her making any secret visits to anybody else and dragging them into nefarious plans.”

“She’ll be just fine. It’s not like we left her without a chance to use the bathroom,” Kaito included.

“I guess you have a point,” Kaede concluded.

“So, should I be heading to bed, too?” Rantaro asked. “It is past curfew, and I’m all caught up with work in my Lab for now.”

“Yeah, we’re good, Amami-kun. Good night,” Shuichi responded.

“March, Mister! Keep moving, and don’t go anywhere else but Dream Land!” Tenko ordered, sending Rantaro across the hallway to his room. “That’s it, get a good night’s sleep so you don’t wake up crabby and undercharged! Get a move on!”

_‘She’s shouting at him, yet wanting him to get some rest? Tenko-san never ceases to be bizarre…’_

“By the way, Shuichi,” Kaede crooned, leaning closer to him batting her eyelashes, “I heard you earlier at dinner.”

“You did? What did I say?”

“Already forgotten, huh? You finally called me ‘Kaede’ when you were telling off Shirogane-san. You said ‘Kaede and the rest of us’.”

Shuichi blushed. “Oh, that’s right. It must’ve slipped out, sorry.”

“Don’t say sorry for it! I’ve wanted that all along, so keep it up! It was so sweet hearing that come from you, even if by accident.”

“If it really makes you that happy, I guess I wouldn’t mind getting used to your first name. It’s pretty, just like— flowers! Flowers are pretty.”

“Yeah, I know. Anything else you might find pretty?”

“Mmm-hmm, I can definitely name one other thing.” Kaede’s eyes were right on him, causing his ears to burn a deeper red. “Uhh, lots of stuff here is very pretty! B-Be it in the day time or at night.”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake, he finds you very attractive, Akamatsu-san,” Korekiyo bluntly revealed. “You’re the pretty thing that he’s failing to describe.”

“Shinguuji-kun!”

Korekiyo paid him little heed, looking at the time on his pocket watch. “What? Was I supposed to lie? You know I dislike evading the truth.”

“Is it the truth?” Kaede asked Shuichi, hopeful.

“Yes, can we move on now? Please?” Shuichi yelped in a rush, dying of embarrassment. “We’re late for night patrol!”

“Oh, that’s right! There might still be some stragglers who haven’t gone to bed yet.” Kaede fastened her chest light, switching it on with the others. “Flashlights at the ready? Good, let’s get going!”

“Kaede, Tenko, are you guys still in here? I have something I wanna say to you guys,” Himiko sleepily interrupted upon entering the Dormitory.

“What is it?” Kaede inquired.

“Halt! Before you speak,” Tenko cut in, shoving the boys out the door. “This is a conversation that should only be heard by pure ears! You degenerates will have no part in it, now out! Out! Get started with patrol!” Kicking the door closed, she turned back to Himiko more patiently. “So sorry about that. You were saying?”

“It’s not a big deal,” Himiko sighed, “but, I just wanted to thank you guys for getting me out of such a nasty situation. I don’t know what I would have done if it’d gone on any longer than it did.”

“Don’t mention it! We’d never leave a damsel to be stuck in distress! Especially not one I care about as much as I do you.”

“You guys aren’t mad at me for helping Shirogane, are you, by the way?”

“No, we get you didn’t have a choice,” Kaede comforted. “Pretty dirty you were blackmailed into doing it, of all things, too.”

“From now on, Himiko, if there’s trouble afoot with you, come right to me or Kaede-san! We’ll take care of it,” Tenko insisted.

“...Thanks, you two,” Himiko said sincerely, pulling the girls in for a hug to one’s surprise and the other’s delight. “Now that that’s never gonna happen again, Angie and I can finally get some shut-eye without one eye still open.” She broke the embrace, flashing them both a small smile. “G’night.”

“We’ll still be up a bit for patrol, but sweet dreams!” Kaede replied, watching Himiko leave. “That was nice, huh, Tenko? ...Tenko?”

“May I never polish these body plates again,” Tenko swooned, hugging herself as lovestruck as her heart-riddled collar monitor.

“Someone seems to be in a good mood. Are you okay with taking the courtyard for the first part of your shift?”

“I should be! My e-stop button can no longer be accessed by anybody who doesn’t have the key. As for where that key is, that’s classified!”

Kaede giggled. “You know, Tenko, has anyone ever told you you’re really adorable when you get all excited about your new features like this?”

“Eh?” Tenko flushed. “No, no, they’re just necessary upgrades for safety reasons. You can practically see the back of my throat when I open my mouth too wide, and then sometimes, I get so loud, it’d make a hyena run for the hills…”

“Don’t nitpick and undersell yourself. I mean it!”

“Oh. Well, coming from you, it must be true. You’re not bad a looker y-yourself! Okay? Your finest features deserve nothing but appreciation!”

“Yeah, and only those should be looked at.”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing! Let’s get started on night duty so we aren’t late.”

They took off to inspect various parts of the school for whoever might be violating curfew by not heading to bed on time. When the nightly checks were completed, the student council all reconvened and checked each room that wasn’t theirs to see if everyone had stayed inside as told. After all seven non-members were accounted for, Shuichi went to the Dormitory entrance and set up the security beams’ timer, rows of red lasers blocking the door until 8 o’clock rolled around with its new day. Once the student council was sound asleep in bed, a clamor from the foyer’s floor pounded against the underside until in burst Monotaro and Monophanie, still battered with bruises and bumps from the aftermath of Monosuke’s wrath.

“Careful hauling it up!” Monotaro whispered, climbing out first and pulling on a large, lumpy bag. “If we don’t get this motive out, we’re skinned!”

“It’d be easier if it weren’t for the stupid new security system!” Monophanie griped quietly, shoving herself out with the bag. “Hopefully the student council dies out after the third chapter like it did last time! I miss sneaking in through the door.”

“You’re taking trips down memory lane, too, are you? Well, you picked a great time to with these babies!” Monotaro waved around a five-colored electronic pad gleefully. “Same old Kubs Pad, but a different kind of footage chock full of nostalgia!”

“Problem is, none of them will remember a second of what they’re watching. Minus us, Daddy, and the Double M, I mean.”

“We’re not looking for a memory jog; that’s what the Flashback Lights are for! They just need to watch these, and see a whole new side of their precious classmates!”

“Don’t you mean a whole new _old_ side?”

“Old, new, old-new, you get it! Less yapping, and more helping me slide these under the doors!”

Monotaro and Monophanie got to work, carefully looking at which Kubs Pad carried the name of a specific student and slipping them under the door, mindful of Tsumugi’s lasers so as not to trigger the alarm. The satchel was empty in minutes, allowing both Monokubs to escape without a wary eye observing and cover up the hole they’d created on the way out. Some still awake had noticed the new device in their room, others either purposely ignoring it or having already fallen asleep and oblivious to what waited for them come morning’s light.

* * *

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“Gooood morning, ya bastards!” Monosuke announced the next day by himself on the monitor. “It’s now 8 am, but not just any old 8 am today! If you look in your bedrooms, my lackeys had the liberty of giving youse a little present from all of us! Go ahead and watch ‘em if you haven’t already, ‘cause we’ll know! Probably. Argh, just do it, okay?! So long, bear well!”

“Another motive?! What is it this time?” Kaede gasped, running to her coffee table and spotting the electronic pad. “This looks like a normal old Monopad, except one of my kids scribbled all over it. ‘Kubs Pad’? Oh, it’s a junior version. I know this won’t be good.”

Pressing her finger to the screen, the Kubs Pad activated and displayed “Kaede Akamatsu’s Motive Video: When A Liar Speaks The Truth” in cyan letters, then red-orange ones. Silhouettes of herself stood regularly on the left, and upside-down on the right with Monokuma’s voice having the liberty of being the audio. As a word of caution, he asked if she’d “still be so trusting of the person or persons depicted in this video after it wraps up”, Kaede gulping and keeping an eye out for what she was going to witness. Only a second later, the footage began.

Her classmates were inside a bleak room filled with blades, guns, rifles, and other dangerous weapons, oddly excepting Rantaro, herself, and Kirumi (Hoshi was missing, too, but given his demise, she could forgive that; though what were Gonta and Angie still doing there instead?) and dressed completely different from how she was familiar with them. Besides that, everyone was talking after Ouma had started, likely stirring up more trouble for his own mischievous benefit, Kaede imagined. At least everyone acted more or less the same. Wait a minute, what was he saying, anyway? “Not the Ultimate Child Caregiver”? Oh no…

‘She’s the Ultimate Assassin,’ Ouma revealed on the screen, a grin on his face and both hands behind his head as if relaxing.

‘Ouma-kun, you learned that from the motive video, right?’ Shuichi wondered, the footage skipping ahead slightly. ‘And because you saw that—’

‘—Hmm? I knew the whole time. Given my position, I’d obviously know before any of you, right?’

“His position?” Kaede inquired, saying it at the same time as Shuichi.

‘Oh, don’t worry about it. That was a lie.’

“Yep, and there it is! I should’ve known that was coming. But, why is he saying this without me? To go behind my back?”

‘Anyway, her reaction yesterday pretty much gave away that she’s the Ultimate Assassin.’

‘But, whyever did she lie about being the Ultimate Child Caregiver?’ Korekiyo pondered, destroying Kaede’s speculation that he could never look even creepier than he did usually. Was that half a gimp mask on his face?!

‘Cuz assassins hide to do all their killing!’ Miu chortled obnoxiously. ‘If people find out they’re assassins, they get all cautious and they can’t kill anyone!’

‘Did she really hide her identity because… she was planning to kill us?’ Tsumugi gulped.

“No, no! I really am the Ultimate Child Caregiver!” Kaede pleaded, again stopping herself when she realized she was talking to a video that wouldn’t answer. “Why is this happening?!”

‘But, then, why hasn’t she killed anyone yet? She has had many opportunities to do so,” Kiibo guessed, Kaede assuming his metallic getup to be a costume. The video skipped ahead some again, cutting to Ouma.

‘If you’re so worried, why don’t you ask her? She’s been holed up in her room all day,” Ouma teased. ‘But, I can’t promise she won’t try to kill you like she did me.’

“Okay, now that’s exaggerating,” Kaede huffed. “You almost break a guy’s arm once, and suddenly he goes around spouting bullshit. See if I ever patch you up again.”

‘The talent of a killer. That is the biggest threat to all of us who wish to survive,’ Korekiyo noted.

‘Let’s lock her up somewhere so she can’t kill anyone,’ Miu suggested, the video skipping a bit again.

‘I’ll help, too!’ Tenko declared, looking just as strange as Kiibo. ‘I don’t want another killing to happen.’

‘Ah, wait, you don’t have to take it that far,’ Shuichi defended. ‘It’s not like she’s trying to kill us—’

‘—A sneak attack is the way to go! We have to strike before she does! Hit her from behind!’

‘Tch, Ultimate Assassin, my ass,’ Kaito scoffed when it cut to him. ‘Always messing around.’

‘K-Kaito? Don’t do anything stupid,’ Shuichi cautioned.

‘Okay! Let’s leave everything to Momota-chan!’ Ouma insisted, likely being dishonest.

The video ended abruptly, Monokuma popping up to talk. “Wowzers, that kid’s too much of a smartass for his own good!” he chortled. “There’s really nothing stopping him from letting whatever he chooses slip! And if he’s told you he won’t, I wouldn’t get too comfy with that. He ‘is a liar’, remember! Don’t give him the chance to ruin anyone’s life behind your back! You know what you do best, so git ‘er done! Upupupupu!”

“Letting what he chooses slip?” Kaede rasped after the screen went black, frightened until she cleared her throat. “No, there’s something I still don’t understand. On the one hand, Ouma-kun could have easily lied about not knowing my secret and opting to let it slip anyway, but on the other, he’d also wanna wait for me to mess up myself so he can point and laugh. Either way, this video’s dangerous. I can’t imagine what everyone else saw for theirs.”

Speaking of them, Kaede ran out the door once fully dressed, intending to warn her beloved classmates before the situation could be beyond extinguishing. On her way, the motive video stuck to her brain like cooling hot glue, particularly regarding Ouma. As far as she knew, he was still relatively in the dark about her “other talent”, and yet his video counterpart blabbed it to almost everyone gathered in a weapons room she mostly recognized. If he really wasn’t as unknowing as he claimed, it’d spell bad news for the others, and even worse news for herself and all the trust she worked so hard to regain as the leader given how they reacted to a dangerous Ultimate being exposed.

But also, why did everyone wear different clothes than normal with some absent entirely? Why was _she_ absent?! Where did the recording even come from? And more importantly:

What was going on with this place?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I end this chapter, I wanna say this that's been bugging me for a while: When you guys are commenting, please, PLEASE say something you enjoyed other than anticipating when the next body's gonna drop or the BDA's gonna sound off. I more than understand you mean well, but to me, it comes off as you only caring about the next death in the story and nothing else. By all means, you're free to guess when someone's gonna die, but /include/ it instead of making it all you have to say because there's a whole lot more going on in these chapters than just life or death bc this is not The Animation™ (you know the one). That's all I'm politely asking.
> 
> Now with that dealt with, I needed Tsumugi to actually do something for once instead of hanging like a wallflower. Granted, I know she's only trying to come off as not suss, but I thought having the spotlight on her for a bit (before the final trial) would be interesting since she is, in fact, pretending to be a normal part of the cast while causing drama for the show simultaneously. And, I recently realized this, but while SL!Ouma was pretending to be malicious while hiding his better intentions, Tsumugi's acting like a benevolent leader to hide the fact that she's-- well, a tyrant, being the Mastermind. I just found that unintentional parallel kinda neat. :3
> 
> Okay, I've blabbed enough. I hope you guys liked the update, I'll see you come the next one when it arrives (hopefully soon), and until then, have days as lovely as you folks! ♥


	26. Episode XXV: Daily Life 3.5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (TW: Blood, blah blah blah, you get it)
> 
> HEY GUYS, sorry this is late, work's been really tough. But, I can assure you (and a certain other person who's since deleted that VERY rude comment; never /ever/ leave something like that on my stories again, btw >:/) this story is still going on until the end of it. I just need time to work on the chapters is all, so please be patient.
> 
> ...Anyways! Now that that's out of the way, I've got a very lovely update for you guys! I'm sorry it's been a while, but it's up and it's running, so go ahead and get reading if you're still hanging in there. Happy Reading! ♥

Kaede burst into the dining hall, scanning the room carefully and relieved no one was really looking at her suspiciously. But rather, some eyes were focused on other classmates, eyebrows raised and expressions flinty as if watching their every move. Okay, that was definitely bad, but at least her secret hadn’t been revealed to the world. Spotting Ouma pointing to his open mouth and welcoming Korekiyo feeding him a forkful of food (and refusing him any extra bites after like the little mooch he was) did make her stomach flop with concern, even if it was for just a moment. He hadn’t changed his mind on his word, no.

But, he was a liar. What if he would later for no apparent reason? Could Kaede still trust someone like him to keep his mouth shut? Generally, no, he couldn't, but in this case—

No, no! She couldn’t jump to conclusions. That was exactly what Monokuma expected her to do and result in irrational actions. And boy, did she learn her lesson there. Ouma wasn’t predictable by any means, but assuming the worst of him wouldn’t fix a thing. Scared as she felt, she needed to look, then do all the leaping she wanted.

“Morning, Miss President,” Rantaro greeted on his way in, jumping away before Kaede could react by grabbing him. “Whoa, easy. Just saying hi.”

“Sorry,” Kaede apologized. “I’m just a little jumpy today because of…”

“The motive video? You and everyone else, but it seems no one’s got the courage to bring it up yet. Why don’t you fix that so we can get through this? I’d hate to have another repeat of last time.”

“Good idea. I’ll go ahead and break the ice. Thanks for reminding me, Amami-kun.”

“It’s my pleasure. Oh, and Akamatsu-san, could I make sure of something?”

“Sure, what?”

Rantaro was still smiling, but the upper half of his face seemed… darker. Almost kind of sinister. “I trust you’re not about to do things that would bite you in the ass and get both of us killed. Right? It’d be a real shame if all your hard work was all for nothing.”

“Eep! No, no stupid ideas here! Scout’s honor!” Rantaro’s following chuckle brought back his lax demeanor, though Kaede still felt uneasy.

“That’s a relief. We’re all counting on you, after all. I know you’ll make great choices from here on out, so keep up the good work.” He lightly pinched her cheek, which she rubbed and huffed his way after he went to sit down.

 _‘What was his deal? Did his motive video make me look bad? Probably.’_ Kaede got closer to her classmates, raising her voice to get their attention. “Everyone! I know it’s not easy, but we need to address this. What do I mean, you may ask? The motive videos I know we all got last night.”

“Good old President Kaede,” Kaito praised, standing up alongside Shuichi, Korekiyo, and Tenko. “If she hadn’t shown, I’d have spoken up first without her.”

“That’d be my job, actually,” Shuichi corrected. “Hello? Vice-President?”

“I believe it’s best heard from the highest rank,” Korekiyo said, eyeing Kaede. “She does strive to take the most charge, after all.”

“Which means listen up, ladies and cretins!” Tenko ordered. “This is crucial for your safety as much as it is ours! Kaede-san, you have the floor.”

“Thanks, Tenko,” Kaede replied. “So, since you’re all probably aware of it now if you weren’t before, the motive videos. We can’t shove it under the rug, people! Ignoring it didn’t help us once, so it won’t now!”

“And how do you come close to explaining ‘em?!” Miu whimpered. “What I saw didn’t make an ass lick of sense! Back that up!”

“Yeah, it was so wacky, it couldn’t get some of your appearances right!” Ouma added. “Just when I thought Miu-chan reached peak ugly and everything!”

“Did you even see Miu in your motive video?” Kiibo wondered.

“No, but I’ve got a working imagination. It doesn’t take much to guess how sweaty and warty and shit-reeking she looked.”

“You can’t tell how someone smells by lookin’ at them, you brainless little fucknugget!” Miu barked, particularly angrier with Ouma than she normally was. “Maybe if you talked way less shit to me and acted like less of a waste of life, you’d have enough brainpower to know that! Give it a try sometime and shut your yap before I shut it for you!”

The dining hall went dead silent, Himiko breaking the silence somewhat. “Wow,” she uttered.

“Miu-san, I know Kokichi’s comments weren’t kind ones, but where did that come from?” Kirumi wondered. “Are you alright?”

“No, not really,” Miu grumbled. “Let’s just move on; I don’t wanna think or talk about it.”

“The first and probably only smart thing you’ll ever say!” Ouma taunted. “Anyways, am I the only one who thinks these videos make no sense? Probably, unless somebody wants to surprisingly prove me wrong.”

“We all think they’re weird,” Tenko answered. “Heck, we don’t even know the actual context of them! My video skipped some parts over.”

“So did mine, but the situation was still fairly clear,” Rantaro replied. “I’m with you on there being pieces left out, though what were they?”

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the Monokubs bellowed, making another unpleasant appearance.

“Don’t you know the number one cause of wrinkles?” Monotaro asked.

“Bacon grease!” Monophanie guessed.

“No, you scrub, you’re thinking of zits,” Monosuke sighed. “It’s worrying! All of you quit worrying!”

“Well, I was gonna say sun spots, but that too!” Monotaro laughed. “Who cares about a few missing seconds?”

“Lots,” Tsumugi spat. “A few seconds can make a difference in any kind of scenario!”

“Tough! What you saw is what you get. You’ll get the context over Monosuke’s dead body!”

“Mine? It’s supposed to be—” Monosuke paused, shifting away from his smirking siblings. “H-Hey! What’s with the scary-ass looks?! Don’t do anything stupid, ya bastards!”

“Could you three focus and explain the motive videos? They’re confusing for a lot of us,” Rantaro bluntly demanded.

“Sure, sure!” Monophanie spoke up. “Because of the little mishap with Shirogane-san and the Flashback Light, we decided on a backup in showing you guys a whole ‘nother side of your classmates! Ones you probably never imagined in your dwindling lifetimes!”

“Which may not necessarily jog some memories, but it will shed some light on a few true colors around here,” Monotaro included.

“Then, why aren’t any of us dressed the same in the videos?” Kirumi asked.

“Uniforms have been altered for the sake of maintaining privacy,” Monosuke lied. “Clothes don’t always make the man, but it’s 100% you, you, you, and you! Oh, and the rest, of course.”

“And why are some of our dead friends there, but our alive ones aren’t?” Kaede quizzed.

“The same reason you all need bright lights to remember basic info. Just because you don’t know what’s going on doesn’t mean it didn’t go down at some point.”

Kaede pondered. _‘It went down? Really? No, I shouldn’t take everything these bears say at face value. It might be too easy.’_

“So, these contextless videos are meant to elicit not only more mistrust, but enough confusion to prove deadly, yes?” Korekiyo conjectured. “You’re taking advantage of our partial amnesia and enticing even the otherwise-harmless into spilling blood that doesn’t belong to them.”

“Too many details, Shin, too many details,” Kaito shuddered.

“Pretty much!” Monotaro admitted. “You’re free to just let these perfectly good Kubs Pads go to waste, but if you do, you have been warned.” Him and his siblings became more sinister, much like that of their father announcing the timed First Blood Perk. “Everyone you see here has something to hide, so don’t get too comfy with who you _think_ you know so well!”

“Coins have two sides, but ignoring one for the other ain’t such a smart move,” Monosuke laughed, darkly. “So, go ahead. Assume we’re makin’ shit up.”

“But, don’t come crying to us because you didn’t consider what’s in front of you!” Monophanie giggled, her voice dripping with some malice.

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs harmonized, finally leaving.

“Well, student council, what do you think we should do?” Tsumugi half-scoffed. “Unless you have a Neuralyzer pen handy, there’s no erasing our memories of what we all saw.”

“Yeah, there’s no taking that back,” Kaede agreed. “Okay, let’s get one thing squared away here. All of our motive videos have something to do with other people here, right? Unless a few were exceptions?”

“No, mine fit that quota,” Kiibo noted, everyone else agreeing with him.

“Alright, then in that case, it might be for the better that we keep these away from anyone else’s eyes but our own,” Shuichi suggested. “If the video has any way of painting them in a bad light, they might act jumpier near whoever saw them like that. Does that make sense?”

“It could be a little more articulate, but I understand what you’re trying to convey,” Tenko said. “Basically, seeing how you’re depicted to someone else is gonna make you tempted to kill them before they kill you first! Which is what we don’t want.”

“So, these motive videos aren’t gonna leave anybody’s room except the one they arrived in!” Kaito demanded. “That also applies to showing a third person to trick them into killing!”

“All in favor of—?” Shuichi began asking until a slow, derisive clap cut him off and made him sigh disdained. “Yes, Ouma-kun?”

“What? I didn’t say a peep,” Ouma giggled. “Except for the fact of how gullible you guys are, but that can’t really be helped at this point, can it?”

“Here we go again,” Himiko groaned. “Just get it over with and pipe down.”

“I’ll be quick. Since you Earthlings are too dumb to see the obvious problems with these videos, why don’t we take a little gamble with them instead? Pretend for a minute they’re trustworthy, and then remember no one here is.”

“Oh, great, you’re on this again. Next person—!” Kaito started ordering.

“—Don’t interrupt,” Korekiyo told him, index finger to the athlete’s lips. “Elaborate, Kokichi. It pays more to be less cryptic.”

“You first, babe,” Ouma laughed. “But, since you asked me so nicely, I will. The idea to keep all those juicy motive videos to ourselves… it’s a stupid one that’s gonna speed up the next kill, and I think we shouldn’t hide them at all.”

“Why not?” Tenko snarled.

“Because! If we don’t see who has what video, we won’t know who’ll be most likely to strike soon. I know you’re all a bunch of air-breathing chickenwusses who’d rather not assume your ‘precious friends’ will kill, but tough squash. It’s gonna happen even if you don’t like it. Being this willfully trusting of anybody is a grave mistake.”

“Shut it! What would you know about who you can and can’t trust? You just unhealthily lump everybody into one boat!” Kaito snapped. “You’ve got better things to do than cause trouble for people!”

“Yeah, why should we listen to you of all people?!” Miu agreed, still furious with Ouma. “You’re not exactly the most trustworthy yourself!”

“I don’t deny that,” Ouma confessed, going blank-faced, “but my point isn’t going nowhere. Keeping the motive videos to ourselves won’t work. At all.”

“Good thing no one cares what you think then,” Tenko smugly spat. “Degenerate males are best neither seen nor heard.”

“What does our gutsy president believe?” Korekiyo wondered. “She’s been rather quiet this whole time.”

“Shut up,” Kaede snarled. “As for what I think, in all seriousness? Maybe…”

“Maybe what?”

“...Ouma-kun has a point.” Everyone gasped, even Ouma turning to her stunned with his mouth hanging partially open. “Hear me out! As much as I don’t like saying it, it’s true. We really can’t assume too much of someone here. Be it for the worst, or for the better. Anybody can murder for these motives, have, and will again if we’re not smart with this.”

“You’re seriously listening to him? Why?” Himiko asked.

“Good question. Why, Akamatsu-nee?” Ouma inquired, still thrown for a loop.

“Besides him being onto something, everyone deserves a voice of their own in this place. No exceptions.” Kaede turned to face Ouma, firm. “So, what did you have in mind?”

“Well, since you’re on your knees begging for my input for once!” Ouma smirked, his index finger erect on his lips. “The smartest thing to do would be watching these motive videos altogether. Kinda like a big ol’ movie night full of popcorn, Panta, and the works!”

“And why the Hell should we do that?” Kaito spat. “For all we know, you probably just wanna speed up the killings and laugh about it.”

“I sure do! I’m not responsible for a bunch of half-baked humans killing themselves; stupid entertainment is still entertainment! But, you mindless meat puppets could also benefit from a screening if you took more than half a second to actually think. Since the student council’s got no problem keeping Shirogane-chan on probation, what’s stopping you all from tossing some dirty, despicable killers into the slammer alongside her?”

 _Dirty, despicable killer._ Kaede felt the bile hanging in her throat hearing that, even more at the thought of having to reveal everything all at once to the friends she wanted to protect. “It’d be almost impossible to trust everybody here if we went and agreed to do that,” she swallowed, “but, maybe it’s for the best if we try it.”

“Hear, hear,” Korekiyo accorded. “There would be less for anyone to hide, and we wouldn’t give them any chance to make a grave mistake that’d cost them their life and another’s. However, it is quite a gamble. Is it one you two are willing to take so boldly? Even if you both wind up the ones at stake?”

“We don’t have a choice. Communication is honesty, and honesty is key. It’s also tough to do, for some more than others, but for the sake of saving someone’s life, you’d all better start living with it! It’s a small price to pay in a killing game, goddamn it!”

“Yeah! Liars are scum, and scum have no place getting in the way of winning this game!” Ouma chided hypocritically. “Oh, and to answer your question, Kiyo-chan, I’m cool with it. I’ll never die, anyway.”

“That, or your hubris has overshadowed your minimal survival instincts,” Korekiyo snarked. “Since our president has reached such a decision, I presume planning it will be left in the hands of the student council, yes?” Kaede didn’t respond at first, so Kiyo repeated himself. “Akamatsu-san, answer me.”

“Huh? Oh! Yeah, yeah,” Kaede answered, hiding her despondency behind her smile. “We’ll put it together, but plan for the screening to be tonight, painful as it sounds. I’m as on board with it as you guys, but we don’t have any other choice.”

“The toughest choice is sometimes the best one, and revealing the truth will only save more lives instead of hurting them.”

_‘Yeah, except when one person’s responsible, out of here and in.’_

“In the meantime, we’ll be going around collecting the motive videos so nobody gets too tempted for an early rewatch and plans something from it,” Shuichi said. “That’s all until the screening starts.”

“I still think this is a shitty idea,” Kaito muttered as breakfast resumed. “One from Ouma, no less! It’s gotta be a trap!”

“While I’d rather not agree with a male on anything, I’ll make an exception this one time,” Tenko assented. “He’s every last thing wrong with the opposite sex all wrapped into a single human!”

“For once, I can’t argue.” Kaito coughed into his elbow, clearing his throat after and relieved to see he had a clean sleeve.

“Are you okay, Kaito?” Shuichi inquired. “You’re not… sick, are you?”

“No! I’m not. Healthy as any athlete would be!” Kaito quickly chugged his drink. “Just had a tickle on my tonsil is all. Everyone gets ‘em, right?”

“Yeah, but—”

“—I’m fine, end of story. Stop worrying about me before you get more wrinkles than my granddad.” Despite that, Shuichi only looked Kaito’s way harder, discreetly chipping at his morning meal haunted by his personal suspicions.

“Anything I can get you this morning?” Miu asked Kaede.

“Some waffles with strawberry jelly, and a cup of black tea?” Kaede requested. “Earl Grey with honey’s fine.”

“Great choice, comin’ right up.” Before leaving completely, she jabbed Kaede on the shoulder and lowered her voice. “One last thing.”

“What?”

“I dunno what you plan on doing with Cockitchy’s idea, but whatever it is, _don’t_ let your eyes off him. The little abortion’s got something up his sleeve, and the feeling’s on me like an itch in the groin.”

Kaede stared at Ouma warily, even when he stuck two straws up his nose and fought Korekiyo trying to take them out before he could reach his juice. He only lost the fight noticing the girls looking, waving snidely and resuming his personal business. “You really think so, huh?”

“Please! I know so. Don’t go tellin’ me you trust that walking hemorrhoid!”

“Making assumptions won’t help. I’m reserving judgement until I know for sure something bad is gonna go down with him. And believe me, if anybody’s prepared to face danger, it’s me.”

“Oooh, ballsy, ain’t we? No wonder you didn’t have trouble putting yourself in charge of things. Look, whether you take my advice or not, I personally wouldn’t trust him anytime soon. If you can find a reason to, then either you’re some sorta crazy bitch, or one with really good eyesight that’s seeing more than I could.”

Miu left to prepare more meals at that, Kaede blending in by starting up a more normal daily conversation with Shuichi and Kaito. She knew far better than to jump into attacking Ouma before he had the chance of royally screwing her over, which wouldn’t matter by the end of the night anyway. Everyone’s motive videos were being leaked to those that hadn’t seen, and hers carrying a grim implication was included. No matter how she spun it, she was doomed without anything short of a holy miracle to be her escape route. Her heart just broke at the likely reactions of everyone, turning to cureless dust when Shuichi directed a smile at her that’d normally cheer her right up.

What kind of friend was she supposed to be, let alone the confident leader the class’ majority so deeply revered?

* * *

The student council all gathered again in the Ultimate Maid Lab for their usual meeting, discussing important matters over a pot of tea and a platter of freshly baked macarons assorted into numerous colors and flavors. Sitting in a box dead center on the table were all twelve Kubs Pads, individual motive videos meant for murder and all. Kaede felt the most uneasy looking at them, fingers twitching on the tablecloth the more she realized how many eyes would be seeing the one linked to her. In trying to pick up a lemon macaron to eat, her stress instead made her pinch a hole through it, buttercream staining her fingertips until rubbed together to clean themselves.

“Kaede,” Shuichi spoke up. “You’re not looking so good. Are you okay continuing the meeting?”

“Yep, just fine,” Kaede lied. “I’m just a little stressed concerning the motive is all. What with the screening coming up, there’s no telling what else could happen.”

“I’m with you. I don’t trust any idea from Ouma’s head, even if you’re on board doing it,” Kaito growled. “More murders could take place as soon as someone looks suspicious enough, and he doesn’t even care! The little puke’s got a lump of coal for a heart.”

“Well, it’s not so much I’m afraid this idea won’t have any merit to it, it’s more of how we’re all gonna see each other once it’s done. Even if it doesn’t backfire by getting the least trustworthy people killed, we’ll definitely still have a hard time acting more friendly towards one another for a long while.”

“Such is what happens in a killing game,” Korekiyo regretfully informed. “Loath as I am to admit this, this screening is bound to send everyone’s trust— or lack thereof— in each other right out the window, and likely has already. But, that’s the price we must pay to keep extra tabs on murderers-to-be.”

“Exactly! We can’t afford to lose anymore innocent maidens to this killing game!” Tenko declared. “Granted, Angie was far from the word, but she still paid a horrible price nobody deserves to fork over!”

“As long as we don’t just rely on letting the cats out of the bag alone, we should be relatively okay,” Shuichi noted. “Whoever attempts murder would get suspected and caught right away depending on the person their video was centered on.”

“Not necessarily,” Korekiyo refuted. “Somebody could die and the person whose video they were the topic of could be completely innocent and a victim of unfortunate coincidence. In fact, it’s also just as easy to pin the murder on a bystander that had no association to it whatsoever.”

“That’s also possible…”

“We’ll step in in time for both possibilities!” Kaede declared. “Even… even if it’s painful for certain people about to be exposed.”

“It’s better than having something unacceptable to hide and getting away with things they shouldn’t,” Korekiyo said. “You must agree with me on that best, right, Akamatsu-san? Learning from your greatest mistakes as promised over and over again?”

Kaede ignored him save for a nasty glare shot his way. “All in favor of going through with the screening?” Everyone raised their hand except Kaito, who refused to consent. “Well, we still have a majority vote, so motive video screening it is!”

“I’ll help you set things up,” Shuichi volunteered. “Did you guys wanna come with?”

“No can do!” Tenko declined. “As much as I’d love to lend Kaede-san a hand, I can’t rest knowing there might be _men_ aces looking to spill blood that isn’t their own! While you’re getting the screening ready, I’ll go down and deliver overdue justice to criminals!”

“What about Shirogane-san?”

“Her, too! I won’t let her pull another trick like she did yesterday. Really, it’s her and Ouma-san I’m the most wary about.”

“Speaking of, have you seen that little ball tumor?” Miu wondered, folding a freshly dried shirt and setting it atop the basket of other clean laundry. “There’s something I need to see him for.”

“The last I recall, he went off with Iidabashi-san upstairs.”

Miu nearly dropped the next pair of pants from shock. “Kiibo?! He’s alone with Kiibo?! Oh-ho, fuck that! That tips it!”

“What seems to be your issue with him today, Miu?” Korekiyo wondered. “Apart from the usual, even this feels more aggressive.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it right now.”

“Hmm. I’m not liking that tone…”

“She said stop worrying!” Tenko scolded. “Clearly, someone like Miu-san is going to put that no-good bully Ouma-san in his place where he belongs! It isn’t your place to defend him!”

“On the contrary, I do care for Kokichi quite a bit. His actions aren’t permittable, but something with Miu’s aura lately has been a tad alarming, I feel.”

“That’s just typical Iruma-san,” Shuichi dismissed, watching her leave the room. “Nothing’s new, so drop it already.”

“Very well. Then, I can only assume you and Akamatsu-san as usual don’t require my help. Which is good, since I’m wanted elsewhere and need to stop by my room to fetch my viola.”

“Okay, bye, Shinguuji-kun.”

“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” Kaede spat, letting Korekiyo out before Tenko took her leave. “Well! Now that he’s gone, that just leaves us to get things going with Kaito.”

“Actually, guys, I’m gonna have to pass, too,” Kaito exhaled, appearing paler and woozy when standing up. “Normally, I’d be down for helping my sidekicks out with anything, but not right now.”

“Yeah, you don’t look so good,” Shuichi noted. “Are you gonna go lie down?”

“For a quick power nap; I’ll be down in time for the screening.” His body shook, as if shivering from the winter’s cold when he left. “See you guys, and good luck to ya.”

“...So, I’m not the only one that’s noticed something fishy’s going on with him, right? What about you, Kaede?”

“Huh? Oh!” Kaede squeaked, coming back from her thoughts. “Yeah, I’ve been wondering myself since the last murder’s motive.”

“What do you mean?”

“Okay, you and everyone knows Yonaga-san got a teddy bear with my name on it, but do you remember what I got?”

“It’s been a while, but Ouma-kun wrote you had some kind of prescription bottle from Kaito.”

“Exactly! At first, I had no idea what a bunch of pills had to do with an athlete— permitting what some of them do to up their game, but this isn’t the case—, and I assumed the bears were trying to psyche me out or something, so I initially ignored it. But, now? I’m not so sure it was totally made up. You know what I think?”

“That Kaito might not be as healthy as he’s trying to let on?”

Kaede blinked. “Uhh, yeah, actually. That’s exactly what I think!”

“It would explain why his Report Card says he’s not so fond of medicine. Here I thought it was just because it tastes bad.”

“Well, that definitely helps no one, but he’s probably gotten tired of taking it all the time. If we’re right, it’s gotta be serious with the length Kaito’s willing to go so we don’t find out.”

“Given what’s about to happen, he doesn’t have much of a choice.”

“Huh? How do you figure that?”

“The motive video I got. It’s about him, and I saw plenty. Maybe it’s not the full picture, but I’m afraid it’s a big indicator towards what’s going on with Kaito. We’ll have to see for ourselves, though.”

“Yeah. Us, and everyone…” Kaede grabbed the box of motive videos, hauling it up and taking it outside. “Well, what are we waiting for? We’ve got a screening to set up and fast.”

“Right behind you.”

While Shuichi and Kaede headed downstairs carrying the Kubs Pads, Miu was well upstairs, looking for even the smallest sign of Kiibo’s presence on the third floor. To her bewilderment, he didn’t seem to be popping up anytime soon, but where else would he go? He didn’t have business being in Kaede or Kaito’s Lab without either of them in it, and if she were to go another level up, that’d just take her to the fourth floor. Nothing good sat there except creepy, creaky floors in a dark hallway! Or… was more secretly waiting for her? Checking never did hurt.

Running up one more flight of stairs, Miu lightened her steps so they wouldn’t possibly cause the fragile wood underneath her feet to cave in, the most it worsened being the squeaks and groans along her weight. Ignoring Angie’s locked Research Lab, she picked up on slight noises coming from Gonta’s down the hall. Gulping fearfully, she approached its door colored with naturistic paint splatters, listening in and feeling a slight bout of relief after recognizing the voices, only to revert back to fear once their identities clicked and reminded her of why she’d come up at all.

“Why are you doing this?! I thought I was your friend!” Kiibo cried from inside.

“Friends don’t matter here,” Ouma evilly tittered. “Not when you need to win.”

“But, it’s an unfair way! You get nothing out of it, and I have to suffer!”

“Tough squash. Life’s not fair, and anything goes if you can do it.”

“Please, Kokichi! Don’t do this! There’s definitely another way!”

“Sorry, Kiibo, this isn’t personal. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s my way or the highway.”

“NO! Stop this!”

“You’d better get the almighty fuck away from my man!” Miu roared, yanking the surprisingly unlocked door open and storming inside. “Do whatever you want to me, but you leave Kiibo… out of this? What the Hell are you little bitches doing?”

“Aww, Kiibo! Stop forgetting how to lock doors!” Ouma chided, still on one foot with the other drawn back against the stack of blocks. “I thought I raised you better than that.”

“But, you didn’t raise me at all?” Kiibo pointed out, then happily waving to the maid. “Hi, Miu! We were playing a game.” Crash! He covered his face from the array of once-stacked pieces flying at him after Ouma kicked the tower down. “At least until someone decided to cheat again.”

“It’s not cheating if you can do it. Anyways, we were playing Menga, and no, you can’t play because your sweaty hog hooves would just ruin the stacks. Why don’t you go roll around in the fireplace crying over your ugly prom dress where you belong, Skankerella? You’ll turn back into a horse’s ass at midnight, but at least that’d be an improvement.”

“Why don’t you take the advice and screw off?” Miu hissed. “Kiibabey’s got a way better use of his time than wasting it with a flying piece of chimp shit like you!”

“But, I intended to come here with him,” Kiibo said. “This is our secret spot to come to so Gonta’s Lab doesn’t collect dust, and between honoring his memory, we were just… you know, hanging out.”

“Until the world’s most useless maid came along and killed the moment,” Ouma stated, heading for the door with his hands in his overall shorts’ pockets. “It’s okay, Kiiboi. We can pick this up whenever I feel like it.”

“Going so soon? We just got here.”

“Yeah, I already kicked your butt in Menga, so I’m good. Besides, I’ve got other things on my to-do list that aren’t getting put off. Just make sure you actually remember to lock the door this time before you leave, too! ...Oh, and Miu?”

“What?” Miu spat, seeing only Ouma’s head turn while he stood at the doorway with an unsettling smirk.

“If you had half the brain I do, you wouldn’t do anything I’d seriously make the both of us regret. Just some sagely wisdom for ya in case I wake up with a knife in my frontal lobe and your head’s deservingly on the wooden block waiting for a rusty old axe. Toodles!”

Miu snarled as the astronaut finally left, closing the door behind him. “Yeah, keep talking and I just might get more than tempted.”

“You don’t really mean that, do you?” Kiibo asked, worried.

“Could you blame me?! Cockitchy’s the perfect key to freedom for anyone smart enough to get away with it! I trust that jackass as far as I or anyone can throw him, so where’s the downside? If someone doesn’t act, he will, and by then, it’ll be too late.”

“Too late?”

“Oh, wake up! That baby-like innocence of yours is as dangerous as it is cute. Given the right incentive for his paranoid little flat ass, he’ll plot something mega sketchy, which will wind up with anyone that so much as blinks wrong to be his next target! And given he’s so unappreciative of my greater side…”

“You’re afraid you’re gonna wind up the one who's next.” Miu went quiet, but nodded meekly. “I see. The motive video’s definitely shown you something bad enough to get you so rattled up around Kokichi, and that I can understand. But, now I need you to understand another thing.”

“What?”

Kiibo placed his hands on Miu’s shoulders, which she flinched at until she remembered it was him doing it and no one from the outside world. “That for however long this game goes on, I’m not letting anything else bad happen to another friend of mine, and that includes you. You shouldn’t have to feel like committing murder is your only shot at being happy; nobody deserves to feel so alone or scared that it’s their final option.”

“Ah, you’re just sayin’ that, Kiibabey.” Miu’s head hung heavy, joyless. “I’m through lying to myself; in the slim chance I do bite the dust here, no one else will bat an eyelash at it except you. There’s nothing else I’ve got to lose.”

“Toujou-san and Shinguuji-kun aren’t nothing, are they? I may care for you, but I’m certainly not the only one given how much you were able to open up to those two.”

“Besides them! What’s the big deal?”

“That you have people who really do value you as a person that wanna see you have a better life, and would be very sad to see you go one way or the other if you were to do something reckless like try to kill. More could come in time to add to that, but that can’t happen if you’re not here anymore or prevent them from trying.”

“Even if I don’t kill, it wouldn’t stop someone else from doing me in! I’m an easy target for abuse and homicide! There’s no way outta that!”

“Not without my say, there isn’t. Along with the student council doing their part to protect all of us, I’ll do my part in keeping you safe.” Kiibo pointed his finger at Miu, stern. “But! You also have to promise me you won’t hurt anybody, either. Especially not Kokichi.”

“I still don’t understand why you’re going through all this effort to safeguard a guy that shouldn’t even be alive by this point.”

Kiibo glared at her, which she crinkled at. “ _Miu_.”

“Heeee! Sorry, sorry! I won’t d-do anything to him, just stop giving me s-such a nasty look! It doesn’t suit you!”

“That’s all I ask. Thank you.”

“Sure thing. Say, why don’t I take you somewhere worthwhile and forget this place? It’s gotta be boring sitting in an empty Lab all alone.”

Kiibo frowned. “But, I don’t want to forget this place. It’s all I have left of Gonta, and no one else knows to come in here.”

“Ah, no, no, I didn’t mean _forget_ -forget! I just wanna take you somewhere else so you aren’t bored to death here all by yourself. Let’s head over to my Lab so I can whip you up a fantastic meal; you’re practically skin and bones!”

“But, I’m eating just fine. I didn’t skimp out on your delicious breakfast today despite the conundrum.”

“Yeah, but it’s like the old saying goes. ‘The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’.”

“Umm, the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems are two totally different networks of—”

“—Will you just shut your yap and come spend some time with me?! I’ve got needs too, ya know!”

“Okay, okay! I’m coming with you.”

On his way out following Miu, Kiibo remembered to lock the front door to the Ultimate Artist Lab from outside using its sole black key. Quickly stuffing it back in his pocket, he continued on, highly concerned for the maid given her all-day attitude towards Ouma (which was really saying something) and how much it reminded him of what he’d seen himself on a little screen. At least some quality time with Miu as someone not momentarily busy that she actually trusted would keep her calm, but would it be for long enough to get things to settle down enough? The motive videos were dubious as is, but for the sake of both of his friends involved, they’d better only exist as a sick joke to trick everyone rather than actually inform them of secrets unknown.

Kiibo wasn’t blind enough not to notice how negatively Miu and Ouma felt for each other, but was it so strong she’d go so far as to plot his death?

* * *

The dining hall held no one except for Shuichi and Kaede, trying to figure out a way to project each and every Kubs Pad up for all to see as one big clipshow broadcast. Nothing there left much to offer, given the lack of screen or technology needed for displaying any sort of footage. Having everyone huddle together and watch each and every individual tablet wouldn’t work, nor would getting them passed from classmate to classmate in a circle given so many played at once without all being able to watch. While sorting out the devices, Kaede seemed hung up on one, Shuichi noticing it was the Kubs Pad with her name on it and becoming concerned by what she might have seen prior to breakfast.

“Kaede,” he blurted out, getting her attention. “Do you wanna talk about yours first? Just between us?”

“No,” Kaede declined. “It’s really bad, and I’d rather everyone saw this all at once instead of just you. That’d hurt more than anything.”

“Because you think something bad will happen between us if I see it first?”

“This isn’t a case of thinking, Shuichi, it’s one of knowing. Even you wouldn’t be able to look past it.”

“How can you be so sure of that? It’d take a lot to get me to leave, and your failed plan from before is solid proof.”

“This isn’t anywhere close to being like that! It’ll never be! A scenario where I hit the Mastermind in the head using a shot put ball that didn’t leave my notebook is a speck of dust compared to what you’re gonna see in my video! You can say how loyal you’ll be despite my mistakes until it’s umpteen o’clock, but actually facing the result is the game changer!”

“I may not have seen what your video’s got, but I still get to choose how I react. Don’t take this as me saying everything you saw wasn’t a big deal; if it’s gotten you this shaken up, it has to be. But, no matter what I’m about to see, I still know the girl I’m talking to well enough not to just up and run off.”

“Believe me, you really, _really_ don’t. Not as well as you think you do, anyway.”

“And if there’s one thing I picked up from last time, it’s how much I’m still willing to try and get through it with you. So, as your close friend and right hand man, my mind isn’t changing no matter how hard you want it to.”

Kaede was silent for a moment, shaking her head away from Shuichi. “You just don’t get it. At this rate, I don’t think you ever will.”

“What’s there for me not to get? I can handle a lot after everything that’s happened in this school, so one more shocking video couldn’t do much harm.”

“Don’t say that! You don’t know what you’d be getting yourself into, so don’t be surprised when you get a big fat ‘I told you so’ after this. Speaking of that, there’s something else I want you to prepare yourself for.”

“What?”

“After we watch these motive videos, expect a promotion.”

“I’m getting a promotion?”

“Mmm-hmm. Per the line of succession, you’ll be the new student council president after I officially step down.”

“President?! You’re seriously quitting after all your hard work? Why?!”

“I’m not quitting now, calm down. Only after everyone sees the videos is when I’ll push you forward. Until then, I’m still ‘President Kaede’, but not for long…”

“Kaede, this is crazy. Whatever’s bugging you, don’t feel like I won’t try to take it. I’d do anything for you, even involving something you think is bound to tear the two of us apart.”

“Which it will. I can guarantee that without saying much else since the screening is gonna do all the talking for me.” Kaede smiled, but it was sadder than her usual kind. “Just know I’m sure gonna miss what we have now, Shuichi. I really am…”

“Yup! ‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all!” Ouma laughed, popping up before the startled pair. “Which is a lie, of course. Love is a waste of time, and my little black heart’s got no room for that crap!”

“What are you doing here, Ouma-kun?” Shuichi asked, having been able to restrain himself from getting scared enough to flip the boy at first sight. “You’re not trying to get a sneak peek at the other videos, are you?”

“And spoil the movie? Uh-uh! I’m not a major killjoy like that. No, I’m here for my own reasons, one of them being helping out my poor bodyguard and personal babysitter ninja with setting up simple technology.”

“Thanks, but no thanks,” Kaede declined. “We were doing just fine ourselves.”

“Is that your lie, Akamatsu-chan? Because it sucks. Almost as much as your IT skills.”

“Setting up some tablets shouldn’t be that hard,” Shuichi insisted. “The only problem we’ve run into is not having a screen to project them onto.”

“Goodness, it’s almost as if this school as just that! A giant projection screen fit for many to view! Wherever could that be? Surely not—” Ouma gasped. “The A/V Room downstairs?! Oh no, the horror! The horror!”

“We’re not going down there,” Kaede said, firm. “Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.”

“Oh, geez, it’s tied to one little murder and suddenly it’s branded for life! Heck, Gonta didn’t even _die_ in there; we found him in the library! Stay out of that room all you want; it won’t be bringing back the dead anytime soon.”

“That still doesn’t mean we wanna use it,” Shuichi argued. “We’ll be just fine without it.”

“If you’re so fine without it, how come I’m not seeing any movie screening going on by now?”

“Because we just started,” Kaede bit. “You can’t knock somebody for only being two minutes into setup.”

“I’d bet it’d only take that long if you guys had an actual screen and equipment instead of just a dingy old dining hall.” Ouma threw his hands up. “But! Your loss. I give you a direct answer for once, and all you do is shoot me down. Fine, set the screening up all by yourselves; see if I ever offer to help you mongrels again.”

Kaede hesitated while Ouma was storming out, looking at the lack of preparation she and Shuichi had so far and turning to stop the astronaut. “Wait!”

“...Yes?” Only Ouma’s head went her way, completely smug.

“Stop with that, we’ll do it. ...Let’s use the A/V Room.”

“Oh, so sorry, could you say that again? I didn’t quite catch that.”

“I said! Let’s use the A/V Room.”

“One more time for the people in the back?”

“She said we’ll do it,” Shuichi cut in, curt. “Quit milking us accepting your help and just be nice with it for once. It won’t kill you.”

“We all have stupid opinions, Shumai, and I’ll respect that. But, my services aren’t for free, you know. I’ll need payment.”

“Here,” Kaede said, reaching into her bag and giving Ouma two LuneCakes and a pack of Froot Blushers. “Hope that’s enough.”

“Ooh, a tip! You must pay your waiters handsomely.” Ripping open the sticky snack, Ouma ate them as one, stuck together gummy. “So, what are we waiting for? Follow me!”

Shuichi and Kaede did just that, hauling the box of Kubs Pads off the table and leaving the dining hall with Ouma leading. Only in getting close enough to the dreaded basement staircase did someone’s mysterious hand grab Kaede’s shoulder, nearly making her drop her end of the box in darting to face them. “Amami-kun, don’t do that! That’s a great way to give people heart attacks!”

“So sorry, ma'am, I was just passing by,” Rantaro casually apologized. “I couldn’t help but notice the three of you were going downstairs. With Ouma-kun of all people. Mind telling me why that’s so?”

“You know why, silly!” Ouma laughed. “We’re getting the motive video screening up and going, and Mr. and Mrs. Antenna couldn’t get things working without the equipment.”

“Is that the only thing you three plan on doing? Most of us aren’t so keen on going back to the basement…”

“We’re just using the A/V Room, not the library,” Shuichi vowed. “I’m just as hesitant doing so as you are, but we don’t have much of a choice now.”

“The sooner this is over with, the better,” Kaede admitted. “After this, we won’t have any other reason for using it anymore.”

“If you’re saying all of this is for showcasing the motive, then who am I to assume you’re lying?” Rantaro figured, eyeing the box of Kubs Pads. “The proof looks to be in the pudding. Or should I say, the cardboard.”

“Why else would we consider going downstairs?”

“Dunno. You always seem to pull something up at the last minute, but I know those days of doing something really dangerous in secret are behind you.” Rantaro raised a brow at a nervous Kaede. “Right, Akamatsu-san? You’re not going back on that all of a sudden, are you?”

“No! That new leaf’s staying turned over, and I mean it!”

Rantaro eyed Kaede warily for a few seconds longer before switching back to his default look. “Good. Don’t go slacking on that now, okay? I’d hate to lose you so soon.”

“What?”

“Nothing. You guys go ahead with setup, and don’t drive each other too crazy down there while you’re doing it. Especially you, Ouma-kun.”

“Why, I’d never!” Ouma fake gasped. “Can’t an extraterrestrial guy help out his two favorite hitmen free of trouble?”

“Given it’s you? No, not really.”

“Boo. And this is why I didn’t ask you, Ran-chan. Now, shoo! You’re stinking up the air I’m forced to breathe in even more!”

“Unless you wanna lend us a hand?” Shuichi wondered.

“No, setting up some tablets to a projector screen isn’t too hard,” Rantaro declined. “Once you find the right wires, you’ll be golden. Better act quick before someone gets too antsy and gives into their video.”

_‘I guess Amami-kun’s only willing to help us most of the time. But, it does seem kinda silly asking him for help with things already available for anyone to use.’_

When Rantaro finally left them in peace, Shuichi and Kaede continued downstairs with Ouma, who pranced like a deer in springtime as if the past memories of what happened in the basement were imaginary. Although the event had long since concluded, no traces of Gonta and Kiibo’s Paint Night stood in the desolate, hollow A/V Room, only supplied with a functioning projector and the screen meant for its landing within walls of shelved films and video discs. Cords were available for choosing what would be displayed, quickly discovered by Ouma getting right to work smiling cheekily.

“What are you two waiting for? Movie Night isn’t gonna set itself up!” Ouma laughed, shaking the cord. “A guy could use a hand over here!”

“Coming,” Shuichi sighed. “You know, for someone whose motive video’s also gonna be watched, you don’t really seem too worried.”

“Should I be? I already know I’m too good to waste my time killing one measly person at a time before I go into space.”

“Maybe, but you’re the person everyone trusts the least. Everybody’s gonna be watching you closest of all after seeing your video.”

“Watch away, but if I were them, I’d be really bored watching nothing happen all day long.”

“You’re missing the point.”

“No, I’m not, because the point of this is to expose the _real_ murderers, which I hate with a burning passion!”

“I thought you just hated all of humanity in general?”

“Are you a parrot? Do you repeat things people say back to them all the time, Shuichi?”

Shuichi groaned. “Forget it. Just watch your back after the screening, Ouma-kun. You’re still someone I’m worried about the most in here.”

“Aww, I know you can’t help your feelings for me~! Sorry to say I’ve got my attention somewhere else, though, so I’m rejecting you.”

“Is it—?” Kaede was about to guess.

“—A person or persons that are from a planet within a solar system within close proximity to the Alpha Centauri, yes.”

“Where?”

“Ugh, the solar system closest to the one we’re in now, dummy. I thought you were smarter than most blondes.”

“That’s only a stereotype, and you know it! Keep this up, and the last snacks you get from me are the ones in your gut right now.”

Ouma’s eyes turned to that of a sad puppy dog. “Y-You’re gonna let me starve, Nee-chan? But, why?”

Kaede flinched, avoiding Ouma’s tactic stubbornly. “Don’t think that’s going to work on me, young man. I get those babydoll eyes times the twenties, so I’m immune!”

“Are you?” Ouma leaned closer, upping his ante and looking even more innocent. “Kaede-nee, is this the way you treat your daycare kids? You deprive them of free food if they don’t do as you say? The number of angry parents coming your way must be at an all-time high!”

“I only give treats to good children that behave, which you aren’t doing. Behave, and I’d be happy to give you what you want.”

“Or! I could get my own snacks for all to look at before I eat them all. Can’t have a movie night without snacks and bevs!”

“This isn’t really a casual movie night for all to enjoy,” Shuichi muttered. “It’s just to prevent anymore killings.”

“No reason not to make it enjoyable! I’ll go get it all from upstairs, microwave included!”

“What?! Ouma-kun, get back here!” Ouma ignored him, running from the A/V Room without even finishing hooking up the tablets. “This kid… Kaede, a little help?”

“If we hurry, we can stop him,” Kaede said. “You’d be surprised how quick the little ones are on their feet.”

Abandoning the screening-in-progress for then, Shuichi and Kaede chased Ouma, both running to jump him and grabbing the boy by his arms and feet while he flailed and laughed in front of the school store. “Gotcha!” they both shouted.

“Nishishi! You did!” Ouma cackled. “Now, put me down! I dunno why you’re all gung-go to play tag, but we’ve got a murder motive watching to set up. Hurry, hurry, before someone—!”

_Ding-dong, dong-ding!_

Oh. No.

“A body has been discovered!” a cardboard cutout of Monokuma chirped, displaying his face on the monitor enjoying a flute of fizzy alcohol with a version of the fancy backdrop scribbled in crayon before it fell over and only showed the cassette player continuing with its recording of his voice. “Would everyone be so kind as to gather in the Ultimate Pianist Lab? I mean this when I say you’re in for the surprise of an end-of-lifetime!”

“Oop, too late. Guess we’d better go take a look at the carnage instead of some flicks!”

“Be serious!” Kaede barked, angry. “What if it’s someone you actually did care about this time?! Are you gonna be laughing then?!”

“Well, it’s a good thing I hate all of you then.” Ouma offered her a hand, winking. “Shall we, milady?”

“Ugh!” 

Disgusted, Kaede marched ahead to the stairs going up, Shuichi following her without acknowledging the trailing Ouma behind them. Since it was only a floor above them, it took little time to arrive at crime scene, where they first arrived and witnessed Miu bawling her eyes out with Kiibo holding her and petting her back consolingly. No questions were asked aloud, but got their answer when the scientist pointed to what brought his comrade’s grief. And to say it was shocking would be quite an understatement, as Monokuma's voice hinted at just minutes ago.

Lying on her side was the body of Kirumi Toujou, the back of her scalp stained with the same blood smeared in a trail behind her. Not only that, but positioned in an upright sitting position against the wall near to the doorframe was Korekiyo Shinguuji, a fresh, bloodied cut across his throat while his missing cravat was tied around his mouth as a gag. Clenched in his loose grip sat a claw hammer, its head covered in Kirumi’s blood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daily Life END
> 
> Students remaining: 10(?)/16
> 
> I got someone a couple chapters back wondering what the last case's motive items were, and I'd be happy to answer that now. Kinda late, but better than never since I don't mind telling you guys that didn't get revealed as of this chapter:
> 
> Kaito: Sheet Music Book (Kirumi)  
> Kiibo: 10-K0 Blueprints (Tenko)  
> Rantaro: Enchanted Lexicon (Maki)  
> Tsumugi: Galaxy Ball (Ouma)  
> Miu: Expensive Anime Antique (Himiko)  
> Kirumi: Secret Lair* Map (Tsumugi)
> 
> So, that does it for this update. I tried to get it to at least 18 pages, but I sadly couldn't go to 20 (19 pages total). I'm at least relieved I surpassed my personal minimum, but hopefully next time should be a bit longer even though it's the investigation. It's actually why this update took a little while, matter of fact, sorry -w-'  
> By all means stick by for the next chapter, and it'll come to you quite soon! Thanks for checking out this update, everyone!
> 
> *NOT the you-know-what's lair under the bathroom, Tsumugi wouldn't give that away at the drop of a hat. It'd be more along the lines of her supreme leader's lair outside of the Academy, or even her Research Lab, perhaps.


	27. Episode XXVI: Deadly Life 03 - Law & Disorder: Trial By Fury

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back, y'all! I'm happy to present you with another lovely chapter for all my lovely readers. This one's actually a few pages longer than the other one, but that's mostly because it's the investigation (though odd considering the last investigation was shorter, but that was case-dependent and me in a hurry to get to Ch. 3, I admit uwu"). You'll all be getting plenty of answers in this one, minus who the actual culprit is of course; can't say that for another three chapters lmfao.
> 
> So, without anymore stalling, enjoy this newest chapter! Happy Reading and end of Daylight Savings! ♥

Nobody had a word to say, Ouma being unsettlingly taciturn the more he stared at the two lying still on the ground and lacking any sort of expression on his face. Miu was still bawling endlessly for the late Kirumi and Korekiyo as Kiibo kept trying to comfort her, while Shuichi and Kaede were frozen with shock at seemingly losing not one, but _two_ whole classmates at the same time. They’d been too late to do anything to save either, and whoever had the gall to so greedily end an extra life couldn’t have been any laughing matter if they’d cross such a great line. Everyone started coming in, shock, grief, and distress the general reaction of them in varying degrees depending on the person.

“Shin?! Toujou?!” Kaito gasped. “Don’t tell me! Both of them, too?!”

“Not Kirumi… of all people, why Kirumi…?” Himiko sniffled, wiping her tearful eyes. “Who would do something like this?”

“Clearly, somebody so worried about their motive getting leaked that they got greedy,” Rantaro hissed. “Greedy enough to hurt two people that were unlikely to have done a thing to them.”

“Kirumi-san’s case speaks for itself, but not even Shinguuji-san deserved this,” Tenko lamented, frowning whilst comforting the crying Himiko.

“Don’t fuckin’ say ‘not even’ like his life is slightly more justified to lose, Titanium Tits!” Miu snapped, mascara smearing from her own tears. “Rumi croaking is bad enough, but Kiyo going with her makes it worse! The only reason you even give a shit is because Kirumi had almost as nice of a rack as I do! Shut the fuck up and blue screen already if you don’t have anything semi-smart to spew!”

“Miu, Miu, please,” Kiibo pleaded. “I understand you’re really upset right now, but don’t take it out on Tenko-san. It’ll only make things worse.”

“Worse?! What could possibly be worse than losing two people I actually gave a shit about?!”

“Rise and shine, ursine!” the Monokubs chimed, making their grand appearance in the Research Lab.

“That, for starters,” Shuichi sighed.

“Another one bites the dust!” Monotaro laughed, seeing his sister gag. “Oh, hang on, Monophanie! I’ve gotcha this time!” He flung a bucket, which landed on her head just as green jets of vomit spurted out from underneath it like a sickening shower. “Gross.”

“Close enough,” Monosuke sighed. “At least you remembered the pail this time.”

“It’s as they say! Life’s like a bucket of bear spew! Except for when said spew’s in a pail, then it’s like a _pail_ of bear spew!” Monophanie threw up again. “Hmm, what’s a second occurrence mean?”

“That I don’t wanna see anymore blood!” Monophanie gagged, throwing the bucket off her vomit-stained head before pointing to Monosuke angrily. “And it’s all your fault!”

“Mine?!” Monosuke barked back. “The fuck did I do?!”

“Not your job as our leader! I knew from the beginning that Monotaro should have led us, but I didn’t listen, and I hate myself for it! This school needs a real leader able to live up to what Daddy used to be!”

“Yeah, and more importantly, the not younger brother!” Monotaro agreed, ganging up on a nervous Monosuke with Monophanie. “It’s about high time I take back the pedestal I never got in the first place. Right?”

“Definitely right…”

“H-Hey, hey! Take it a step back now!” Monosuke pleaded, moving away from his menacing siblings whilst sweating bullets. “We’re just here to do business, not bully your poor bro! I’m not Monodam, after all!”

“Is this like some kind of soap opera?” Himiko wondered.

“Worse. This is more like a filler episode that wasn’t in the original piece,” Tsumugi shuddered.

“Nyeh, forget what I said. That is ten times more terrible.”

“Break it up!” Kaede exclaimed. “If you’re not here to contribute in any way to the case, or explain how we’re gonna go about a double murder, then kindly leave.”

“Huh? You wanted us to explain?” Monotaro quizzed. “Why? You already know what to do!”

“Only with one body, but we’ve got two on our hands now,” Kiibo stated. “Does this mean we have two killers, too?”

“Pffft! As if it were that easy!” Monosuke snorted. “Look, just don’t overthink things, and you’ll have your perp. Or perps!”

“But, you just said we don’t have two killers.”

“Did those words ever come outta my mouth? No! And yet, they didn’t not come out, either.”

“And now you’re just not making any sense!”

Monosuke ignored Kiibo. “Since my dopey big bro thinks he can do my job better than me, I’ll let _him_ hand out the Monokuma File this time. Go on, try it out, I dare ya!”

“I’ll do it happily so,” Monotaro giggled, pulling out a tablet bigger than the Kubs Pads and offering it to Kaede. “From one leader to another.”

“Thanks…” Kaede half-heartedly said, reaching for the File until it was swiped from her by someone else’s hand. “Hey!”

“Hmm. Interesting,” Ouma emotionlessly murmured, hogging the evidence all to himself whilst running a finger up it for more information.

“Ouma, give that back!” Kaito demanded. “We need to see what sorta case we’re dealing with!”

“A murder case, idiot. I thought that was obvious.”

“You know what I mean. We need the mini-autopsy report on Shin and Toujou to solve the murder!”

“That’s nice.”

“If we don’t read what’s on that File, we’ll all die because we won’t have enough proof on us!” Himiko cried.

“Don’t care.”

“You— don’t care?” Kiibo wondered. “Kokichi, you can’t possibly mean that.”

“Why shouldn’t I?” Ouma turned to his classmates, eyes burning with hatred while the rest of him was stoic. “Because right now, I’m seeing way more reasons to let all of you get exactly what you deserve than not. This is a school of murderers, backstabbers, and untrustworthy vermin. All of which are perfect words in describing your average, everyday Earthling.”

“Think what you want of us, but if we don’t find the right killer, we aren’t the only ones doomed to die,” Rantaro reminded him. “Your life is just as much at stake as all of ours.”

“Fuckin’ let him croak!” Miu spat. “It’d be the first good thing that wound up happening today!”

Ouma was silent, approaching Miu and maintaining a blank face with his chilling tone. “I’ve known since boyhood that people are gonna throw a party on my grave. Why can’t you accept that no one would even show up to yours?” he tested.

“KOKICHI!” Kiibo exclaimed, outraged as the others gasped.

“As if I’m wrong. Everyone in this room cares about the dingy, incompetent maid as much as I care what happens to all of you after Monokuma gets his wish. If it was her instead of the two lying dead here, there wouldn’t even be a loss.”

“You good for nothing little SHITSTAIN!” Miu roared, immediately lunging at Ouma only for Kiibo and Shuichi to hold her back. “Let me at him! LET ME AT HIM! Do NOT stop me from beating this little punk’s asshole in! I oughta kill him myself!”

“Wow. A waste of oxygen and a brainless bimbo with short-term memory loss. Someone’s shooting for double today, huh?” Ouma turned his back on the others, the Monokuma File on his person. “You have fun with that while you’re still sucking up everyone’s limited air. I’ll be somewhere else.”

“Doing what? Solving a murder with only one piece of proof?” Kaede tested.

“Hey, I’d be doing a much better job than you and your half-baked ‘student council’ that can’t even keep two people alive. Enjoy killing yourselves teaming up, because I’m not gonna bother watching it.”

“Good riddance!” Miu screamed hoarse as Ouma left the Lab. “The fuck who needs some worthless slob like you, anyway?! I hope you’re the killer so I can finally have some peace for once in my life!”

“If we’re lucky,” Himiko agreed. “At least I don’t have to worry about Angie being bullied by him when he does get the punishment. Atua would never accept someone like him at His side.”

“You’re still on that?” Tenko whined.

“Don’t encourage this,” Shuichi scolded Himiko. “Besides, Ouma-kun being the killer seems really off, given who the victims are.”

“As if he really gave a shit about them,” Kaito spat. “It’s time after time with that kid in finding an excuse to pop off to everybody. I don’t understand how someone could get so much of a kick out of being such a tool!”

“Somehow, it doesn’t feel that simple this time. And given the really harsh reaction he just gave, he’s definitely not taking Toujou-san and Shinguuji-kun’s deaths very lightly. Remember how you reacted when Maki died?”

“I was more surprised I could even control myself from how pissed I was.”

“Exactly,” Kaede agreed. “What he said to Iruma-san was completely uncalled for, but I’m seeing why he’s way less happy with us than usual.”

“That doesn’t excuse it, though,” Rantaro scolded. “He’s not the only one who misses them, so it’s not a free pass to lash out this badly.”

“It’s really not,” Kiibo agreed, firm. “Miu didn’t do anything to deserve that, and Kokichi owes her an apology!”

“One she isn’t gonna get, knowing him,” Kaito exhaled.

“I wouldn’t accept it to begin with! Fuck whatever that guy’s gotta say to me!” Miu yowled, still infuriated. “He’s probably the one responsible for this!”

“There’s only one way you can find that out!” Monotaro reminded her. “Start investigating and come to the right conclusion! Because if you don’t…”

“We know, get lost,” Tsumugi spat.

“Rude! We only wanted to help,” Monophanie pouted.

“So long, bear well!” the Monokubs bade goodbye, leaving on the spot.

“Good, I thought they’d never leave,” Kaede breathed. “Okay! How are we gonna do this? We’re stuck with one, two— nine people in this room, giving us another odd number.”

“We could split into three each,” Shuichi suggested.

“No, because that still leaves Ouma-kun by himself.”

“And? He’s better off that way after what he said to poor Miu-san!” Tenko insisted. “That insensitive little _men_ ace doesn’t care what happens to us, so we don’t care what happens to him! Right?”

“...We should probably not leave anyone by themselves,” Kiibo decided, conflicted. “I’ll go.”

“No, Kiibo, Iruma-san could really use your support right now,” Rantaro said. “I’ll take your place for today so you can have a break and Ouma-kun doesn’t cause anymore trouble.”

“You’re sure, Amami-kun?”

“Absolutely. I’ve dealt with nearly worse with my fourth-youngest sister, so it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“How many sisters do you have, exactly?”

“Plenty,” Tenko answered in Rantaro’s place, allowing the inventor to leave. She earned some looks, quickly defending herself. “Why are you all staring?! Amami-san handles my minor repairs, and I may or may not have gotten his motive item from the last case, so I wound up collecting a bit of data regarding him. That’s all!”

“Tenko, it’s not the end of the world if you make friends with a boy,” Himiko said. “Rantaro’s a nice guy to hang out with.”

“Oh, sure, that’s exactly what they all want you thinking. I know better, and I won’t be swayed so easily! In fact!” Grabbing Kaede, Tenko pulled her close and backed away from the remaining boys. “I hereby team myself up with our absolutely stunning president, and I encourage Saihara-san and Momota-san to do the same so that the student council may lead the investigation fairly and squarely!”

“We’re already not starting off so good in that department given you’re picking partners first,” Shuichi muttered. “I can’t remember the last time I got to investigate with Kaede.”

“And that way it shall stay! Your body-flipping horndog hands aren’t going anywhere near her, so get used to it!” Tenko looked at Himiko more mildly. “Himiko, you’re free to come along with us, if you’d like.”

“Thanks, but process of elimination forbids it, unfortunately,” Himiko sighed, seeing only Tsumugi was left unpaired. “As much as I’d rather be with you two than _her_ , she can’t be trusted to do anything alone anymore.”

“Understandable,” Tsumugi agreed.

“But, let me tell you something, Shirogane.” Himiko pointed an angry finger at her, looking more fierce than anyone was used to seeing from her. “I am _not_ letting you manipulate or push me around for the next… however long we have to investigate. We’ll be in the same room together, but I’ll be doing my part only and not your dirty work. Got it?”

“Got it, Yumeno-san. You won’t be seeing any tricks from me. Just treats!”

“Halloween’s a long ways away. When we get out of here, I’ve gotta get started on my costume…”

“So much for partnering up with Himiko,” Tenko sighed. “Oh well, she’s her own woman and I’m proud of her taking charge! We’ll still be okay together, right, President Kaede?”

“Right,” Kaede agreed before looking guiltily at the still Korekiyo. “I just wish all the student council members were here to do it.”

* * *

_Investigation: Start!_

“Since we don’t have the Monokuma File, we’ll need to piece together the cause of death ourselves first,” Tenko gulped. “Although, I’m pretty uneasy being so close to a dead person.”

“We don’t have much of a choice,” Kaede said. “Having a pseudo-autopsy is better than having none at all. If you’re not comfortable, then I don’t mind doing it. Just keep note of what we do find, okay?”

“Y-Yes, ma’am.”

Kaede approached Kirumi’s corpse first, turning her over so she was lying on her back and available for taking a look at her bloodied head. “Okay, all I’m seeing for injuries is the obvious head wound. It’s starting to darken a little, so we can deduce she wasn’t attacked just before we all came in.”

“So, a little further back than that?”

“Yeah, but not too far because it’s still relatively fresh blood. Oh, look here!” Kaede pointed at a spot on Kirumi’s head, moving her stained hair to reveal a little circular knick where the blood all originated from. “We’ve got ourselves a dent.”

“Maybe the culprit pushed her and she hit her head?”

“No. No sudden impact would make a mark that small.” Kaede squinted, running her finger across a cranial swelling more towards the pianist’s headband. “But, we do have a little bump trying to grow here. I’m afraid Kirumi might not have been hit just one time.”

“You sure know a lot about head injuries. I don’t know if I’m impressed or horrified.”

“Pick one, there’s no wrong answer.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Kirumi’s Injuries**



“So, since she didn’t fall, what did end up hitting her this hard? I never took a pianist to carry any blunt objects in her Lab.”

“Well, lots of musicians have things like metronomes, but Kirumi also carries plenty of stage equipment here. Although, I doubt something that big could have done it.”

“Kaede-san, look!” Tenko pointed to Korekiyo’s hand, then glaring at him while taking the item out of his grip. “I believe we’ve not only found the weapon responsible, but the degenerate male, too.”

“Shinguuji-kun? Are you sure?”

“More than it! I had a nagging feeling the so-called detective would kill and elaborately cover up his crime, and I was right to think so!” Tenko showed Kaede the bloodstained hammer. “See?! He was holding _this_ in the palm of his hand! The coward killed an innocent girl and wound up dead himself!”

“Well, hold on now, we just started investigating. As much of a sour jerk he might have been, Shinguuji-kun was… very attached to Kirumi.”

“So? Males will find any stupid excuse to hurt women! For all we know, that creep probably demanded she ‘service’ him, then flew off the handle after she refused—!”

Kaede continued. “—And actually, him turning up dead raises more questions than it solves. If it was just him involved with Kirumi’s death before dying too, who killed him?”

“That’s— ...a very good question. Could there be another murderer in this case? How would that even work at a class trial?!”

“I don’t know, and I don’t wanna find out. We know Mr. Detective’s definitely tied to this, but as far as this evidence is hinting, he’s not the only one we need to look into.”

“Should that be true, I’m not looking forward to discovering who orchestrated every bit of this…”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Bloodstained Hammer**



“Oh, look over here, Tenko.” Kaede pointed to the trail of blood leading from Kirumi’s body all the way to the stage. “Something tells me our killer didn’t let her ‘rest in peace’.”

“Did her body get dragged?! Why couldn’t the poor girl be left alone?”

“I don’t know yet, but an entire trail of blood has yet to lie to me. Given we found her here, the killer must have struck her over… there.” She pointed to the exact spot on stage where cleanliness turned into crime.

“So, they came in and did her in while she was practicing. The dirty rat, to think I started to feel bad for him! Now, I _know_ Shinguuji-san did this!”

“How?”

“Did he, or did he not say something about needing to ‘fetch his viola’? And where does he take that viola? Here! In Kirumi-san’s Lab! He struck her down right in the middle of practice!”

“If that’s the case, where’s his instrument? I don’t see it anywhere.”

“Obviously, he put it back to avoid leaving evidence pointing to him.” Tenko sneered. “He’s experienced with incriminating people, so he knows just what not to leave at the scene of the crime.”

“Good deduction, but let’s wait on it until we find more clues. And if something leans more in favor of him, then you’re free to make your wild guesses.”

“Wild, nothing, the proof is right in front of our eyes!”

“If that’s the hill you wanna— ...that.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Trail Of Blood**



“Oh, what’s this?” Tenko picked up the fallen music stand, zooming in on its head and examining the difference. “It’s dented, too.”

“It is? Show me.” When Tenko complied, Kaede looked as close as she could and indeed noticed the indentation on the back of the stand. “Oh my God, it is! I think you just found the other thing Kirumi got hit with.”

“A music stand? That’s gotta hurt! So, she was knocked out and then killed?”

“That’s the way I see it. It wouldn’t make sense to smash her skull in with a hammer, and then knock her unconscious.”

Tenko’s collar started lining up with blue water droplets to show her anxiousness. “Could this case get anymore brutal? I don’t know if I wanna see anymore…”

“We’ve gotta. For Kirumi, and yes, even Shinguuji-kun.”

“Oh, right. Him. I guess.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Dented Music Stand**



“How goes the investigation, ladies?” Kaito asked, coming back inside the room with Shuichi by his side. Just seeing Korekiyo on the floor made him uneasy, more torn up on having failed yet another classmate.

“Perfect, and will be again once you degenerate males leave us alone,” Tenko spat. “We were just wrapping things up since we’ve seen all that we need to here.”

“Oh, so you looked at both victims?” Shuichi asked. “What’s the verdict?”

“Kirumi-san was hit on the head using a hammer, and it’s all because of him!” She pointed accusingly to Korekiyo’s figure positioned sitting upright.

“Shinguuji-kun? You think he’s the killer?”

“Did you even look at all the evidence?” Kaito tested. “I know you’ve got a habit of pointing to guys without completely thinking it all over. So, is Shin really the killer because there’s proof, or because he’s a dude?”

“Yes,” Tenko answered. “The murder weapon was in his hand, and his body was found where Kirumi-san’s is.”

“But, that only points to someone else being involved,” Shuichi said. “Even if he did kill Toujou-san, another culprit did him in back.”

“That’s what I said,” Kaede stated. “Plus, we don’t know yet if Shinguuji-kun really is Kirumi’s killer. Tenko’s just making a guess.”

“Like she has the past… ever,” Kaito murmured.

“Doesn’t Toujou-san prefer a clean Lab?” Shuichi brought up, looking inside at the scattered music sheets, CDs, and other belongings precious to the room’s owner. “I’ve gotta say, I’m not used to seeing this place be so messy.”

“Yeah, it does look pretty messy, doesn’t it?” Kaede realized. “That’s completely unlike her not to organize her stuff.”

“Which means between her encounter with her killer and her death, a struggle most likely went down. One she ended up losing…”

“Toujou fought her killer?” Kaito asked, impressed. “Wow. And here I am thinking Kaede was the only girl I knew that could throw hands this much.”

“Pigheaded Momota-san! Girls weren’t just made to look pretty and smell nice!” Tenko scolded. “They can do anything they set their minds to.”

“Chill out, that’s not what I’m saying. I meant it as a compliment.”

“I don’t think it’s the right time given what happened to her,” Shuichi said. “But, everyone definitely shouldn’t overlook this big of a mess. It seems too crucial to ignore.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Ultimate Pianist Lab Mess**



“Well, if you girls are really all set here, guess we’d better go find some other evidence,” Kaito figured. “The culprit couldn’t have made just one pit stop.”

“In the meantime, maybe you two should take a look at Shinguuji-kun’s body,” Shuichi advised. “While I’m not necessarily saying he isn’t our killer, you’ll have a much clearer picture not overlooking something.”

“There’s not a doubt in my mind it’s him,” Tenko argued.

“And that’s fine and all, but you’d still need to find out who killed him in return and how. Toujou-san isn’t the only victim this time.”

Tenko grumbled, reluctant. “...Fine. We’ll give him a look if it’ll get you guys to leave us alone. Remember, everybody’s counting on the remaining student council members to lead this investigation!”

“I don’t know if the others really agreed on that, but if it’s up to us to find the biggest clues, then fine!” Kaede declared. “Let us know if something else comes up.”

“You’ll be the first hearing it,” Shuichi promised, leaving with Kaito. “Good luck, Kaede.”

“Same to you.” Now alone with Tenko again, Kaede knelt down beside Korekiyo’s form and looked her closest at him. A finger dragged across the cut in his neck, taking some blood with it. “Ouch. Slit throat. That’s a brutal way to go.”

“And he’s got a bump on his head, too,” Tenko gasped, her vision zooming in on just above Kiyo’s ponytail. She quickly got up and looked at other scattered music stands, none of them dented like the one they’d found before. “So, both of them were knocked out by the same object…”

“I’d imagine so. Pretty big coincidence, if you ask me. Are we sure there’s two killers that did this?”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Korekiyo’s Injuries**



“Is there anything sharp here? Something that had to have cut him in the throat?”

“No knives or glass…” Tenko carefully stepped over most of the mess, only to land her foot on the scattered CDs and finding one the most out of place. She picked it up, finding it broken in two with its left half covered with trace of blood along its sharper edges. “But, I did come across this.”

“A CD? Hmm, doesn’t look too sharp compared to most things used to cut very deep, but definitely enough to draw blood.”

“How do you know what the best things to cut someone are?”

Kaede quickly corrected herself. “Oh, you know, clumsy little kids getting their adorable hands on lots of things they’re not supposed to. They cut themselves on construction paper, let alone an accident with big boy scissors.”

“But, you mentioning how well something can cut skin is oddly specific—”

“—So, we have Shinguuji-kun’s murder weapon? Fantastic, great work!”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Broken CD**



“Is there anything else we need to look at here? We’ve already seen the bodies and the state of the room.”

“No, not that I can think of. If there is, we can always come back later. But first, we’d better go look in other parts of the school for evidence and alibis.”

“The second one’s gonna be a lot harder without knowing what time Kirumi-san and Shinguuji-san died at. If only we had the Monokuma File first!”

“We’ll make a plan on getting it away from Ouma-kun later. Let’s go.”

Looking back on Korekiyo and Kirumi for a sullen moment, Kaede followed Tenko out of the room, silently promising both of them that whoever was responsible for the double crime wasn’t getting off easy. She may not have particularly been keen on one of them, but it went without saying that his death was unjustified. At least, assuming he really hadn’t killed Kirumi after all, though unlikely as he seemed to have done it, the impossible was no longer not possible within the killing game. Whoever was capable of murder with the right incentive could and would, no matter how highly they regarded or were indifferent to their victim. Before going to the stairs, the girls heard sobbing coming from the Ultimate Maid Lab, going towards the sound and discovering it to be Miu’s doing, Kiibo still sitting next to her in moral support and unsuccessful comfort.

“Rumi…!” Miu wailed, stealing another offered tissue from Kiibo and blowing obnoxiously. “A-And Kiyo wasn’t too bad, neither, so why him?! Why, of anyone?!”

“I wish I could tell you,” Kiibo sighed. “To lose two people in the same day’s tough enough.”

“Kiibo? Iruma-san?” Kaede spoke up, carefully entering the Lab.

“Wh-What do you want, skank ass?” Miu sniffled, wiping her smudged mascara on her arm. “Can’t you see I’m in mourning? Or did you agree with everything Cockitchy said and couldn’t care less what I’m doing?”

“No, that’s not it. I was just coming to see how things were going, and how you were doing.”

“Take a good look, ‘cause neither’s well!” Miu sniffled, more tears running down her face. “I dunno if you’ve noticed with either of your glass eyes, but I’m not exactly happy about finding Kiyo and Kirumi dead as doornails, given I saw ‘em completely fine an hour before!”

“Wait, you saw them alive an hour before the announcement?” Tenko wondered.

“You deaf or something?! I just said that!”

“Miu, she was only making sure,” Kiibo comforted, using a clean tissue to clean his friend’s face up. “Now, just tell her what you know.”

“O-Okay…” Miu blew her nose again, discarding the gross tissue. “Last I saw Kirumi today was just before the student council meeting started since she was doing her thing with her piano and whatnot. I asked her if she wanted to try a macaron before I gave them to you guys, but she was good.”

“What else?” Kaede quizzed.

“I made her promise to take a break before she burned herself out, so we came to an agreement that she’d play for an hour, then clock out. Then, after the meeting was done, I hung out with Kiibo in my Lab for a little before I went to check and make sure Kirumi kept her word.” Miu’s shoulders shook, more tears coming on. “And when I got there, her and Kiyo both croaked! Then—! That goddamn body announcement sounded off as soon as Keebs here came in to see what the fuck my problem was…!”

“The body discovery went off after you two got there? Was anyone else nearby?”

“No,” Kiibo answered, petting Miu’s head while keeping her in a hug as she kept crying. “It was me and Miu when we heard it, and then in came you, Shuichi, and Kokichi after it sounded off. Oh, and then the rest of the class, of course.”

“Huh. Weird…”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Miu’s Testimony**



“By the way, Kaede, could I ask you something?”

“Sure, shoot.”

“Miu mentioned she saw Toujou-san before the student council met today, and gave her an hour to take a break. What time do your meetings start and end?”

“3:30 to 5:00, including a 15-minute recess from 4:15 to 4:30.”

“Then what?”

“Our meeting wraps up for the last half-hour? Why?”

“Well, depending on what time Toujou-san died at, it could either rule out the student council… or incriminate you guys.” Kiibo frowned, afraid. “As much as I’d prefer not to say so. Forgive me.”

“No, it’s okay. Everything and everyone has to be considered for being linked with the case. We’ll prove our innocence, though! Just you wait!”

“And if you know what’s good for ya, you’d better be innocent,” Miu hissed, looking up using a single eye to leer at Kaede and Tenko.

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Student Council Meeting Time**



“Thank you for sharing that with us,” Tenko said, “and good luck with your share of the investigation!”

“Screw the investigation, I’m not doin’ shit,” Miu sniffled, bitter. “I’m still gonna show up at the trial, though.”

“It’s not like you have a choice,” Kiibo uttered.

“Even if I did, I wouldn’t pass it up this time.” The maid glowered, eyes darkening. “Because I’m not missing a second of seeing the cocksuckin’ dumbass who dragged Kirumi down with them get a taste of their own piss-flavored medicine.”

“A-And with that, we take it as our cue to go,” Kaede gulped, exiting alongside Tenko and going downstairs. _‘Yikes. Iruma-san’s kinda scary when she’s pushed far enough.’_

“You there! Amami-san,” Tenko called, grabbing Rantaro’s attention over by the warehouse door.

“That’s me,” Rantaro answered. “How far have you guys gotten?”

“Reasonably so. What’s the deal with Ouma-san?”

“Him? Eh, I definitely tried reasoning with the little guy as best as I could, but he near-ignored everything I had to say and just told me to scram.” Rantaro put both hands on his hips, defeated. “Last I saw, he just ran off carrying a few of the motive video pads.”

“A-All of them?” Kaede gulped.

“Nah, just a good armful. Apparently, I ‘busted’ him before he had the chance to see all 12 and just snagged what he found crucial enough.”

“Oh. Okay.” Here was hoping Kaede’s was not among the amount Ouma had seen, given how easy it’d be for him to piece the broken clues together.

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Motive Video Tapes**



“What do we have here?” Tenko asked, peering at the security lock, the screen of which was completely destroyed by four nails driven into it and rendering it unreadable at best.

“Vandalism,” Rantaro answered. “Or, as I like to call it, sabotage. Somebody went into the warehouse today and didn’t want anyone seeing who they were.”

“Or what they were taking out,” Kaede guessed further. “At least we know where the first murder weapon came from.”

“I did find it odd for a hammer to be in a pianist’s Research Lab,” Tenko commented before throwing Rantaro a suspicious look. “Unless somebody else was paying another girl a ‘special visit’?”

“No, no, don’t look at me,” Rantaro insisted, both hands up. “My tools don’t leave my Lab anymore, remember? The hammer and nails used here were 100% warehouse property.”

“And even if Amami-kun did hit Kirumi with his own hammer, he wouldn’t carelessly leave it at the scene of the crime,” Kaede added. “Hiding it inside his apron and sneaking off would be a lot easier.”

Rantaro tapped his head. “Now you’re getting it. The killer could only afford to be so sloppy.”

“You say it like that, and it makes me a little scared of who might’ve done this.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Nails In Lock Reader**



“Was there anything else around here the culprit might have left behind?” Tenko asked. “And don’t you try lying to me, Mister! Because I’ll see right through you!”

“Nope, that’s all I could find,” Rantaro admitted. “I’d say most of this crime took place upstairs. But, Himiko and Shirogane-san are investigation outside, if you wanna see what they found.”

“Thanks,” Kaede said. “If anything else comes up, let us know in advance.”

Kaede and Tenko went outside, on their way to the Dormitory building seeing Ouma pass by them without paying any sort of heed, nor his usual mischievous grin. When the child caregiver attempted to get his attention, he kept ignoring her, going instead to the Shrine of Judgement holding not only the stolen Monokuma File under his arm, but a bunch of Kubs Pads alongside it. Tenko directed Kaede away from him, relieved that the boy wouldn’t be harassing anyone and going inside the building where everyone slept at night. As Rantaro told them, Himiko and Tsumugi were examining the foyer, the blue-haired girl kept an especially hawk’s eye on in fear she’d do something she’d regret again.

“And you’re not leaving this building until we both come up dry,” Himiko hissed.

“You know, I don’t exactly see you doing too much right now,” Tsumugi spat, glaring at her. “The whole blackmailing schtick might have been wrong, but it’s worse when you don’t contribute like you said you would.”

“I’m looking, aren’t I? Get off my back, I’m not supposed to be far away from my Soul Gem or I drop dead.”

“Your Soul Gem would be inside your room if you don’t have it on you. Besides, you only become an empty husk if you’re more than 100 meters away from it.”

“That doesn’t change my pace with going about things. Gimme time.”

“I’d love to give you all the time in the world, but I’m sorry to say we’re on those bears’ time, not mine.”

“Tsumugi-san! I’m not about to witness you harassing poor Himiko again, am I?” Tenko questioned, entering the scene.

“No, Tenko-san, you’re not. We’re staying out of each other’s hair and finding clues.”

“Good. Now, what have you found thus far?”

“Just this,” Himiko answered, pointing to the piece of paper taped to Korekiyo’s door with a reddish color smeared all over it. “I think it might be crucial since it’s on one of the victims’ room’s.” She shuddered the more she looked its way. “Let’s just hope that’s paint and not what I think it is.”

“And given we’re investigating a murder, we know it’s something worrisome,” Kaede stated, carefully taking off the paper without ripping it. A few sniffs in and she confirmed everyone’s woes. “Yep. Definitely blood.”

“Why would somebody just smear blood on a piece of paper and tape it to the door?” Tsumugi gulped. “Does it say anything else?”

“Not really, there’s mostly a bunch of music notes. Oh, look! Here’s the title for it. ‘Lascia ch’io pianga’? How come such a specific song?”

“I’m not sure. Toujou-san was the expert with those things, not me.”

“Maybe it’s a favorite song of hers?” Himiko guessed. “But, why is it on Shinguuji’s door, if that’s the case? Wouldn’t it make more sense for it to be on hers?”

“Yeah, if the killer wanted to lure her close, the paper’s on the wrong door.”

“It might not be,” Kaede conjectured. “Remember, Shinguuji-kun was murdered, too. This could have been put here so he’d go right to Kirumi’s Lab and fall into the clutches of a killer.”

“Either that, or he’s trying to throw us off,” Tenko included. “I’m still not totally convinced he’s so innocent himself.”

“You’ll get your answer in a bit, so we’ll see who’s right then.”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Lascia Ch’io Pianga Sheet Music**



Kaede directed her next question at Himiko and Tsumugi exclusively. “By the way, did either of you see anything suspicious before the body announcement?”

“And where you might have been?” Tenko included. “I was watching you closest of all, Shirogane-san.”

“I was in my room, remember?” Tsumugi reminded her. “My probation may be at night, but I didn’t really have that much to do today besides wait for the motive screening, so I just took a break on my bed to catch up on a classic.”

“That being?”

“You wouldn’t know it. Just know it’s about a survival game just like ours, except we don’t have cellphones that can tell us what’s gonna happen next.” Tsumugi frowned. “Nice as that would be…”

“Anything else that might have caught your eye during that time?” Kaede asked.

“Oh, yeah. I saw you in the Dormitory, too, didn’t I, Yumeno-san?”

“Mmm-hmm,” Himiko confirmed. “My skirt had a really bad tear in it, so I needed to go patch it up before it… got worse.”

“You’re a very smart girl, Himiko!” Tenko praised. “You did the right thing before any degenerate males could peep up a torn skirt, just like any one of them would!”

“That’s not why I went to fix it. I just didn’t wanna spend a full day with a pesky tear.”

“Either way, at least it’s better now, and we can confirm Shirogane-san is telling the truth.”

“But, you don’t need another voice to say I was in my room,” Tsumugi argued. “I guess I am so plain that even witnessing eyes can forget what they spotted…”

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Tsumugi’s Testimony**



_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“Good news, everyone!” Monotaro cheered on the monitor, sitting next to Monophanie whilst keeping Monosuke shoved away by the face. “Investigation time is now up, so scoot your toots all the way to the Shrine of Judgement for our main event!”

“We’re sorry for the piss-poor cutout of Daddy from earlier, by the way,” Monophanie apologized. “He’s still currently balding and frozen, so we needed to improvise!”

“Don’t apologize for art. I for one thought it was a very convincing double!”

“Thank you, Monotaro. At least I finally got the tape to stop skipping. Who even uses cassettes anymore?”

“Eh, phooey on these kids with their MP3 players and scratchy records! Back in my day, good old tape players were hip and happening!”

“Now you’re starting to sound like an old man…” The monitor shut off, leaving the girls alone again.

“I guess that’s it, then,” Tsumugi sighed. “We’re out of time, and we have every clue except the most important one.”

“It’s not lost, Ouma-kun’s got it,” Kaede said.

“Which basically means it is lost,” Himiko muttered. “Good luck getting it off him.”

“Don’t worry, we will. But, first, we need to do one last check over in Kirumi’s Lab since we didn’t have too much time there.”

“Hurry up, you’ll get in trouble if you don’t make it to the trial,” Tsumugi warned.

“You won’t even notice we were last!” Tenko vowed. “Expect us to be that quick!”

When the girls ran out, they encountered Shuichi and Kaito, who were among the students leaving the Academy’s building for the trial. “Where are you going? The Shrine of Judgement’s this way,” Kaito said.

“We’re aware. There’s important business to deal with before we go.”

“Like what? We’re out of time for the investigation,” Shuichi said.

“If it _really_ concerns you so badly, Kaede-san and I are going back to Kirumi-san’s Lab for one more check-over. You wouldn’t want us going into the trial missing something, would you?”

“No, I guess not… but, do you have the time for it?”

“We’ll make time, and make it _in_ time,” Kaede reassured her confidant, flexing her biceps. “All that tennis and Aikido training isn’t gonna go to waste!”

“Just don’t forget to pump everything you’ve got when you’re coming back!” Kaito encouraged. “Before that elevator door closes, don’t stop a single foot until we’re all heading down together!”

“I don’t think we’ll take up so much time that it’ll be that last minute. Keep our spots warm at the Shrine, though, okay?”

Kaede and Tenko proceeded inside the Academy, going up one flight of stairs and arriving at Kirumi’s Research Lab, where her and Korekiyo still lay where they’d been since the tragic events that’d befallen them. Another quick run through of the scene of the crime led them to nothing new, no sort of culprit modifying the room to cover their tracks and lead everyone else off course. To make things worse, the full reality had set in. Neither classmate was coming back anytime soon, two whole lives cut short because one person had been pushed that far to do something so awful. Kaede stood the most somber, unable to take her eyes off the fallen as guilt overcame her.

“...This is all my fault, isn’t it, Tenko?” Kaede rasped, morose. “I mean, I put the student council together to stop any of this from happening, and now look. It wound up being half-baked after all.”

“No, it didn’t,” Tenko calmly insisted. “We were actively taking steps to do the best we could to get everyone out safely, but we just hit a snag.”

“Yeah, and whose fault is that?”

“The killer’s. They clearly didn’t prioritize everyone’s safety more than their own, but you did. You worked hard to do everything in your power to create the best outcome, and listened to what everybody needed for that to be possible!”

“But, the best outcome didn’t even happen! Look!” Kaede gestured to Korekiyo and Kirumi. “Two of our classmates are dead, one of which was in the student council with us! All because I failed, Tenko! I failed you, I failed them, and I failed everybody here worst of all because this godforsaken game is still happening!”

“You didn’t fail. Everybody is still counting on you to bring the dirty rat who did this to justice.” Tenko put a hand on Kaede’s shoulder, a serious look in her eyes the latter wasn’t too familiar with. “When Monokuma and his spawn get the last laugh, then yes. You’ll have failed. But, has that happened yet?”

“N… No. And I don’t want it to!”

“I don’t, either. Nor does anybody else you’ve met here! What do you think should be done now if you really wanna keep helping our friends?”

“Run all the way outside so we don’t miss the trial elevator?”

“Err, yes, certainly. But, what I meant most of all was not backing down from this and delivering a just punishment to a criminal! We can do this, which means you can, too.”

Kaede took a breath, carefully moving Tenko’s hand off her so she could hold it in both her palms in gratitude. “You’re right. We’ve gotta do what we can and make sure we come to the right conclusion at that trial. Thank you, Tenko.”

“O-Oh, it’s no trouble. Anything for—”

“—Your president?”

Tenko smiled. “And my friend. Ready?”

“Wait. I want some time to say goodbye first.”

“Oh, of course. Kirumi-san deserves it.”

“Not just her.” Eyeing Korekiyo, Kaede’s face fell with remorse. “Someone else I feel like I never really sent off on a good note. I just feel too bad not doing it.”

“Take your time.”

Kaede first approached Kirumi’s body, kneeling in respect with her head bowed. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to save you, Kirumi. All you’ve done to provide moral support, and I’ve got nothing to thank you for any of it yet. Whoever thought they could do this to you is gonna pay dearly, because if anyone didn’t deserve to die like this, it’s you. Bringing you back might be impossible, but making sure you get justice sure isn’t.” She hugged the musician close and tearfully, feeling the last of her warmth and knowing it wouldn’t last the evening. “Goodbye, my friend.”

“Did you want to meet me down by the Shrine? I don’t mind leaving you to have some privacy.”

“No, no, stay as long as you want. I’m okay.” Moving onto Korekiyo, Kaede lowered herself to one knee before him. “I’ve gotta admit, Shinguuji-kun, I never thought it’d end like this. We never really got along, and frankly, I don’t know if we ever would given everything, but I still wouldn’t wish any of this on you. In some way, you were just as determined to put an end to this game as I was, but we both did things too differently to cooperate enough. ...Sorry it was too late, Detective.”

“Sorry what was too late?”

“Everything. Saving him or being actual friends instead of borderline-enemies when we should have been uniting against a common foe, take your pick.” Kaede stood up, fixing her backpack. “Okay, I’m ready. I’ll see you there, Tenko.”

Tenko nodded, watching Kaede leave the room and about to step out herself when she heard a very low groan. Turning startled, she squinted at where it came from, now looking at Korekiyo. “Strange… I wonder?” Her eyes went from green to magenta, a light emitting and allowing her to get a full scan of the sleuth.

“Well, no time to lose now. I’d better—”

“—EEEEEEEEEK! K-Kaede, get in here, please! Now!”

Gasping, Kaede turned around and ran back to Tenko’s side, the robot’s knees quivering while her finger was stuck pointing to Korekiyo’s dormant self. “What is it? What’s wrong with Shinguuji-kun?”

“H-He’s! H-He, h-he’s…!”

“Yes? Spit it out already!”

“ALIVE!”

“...What?”

“He’s alive! Shinguuji-san’s alive!”

“Tenko, did you get a screw loose while I walked out?”

“My screws are all right where they should be, thank you, but no! Do you remember when I said I could get a full reading on somebody’s vitals with 110% accuracy?”

“Not that last part, but yeah.”

“Well, I’m saying all of this for a very good reason! See for yourself!”

Braced, Kaede knelt next to Korekiyo, putting two fingers on the side of his neck and feeling her heart jump when she picked up on the one thing she never thought she’d feel from him anymore: a pulse. “Oh my God, he is alive! But, how?! No, not important, we need to do something and fast! Tenko, hold his head upright.”

“Huh? But, why?”

“Because even though the cut in his throat’s unlikely to be that deep, I don’t wanna risk anything.” Kaede went into her backpack, pulling out a bushel of napkins, some antiseptic, and a roll of bandages. Patting the neck dry while Tenko held Korekiyo’s head upright, she poured some of the medical disinfected on a handful of the absorbent paper and applied it to the wound, preventing it from growing worse. “Come on, Detective, stay with me now!”

Korekiyo released another muffled groan, both from starting to regain consciousness and a new stinging of disinfectant while his throat gash got its gauze wrapping. His eyelids wiggled, prying apart until half-lidded, but open. “Mrnmph…?” he uttered, Kaede untying the cravat gag and taking it off his mouth while he rubbed the back of his scalp. “Augh! My head…”

“Shinguuji-kun, can you hear me?” Kaede waved a hand in front of Kiyo’s face, pushing his upper eyelid up until he moved her finger away. “Are you good to stand?”

“I can try to be.” Using both hands to push himself up, Korekiyo got onto his feet, only for a bout of weakness to make him stumble down with both girls catching him in a dive. “Uhp! No, I guess I need a few more moments after all. Might I ask what you two are still doing here?”

“We thought we missed something here, and boy, did we! Since you weren’t really… you know, do you know about—?”

“—Kirumi’s demise? How I wish I didn’t.” Korekiyo noticed he was still holding the hammer, quickly setting it down. “I understand you may have seen somethings that may incriminate me, but I can assure you, there’s far more to this story than what the eyes have witnessed.”

“Yeah, right,” Tenko sneered. “I’m willing to bet you faked your death just to get out of getting found out! Didn’t you?”

“Not at all. I was attacked.”

 _‘So casually, he says that?!’_ Kaede yelped in her thoughts. “Attacked?”

“Indeed. Knocked unconscious, and then injured in a failed attempt to do away with me by the true perpetrator of this crime. Who else?”

“Wait. Does that mean you remember who the culprit is?”

“That I do. I wasn’t hit on the head that hard.”

“Shinguuji-kun, that’s amazing—! ...Wait. You’re not gonna tell us who did it right now, are you?”

“Certainly not. Doing so is no better than making a baseless accusation, and I’ll have no part of that.”

“It’s not baseless if you saw who killed Kirumi-san and tried to kill you!” Tenko barked. “Why are degenerate males so useless?! And stubborn?!”

“Leave it to the class detective to never make my life easy,” Kaede groaned.

“Wait, wait! If Shinguuji-san managed to pull through, does that mean Kirumi-san did, too?”

“...No,” Korekiyo answered, dejected. “She’s gone. I saw so myself before I lost consciousness.”

“Backed up,” Kaede confirmed. “I couldn’t pick up on a pulse.”

“Oh,” Tenko uttered, no longer happy either.

_‘But, for Shinguuji-kun to have seen it himself. Does that mean he was attacked because he saw the culprit kill Kirumi?’_

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Korekiyo’s Testimony**



“There is only one way to fix this,” Korekiyo declared, tying his cravat over his neck bandages and fastening the knot before tucking the rest into his coat collar. “We endure this trial, and live to tell the tale. Fortunately for this one, you’ll have your very own eyewitness to the crime.”

“Shoot! The trial! We need to split before we get locked out!”

“And unfortunately, leaving you behind isn’t an option because you’re actually vital to solving this mystery,” Tenko spat at Korekiyo.

“When aren’t I?” Korekiyo teased.

“An hour ago because you were unconscious,” Kaede retorted.

“...Oh. I suppose you have a point there. How do you suggest we get to the Shrine of Judgement?”

“This way!” Kaede hauled Korekiyo up, carrying him bridal style with no effort. “Tenko, start running!”

To the sound of Korekiyo’s yelps as he held on for dear life, Kaede and Tenko ran like the wind downstairs and outside, not stopping until they were all in front of the Shrine of Judgement. Luckily, none of the others had gone inside the actual trial grounds yet, instead waiting for entry in by the muscular statue of Monokuma. Ouma was still dead silent, only sitting on the edge of the fountain folding his arms far away from everybody else with a distant, bitter look that didn’t belong anywhere on his childlike face (Miu, however, seemed more than relieved to be far away from him). Enough peering inside the red doors had been done, the girls going in first without closing the door entirely behind, but not yet prepared for anyone to see who was waiting to go in himself.

“You made it,” Shuichi sighed, relieved.

“Why the looks, though?” Himiko wondered. “You guys look like you’ve seen a ghost or something.”

“Umm, you could say that,” Tenko gulped. “Sort of.”

“No, she can’t!” Kaito objected. “Impossible!”

“So you say now,” Kaede said. “Everyone, we have a surprise for you. One that really threw us for a loop. Come on in!”

Everyone except Ouma’s heads turned to the door opening despite all being seemingly accounted for, several jaws dropping when Korekiyo limped inside and waved once. “Hello,” he greeted quietly, clearing his scratchy throat. “So sorry for my tardy arrival."

“...Ouma, I think now would be a pretty good time to turn around,” Rantaro gulped, tapping the smaller boy’s shoulder.

“What for? This oughta be good,” Ouma grumbled sarcastically, peering back and letting his eyes expand wide as his jaw went slack. “What in the…?”

“K-Kiyo?” Miu sniveled. “How in the fuck? Is that really you?! But, I saw—! You were dead! Loose bowels and everything!”

“Yeah, I saw that, too,” Himiko agreed. “Are you an apparition like Angie? You look pretty solid for one.”

“Apparition, schmapparition! This shouldn’t be possible!” Kaito shrieked, quickly jabbing Korekiyo in the arm before darting back several feet. “There’s no way Shin’s suddenly back from the grave like this! The dead don’t rise!”

“Do, too.”

“Kaito, I can assure you and everyone that I never perished,” Korekiyo affirmed, his palm up. “I was merely unconscious and injured.”

“You were fakin’ it?! Don’t fuckin’ scare people with those kinda jokes, dipshit!” Miu yelled.

“No, no, no sadistic jokes here. Only unconscious thanks to physical assault.” Pinch. “Yowch! Who did that?”

Responsible for it was Ouma, who stared at Korekiyo for a good, long moment as if studying an unknown specimen. His eyes were skeptical, but equally quickly regained their former cheerfulness. “Yep! He’s real! No evil clones or zombies here!” he chirped, grinning. “I guess we won’t have to bust our asses solving a second murder after all. Too bad, so sad!”

“He didn’t take long to recover from that,” Kaito muttered.

“The quiet was fun while it lasted,” Tsumugi sighed.

Before Korekiyo could walk off, Ouma grabbed his cravat and pulled him down, making sure he was the only one able to hear the venom in his voice. “Scare me that badly ever again, and I’ll happily zero out your evaluation score so you die first,” he threatened, letting the speechless Kiyo go before resuming a joyous façade.

“Wait, so since Kiyo didn’t actually kick the bucket—” Miu was about to gasp.

“—If you’re gonna ask if Kirumi made it out too, the answer’s no,” Kaede regretted to inform her. “She’s really dead.”

“...Figures.” Miu went back to seclusion, Kiibo staying by her side in comfort.

“Oh, oh! Speaking of dead mom ladies!” Ouma piped up, flinging the Monokuma File at Kaede. “I know you were bugging me about this earlier, so it’s yours. I’m done looking at it, anyway.”

“Hey! Don’t just throw this in the middle of a giant fountain so carelessly!” Kaede snapped, using her reflexes to catch it. “At least we finally have the case details. Gather ‘round, everyone. Let’s see what we’ve been missing.”

Opening the long-awaited third Monokuma File, Kaede showed everybody (minus Ouma, who’d practically memorized it by that point) all the details. A gray version of Kirumi’s full body displayed next to her zoomed in face and name over her personal stats under “Victim”, the “Situation” tab showing a magenta circle highlighting the top of her head.

_The victim is Kirumi Toujou, the Ultimate Pianist_

_The body was found in the Ultimate Pianist Lab_

_The estimated time of death is 4:41 pm_

_Following a second blow to the head, the victim died of cranial depression_

_The first caused unconsciousness, but was otherwise non-fatal_

_Obtained Truth Bullet!_

  * **Monokuma File #3**



“At least we know the time of death now,” Kiibo noted. “That will definitely knock off some suspects in a little while.”

“Not to mention, add more,” Korekiyo replied.

“Are you feeling okay to even attend, Shinguuji-kun?” Shuichi asked. “You were just KO’d and got cut in the neck. You’ve gotta be feeling really woozy right now.”

“Sure, but if I don’t attend this trial, the consequences will be far more dire, be it for you or for me.”

“Which we’re gonna be dealing with right about… now,” Tsumugi guessed, pointing to the Monokuma statue.

With the bells tolling, the unsettling statue trembled and gained sentience, crushing its cup with its bare hands and sinking, allowing all eleven remaining students access to the trial grounds pathway entrance past the falls. Shuichi kept his shoulder underneath Korekiyo’s arm so he’d have an easier time walking to the elevator and staying up in it, trading places with Rantaro when everyone arrived below in the trial grounds since his podium was closest in distance. As per custom with those who’d died between last time and the present, Angie’s podium was occupied by a tall portrait of her face covered in a large skull with crossbones underneath it, and Monodam’s headshot was crossed out inside a green ribbon where the Monokubs all stood. For Kirumi, an “X” reminisce of a treble clef’s design was swirled over her grayed-out face, marking her permanent absence.

Everyone assumed their podiums, anxiously awaiting another trial. Another session of speculating, debates and mistrust amongst their classmates seeing who’d betrayed the rest and taken one life while making the same attempt on another without the success. Ten may not have been left after all, but that was how many students had the liberty of living for an extra day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The upcoming trial should be a little less obvious than the previous one given not everyone has the same alibi, and there's more truth bullets available to be used, so I'm relieved at that. Hard to believe Ch. 3 of this story's almost over and done with, huh? I'm putting money on who it is you guys are gonna be guessing for the culprit, but I won't say who I think you think it's gonna be X3c
> 
> Well, since I'm supposed to be in bed to get up ass-early tomorrow, I'd best be getting on that so I'm not late for work. Thanks a bunch for reading this update, and buckle the FUCK up for these next few ones since we'll be inching closer and closer towards the identity of the third killer of this entire rewrite/AU fic! Stay tuned for seeing it, because it's coming you guys' way as soon as I map out the trial to avoid a splitting headache...
> 
> See you all next time! Love ya, and good night! ♥


	28. Episode XXVII: Class Trial 3.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite the new student council's efforts, Kirumi is murdered with Korekiyo pinned as the prime suspect after being found unconscious and wounded beside her body. Now having regained her role as the class leader, Kaede must lead the trial in the right direction and expose whoever is responsible for both attacks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good to see you all again! I'm back at it with another stupendous update for you guys. And not just any old one, but the very first of three parts for the Chapter 3 class trial! I was gonna cut it a little further in, but then I realized I didn't wanna give too much stuff away before we'd reached the Latter half of the trial (parts 2 and 3; part 1 is the "Former" half), so you'll all just have to wait a bit longer for those bits of information. For now, though, enjoy the juiciness I DO have prepared for you lovely folks reading this. Enjoy, everybody! ♥

“Hear ye, hear ye!” Monosuke cheered, sitting on the judge’s chair wearing a cape and king’s crown whilst holding up a plastic scepter. “All are gathered and accounted for our class trial numero trois of many, many more to come?”

“Great, now he’s supposed to be some kind of king?” Monophanie scoffed at her brother’s feet.

“Where’s Father when you need him?” Monotaro groaned. “Just like a true dad, he’s never there when you’re counting on him the most! God, I miss him.”

“Me too! Daddy, we’re sorry we caused you to go comatose and almost bald!”

“I think you just answered our own question…”

“Cry for Pops all you want, he ain’t coming back!” Monosuke cackled, spinning his crown on his paw whilst propping his feet up on the arm. “For now and forever, this whole school belongs to the one, the only, Mono—!” _SPROING_! Monosuke was cut off when a spring suddenly ejected him high, ended by a crash landing in his old spot without the royal regalia. “Yowch! What the Hell and who did that?!”

“Off my chair, jester! The king sits there,” an unpleasant voice demanded, revealing itself to be Monokuma being lowered into the chair by ropes and a fancy cushion. Unlike before, he was completely conscious without any sort of bald patches anywhere. “Ah! Much better! What’d I miss, kiddos?”

“Daddy?!” Monophanie gasped with glee. “Is this a dream? A dizzy spell?! Or is it really you?”

“If it’s a dream, nobody but nobody had better wake me up!” Monotaro beamed.

“How?!” Monosuke demanded an answer to. “We saw you! You were out cold and more useless than these two and five Monodams put together!”

“What, this old thing?” Monokuma asked, holding up his catatonic copy. “This was just a convincing art project of mine! I made this part out of—”

“—Who cares?! We’re so happy you’re back in action, Father!” Monotaro cheered. “Please don’t leave us ever again! No matter how much we say so!”

“Oh, I could never stay mad at you little mini-me’s! You’re just too cute for that!” Monokuma leered at his yellow son. “But, as for you, little man, you’re grounded for mega-life for not only disrespecting me, but bullying your brother and sister! Someone’s getting fifty licks and a spanking for that one!”

“Ah, geez, Pops, don’t be like that now…” Monosuke gulped, defeated.

“I only do this out of love! Pure, true love for all my cubs, both living or otherwise!”

“Oh, is that why you played dead on us?” Monophanie guessed. “To teach us a valuable lesson on respect?”

“I’d better take notes if I’m gonna live up to that once Monosuke kicks the— I mean! Once I’m in charge after Monosuke kicks the bucket,” Monotaro laughed.

“Y-You’re just joking on that, right?” Monosuke gulped, unsettled by his siblings’ menacing leers. “...Guys?! A-Answer me!”

“Lesson? What lesson?” Monokuma asked. “I was just taking five from you little hooligans! Parenting is hard. And, it was kinda funny seeing you three try and fail to get your shit together without me.”

“Oh,” Monophanie said. “Well, there was still some wisdom to be taken from it! Right?”

“Whatever floats your boat, sweetie. Find the big things out of the little ones!”

“Pardon me, but are you not delaying the class trial?” Korekiyo interrupted. “We’ve yet to start discussing the special culprit of this case.”

“Ah-ha, that’s right! How could I have almost forgotten?! Thanks, Shinguuji-kun!” Monokuma lounged in his big judge’s chair. “Yeah, yeah, you all go ahead and kick the trial off. I’ll be here saying how wrong you all are when it reaches that point.”

“Not that any of us will have to worry about such an outcome. Let us begin, shall we, class?”

“Hey, wait, Shin,” Kaito interrupted. “Since the culprit left you to die, doesn’t that mean you know who they are?”

“Yes.”

“Sweet! So, tell us.”

“I will do no such thing.”

“...Come again?”

“While I know the identity of Kirumi’s killer and my attacker, that information will not be revealed by me at this very moment.”

“Is this some kind of joke?!” Tsumugi squawked. “You’re our only eyewitness and ticket to putting a cork on a killer’s game, and you won’t even speak up?!”

“Now, now, if I did so, this entire trial would be an even bigger waste of time than usual. Besides, where is my proof? Where is my evidence and explanation?”

“Right there in front of you, ya nutjob!” Kaito groaned. “If you say what you saw, we’d believe you!”

“And you think simply taking my word for it without proper discussion is very tactful, Kaito?”

“No, but it’d make things a lot easier.”

“Precisely. These trials aren’t meant to be easy, not under Monokuma’s eyes, anywho.”

“Or yours,” Himiko groaned. “Kaede’s right when she says you make everything too hard.”

“Well, Shinguuji-kun does have a point,” Rantaro agreed. “It would seem too easy just saying who the culprit is. One candidate always sparks a whole bunch of debate, which leads to everyone pleading their case of who did what or didn’t.”

“I couldn’t have said so better myself, Amami-kun,” Korekiyo commended.

“So much for finding out the culprit early,” Shuichi sighed.

“We will discover their identity at the right time. And if they aren’t already, whoever’s responsible…” The look Korekiyo gave was downright hateful, the gold of his eyes sharp and made more frightening by the darkness around them, “ought to be _very_ afraid right now.”

“Yipes! Kiyo, a face like that might suit you, but don’t show it to everyone in public!” Miu whimpered. “Now I know why you don’t like getting this angry…”

“I dunno, I think it’s kinda hot,” Ouma remarked, winking.

“Kokichi. Not now, please,” Korekiyo sighed, calming down. “I implore you to be serious about this just once.”

“Who, me? I’m the most serious of them all! Don’t tell me the obvious now.”

“Is that a lie, or are you just joking?” Kiibo wondered.

“Jokes are for space stations and the bathroom in my spacesuit, not class trials. Come on, y’all! Let’s go, go, go! Kirumi’s ghost is waiting to kick her killer’s keister!”

“There’s no such things as ‘em, knock it off with that!” Kaito gulped.

* * *

_Class Trial: In Session!_

“As always, let’s begin with the basics,” Korekiyo began. “We all know the rules of this trial, so let’s not make a fatal mistake.”

“Does that mean we start with picking apart the cause of death?” Tsumugi suggested.

“That’s usually a great place to jump into first,” Kaede agreed.

“I agree,” Korekiyo responded. “Now, since we have the evidence for it, let’s—”

“—You aren’t fooling anybody!” Tenko barked, infuriated.

“...Excuse me?”

“Never. I see right through your lies, you murderous, degenerate male! We all know who the culprit is already, and you’re only stalling longer from telling us!”

“Yeah, that’s kinda what he said,” Himiko noted. “He wants us to figure it out like big boys and girls.”

“No, I don’t mean it like that. What I mean is…” Tenko pointed at Korekiyo accusingly, “that the culprit is none other than Shinguuji-san! Full proof and everything!”

“Here we go,” Kaito scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Gotta be a new record from how soon she jumped in with that bs.”

“Put a cork in your ass and shut it, Tin Cunt!” Miu spat. “Kiyo didn’t do it, and you know it! You’re just trying to bust his balls for havin’ a pair, and I’m sick of it!”

“Let’s hear her out first,” Rantaro suggested. “Do you have any reason why you think that, Tenko?”

“More than one,” Tenko argued, growing very smug. “Don’t you all think it’s strange for him to just ‘know’ who the culprit is, but refuse to say anything? And why he was found dead only to suddenly turn up alive? And, and! Big one!” She glared fire at Korekiyo. “Why he had the murder weapon right in his hand?! Murderer!”

“Wow, Miu, I take it back,” Ouma snorted. “You’re no longer the stupidest bitch in this school. Congrats!”

“Fuck off,” Miu hissed. “I didn’t just forget what you said earlier.”

“I sure hope you didn’t, because I’m not sweeping the crap you thought of pulling with me under the rug, either. And no, I won’t be saying what it is if I don’t need to. You know exactly the thing I’m talking about.”

Miu growled at him, then turning her attention to Tenko. “Alright, so enough of that, where do I even start with how dead wrong you are?”

“Actually, Tenko might be onto something,” Tsumugi gulped. “It does seem strange for Shinguuji-kun to have carried a dangerous weapon in his hand and suddenly not turn up dead.”

“See? See?! Even she agrees with me!” Tenko exclaimed.

“Only because he looks suspicious, but Kiyo being a guy isn’t enough to prove him guilty!” Kaito snapped. “You’d think past experiences would have taught you that.”

“Hmm? Were you talking just now? I must have just ignored it because no male ever has anything important to say.”

“This is getting us nowhere,” Shuichi decided. “Instead of screaming back and forth, let’s actually put our heads together and use them.”

 _‘I’m with him,’_ Kaede secretly agreed. _‘But, where to begin to calm down the commotion?’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Student Council Meeting Time >**

**|| Lascia Ch’io Pianga Sheet Music >**

**|| Bloodstained Hammer >**

**|| Dented Music Stand >**

**|| Korekiyo’s Testimony >**

“There’s not a doubt in my mind that **Shinguuji-san** **is the culprit**!” Tenko declared. “He’s guilty as sin!”

“Well, I can’t say he’s looking too good right now,” Himiko guessed. “After all, he **was holding something sketchy** when we found him, huh?”

“See? See? If a brilliant mind such as Himiko’s thinks so, it must be true!”

“Quit going based on what your lady friend says!” Kaito snapped, applicable to both girls. “ **You don’t have enough proof that Shin’s guilty**!”

“Tell me again why we let this Skank Tank talk in a trial?” Miu spat. “And you guys say I’m useless!”

“Well—” Ouma was about to snicker.

“—I asked everyone except you, you walking little dingleberry!”

“Guys, don’t fight,” Kiibo scolded. “We can’t get off base with proving Shinguuji-kun’s innocence! ...Or lack thereof.”

“And it’s the latter,” Tenko snorted. “That creepy old pervert killed poor Kirumi-san and **faked his death to look innocent**. Oldest trick in the book!”

“Bias does you little good in a trial, Tenko,” Korekiyo warned.

“Likewise, men talking does even less good. Confess your crimes if you have nothing worthwhile to include!”

“Sound familiar?” Ouma tittered.

 _‘I get where Tenko’s coming from, but she said something off in accusing Shinguuji-kun,’_ Kaede thought. _‘Let’s backtrack a little.’_

Tenko’s claim on Korekiyo having “ **f** **aked his death to look innocent** ” wound up being the incorrect one, Kaede having the ammo to shoot it right down.

**|| Korekiyo’s Testimony >**

“No, that’s wrong!” Kaede exclaimed.

_Break!_

* * *

“I’m not denying he looked pretty suspicious, but there is at least one thing Shinguuji-kun confirmed,” she resumed. “When we all saw him and thought he was dead, he wasn’t faking it. He was knocked out cold.”

“Was he really?” Tenko scoffed. “For all we know, he could have been pretending to be unconscious. Waking up at the wrong time would have gotten him in serious trouble!”

“Kiyo-chan faking being knocked out doesn’t sound too past him,” Ouma noted. “Even if it is a stupid way to nab a bad guy. For shame, Detective!”

“You’d be free to chide me if that were what happened,” Korekiyo said. “Unfortunately for myself and my attempted killer, I really was knocked unconscious, but not dead.”

“And you’re sure you didn’t just slip and hit your head?” Himiko suggested. “Or playing dead like a doggy?”

“Either way, it’s all the more of a sign he’s covering up his tracks,” Tenko hissed.

“Shinguuji-kun, did you really fake being dead and kill Toujou-san?” Tsumugi gasped. “You couldn’t have…!”

“Damn right he couldn’t have!” Miu cried. “Y-You idiots are just missing a whole bunch of info to this and making assumptions! Yeah, that’s it!”

“I know fully well what the truth is, and I only wish for those who don’t believe me to see it soon,” Korekiyo stated.

“This would be easier if you at least gave us a hint at who did it,” Kiibo murmured.

“So, it’s a hint you want, is it? Then I’ll say this. When somebody is knocked unconscious, there is but one, undeniable sign on them.” Korekiyo eyed Kaede. “Now, given I couldn’t see so myself, somebody else who’d seen my body did, yes?”

“Preferably someone that’s not named Tenko,” Miu commented.

 _‘That would be me,’_ Kaede remembered. _‘He really was out cold, but what proves it?’_

**|| Korekiyo’s Injuries >**

“I get it! When Tenko and I looked at your head, you had a bump on it from getting hit.”

“Not that I can see the back of my own scalp, but that would be so, given the immense headache I’d woken up to,” Korekiyo confirmed.

“That doesn’t mean much,” Tsumugi said. “Like Yumeno-san said, you could have just hit your head on something and still leave a bump.”

“Don’t speak for me, I know what I said,” Himiko hissed. “...But, uhh, yeah. That. That could have happened.”

“I feel like it’s not that simple,” Shuichi figured. “Slipping and falling is common, but you’d need to be really unlucky to land hard enough on your head and black out. Most body reflexes are there to stop that.”

“By using an arm, or your hand as a shield from the blow,” Rantaro added, tapping his noggin. “And, given what we saw, it’s not too likely it was a simple slip-up.”

“Amami-san, must you make my life easier and difficult all at the same time…?” Tenko grumbled.

“I’m only trying to leave room for logic here. Can’t solve a trial without it, you know.”

“Then my deduction has plenty of it! Stop fighting me!”

“Logic that ‘boy equals killer’ when that’s only happened once?” Shuichi wondered. “That’s nowhere near enough proof to incriminate somebody.”

“I dunno, Shumai, it could happen again!” Ouma giggled. “Everybody’s guilty until proven slightly less guilty.”

“To be fair, a bump on Shinguuji-kun’s head doesn’t necessarily mean somebody else hit him,” Kiibo argued. “He well could have hit a wall, or the floor and gotten just as bad of a bump.”

“Oh, please, just how clumsy do you take me to be?” Korekiyo pressed.

“Enough to get yourself knocked unconscious,” Himiko replied.

“Again, that’s only under the assumption I’d slipped and fallen. Which I didn’t.”

“Liar! Liar! You’re a liar!” Tenko accused pointing to Kiyo, her eyes flashing red to the loud alarm coming from her while her choker displayed several thumbs down. “Confess so that Kirumi-san may rest in peace despite the atrocities you’ve bestowed upon her!”

“I refuse to confess to something that didn’t happen.”

“And I refuse to back down until you admit it did happen!”

 _‘They’re fighting like cats and dogs, how do I make them stop?’_ Kaede puzzled. _‘We’ll get nowhere at this rate unless I do.’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Dented Music Stand >**

**|| Nails In Lock Reader >**

**|| Miu’s Testimony >**

**|| Trail Of Blood >**

**|| Monokuma File #3 >**

“A little fun fact of the day! Crimes and other misdeeds are 100% more likely to be committed by a male,” Tenko claimed. “ **T** **his one is no exception**.”

“Oh, so you mean Yonaga-san was male this whole time?” Korekiyo tested. “Unless I’m recalling incorrectly, she was Harukawa-san’s killer.”

“Err, th— that doesn’t count! Haven’t you heard of a margin of error?!”

“Yes, and I’m hearing a great error in all of your nonsensical, misandric claims.”

“All I’m hearing is a **cowardly killer** who won’t say what we need to hear!”

“Guys, not too sorry to cut in, but you’re really not helping anybody’s case right now,” Rantaro bluntly said, hands on his hips exasperated.

“Yeah, **focus on the case** , you dum-dums!” Ouma snapped. “You’re all gonna die, remember?”

“That includes you, too, Kokichi,” Kiibo sighed.

“Nope. I don’t feel like dying, so I won’t.”

“Back to the case at hand,” Korekiyo brought up. “I never **slipped nor fell** and hit my head.”

“Is there any way you can prove that other than a bump on your head?” Kaito asked.

“Of course. When one **suffers from head trauma** , what else is accounted for?”

“Uhhh, **whatever they hit their head on**?”

“Exactly. Or, what hit them instead.”

“Are you gonna tell us what that thing is, or just stall even longer?” Shuichi spat. “I thought you said we needed to focus.”

“No, that was me!” Ouma griped, getting ignored just as easily.

“Patience, Saihara-kun, I was just getting to that,” Korekiyo continued. “And for those who cannot trust my claims, one other person can vouch for spotting **what knocked me out in Kirumi’s Research Lab**.”

**|| Dented Music Stand >**

“I agree with that!” Kaede consented.

_Break!_

* * *

“There was something in the Lab that you got knocked out with, Shinguuji-kun,” she resumed. “When Tenko and I were investigating, we noticed one of the music stands was near the bodies, and it was dented.”

“Do you remember anything about a music stand?” Rantaro asked Korekiyo.

“Quite well,” Korekiyo answered. “My attacker picked it up to use against me, and then everything went black after they got their way.” He patted the soreness on his throat, uncomfortable. “And they didn’t stop there, it seems.”

“While I don’t doubt the music stand was involved in this case, how can we trust that somebody used it to hit him on his head?” Tenko wondered. “It’d be just as easy to assume he hit his own head on it and is trying to make it seem like another assailant was involved!”

“He… hit his head. By himself. On a music stand?” Ouma pieced together. “Should I bother with a response to that? I think your stupidity overloaded my superior mind. Not that you know what it’s like to have a mind.”

“Robophobic _men_ ace! I’ll have your head for that one!”

“If your lucky, the bear might instead,” Miu murmured.

“Man, everyone’s out to get me today, huh?” Ouma snickered. “It’s gonna suck to be you guys when I’m proven innocent.”

“You mean _if_ you’re proven innocent,” Kaito spat. “You’re the most sketchy of us all! I’d bet you don’t even have a good alibi to make up!”

“Who needs one? I know where I stand on this, so who cares what you dirt louts think?”

“...Back to the point, does anybody have a good reason why Shinguuji-kun most likely didn’t hit his own head on a music stand?” Tsumugi suggested. “It’s a little obvious, but Tenko-san doesn’t seem like she wants to believe anything except her own schtick.”

“I’ll cut it out when our culprit looks less guilty,” Tenko sneered.

“So… never?” Himiko wondered.

“Exactly!”

“A little help, Kaede?” Shuichi requested.

 _‘I may not be a music student, but even someone at my daycare would know why music stands don’t do too much harm if you fall on them,’_ Kaede thought. _‘And that’s because…’_

  1. It’s too soft
  2. The size makes for a poor weapon
  3. **It’d fall over on impact**



“I get it! You can’t just fall unconscious on a music stand! It’d topple right over as soon as you hit it unless someone else holds it in place. And given how good of a bump Shinguuji-kun has from it, the odds of him getting such a mark by tripping and falling are very low. The worst he’d get is a slight bruising, but nothing to make him conk out.”

“Very well said,” Korekiyo praised. “I didn’t even need to give you a hint or anything of the sort for once.”

“I’m trying to prove your maybe-innocence, don’t make me regret it more than I’m starting to.”

“Do you believe Shin was attacked now?” Kaito asked Tenko.

“Hmm,” Tenko murmured, giving Korekiyo a skeptical gaze with her pointer fingers together. “Okay, so maybe you really did get knocked out.”

“Finally! My guy’s officially innocent!”

“Not so fast, Momota-san! I never said such a thing. Just because somebody else attacked him doesn’t mean he didn’t kill Kirumi-san.”

“Spoke too soon…”

“One of two things could have happened! Either A., Kirumi-san rightfully struck him in self-defense and he was hit a second time when somebody caught him killing her so he wouldn’t hurt any other girl, or B., the same thing as A, except she never got the chance to strike him first.” Tenko gave her most complacent look to Korekiyo. “And the monster who started it all thought he could get past my watchful eyes. I’d say better luck next time, but there isn’t gonna be one after I’m through with him!”

“Ahem! You mean after _I’m_ through with him!” Monokuma fought. “Look, I may have been gone all chapter, but I haven’t given up my power to just any old loser!”

“Which includes you, Monosuke,” Monotaro laughed. “Oh, how the mighty have fallen, and fall hard you did!”

“Sh-Shut it! I was doin’ a great job compared to that black-and-white chump!” Monosuke retorted. “Eh, no offense to you, Pops.”

“None taken,” Monokuma claimed. “All good phases must come to a bloody end.”

“B-Bloody?”

“Don’t say bloody! I just got over that last bout of barf!” Monophanie gagged, swallowing her bile. “Phew. Not today, loose stomach!”

“To think she won first place in our annual food eating contest,” Monotaro commented, pink in the cheeks. “What a woman…”

“Hey, dingus? That’s our little sister,” Monosuke reminded, disgusted.

“Eh, you weren’t here for that diddy last time. No need to explain it to you.”

“What, exactly?!”

“They’re getting us nowhere,” Rantaro said. “How could we prove that our suspect got knocked out without necessarily killing the victim?”

“It would take a miracle at this rate,” Himiko uttered.

“To prove it, or get Tin Cunt to shut her biggest hole about Kiyo offing Kirumi?” Miu spat.

“Yes.”

 _‘One’s easier than the other, so I’ll manage that first,’_ Kaede pondered. _‘When everyone gets going again, I know just what to say!’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Motive Video Tapes >**

**|| Nails In Lock Reader >**

**|| Kirumi’s Injuries >**

**|| Ultimate Pianist Lab Mess >**

**|| Monokuma File #3 >**

“Without more evidence, **we don’t have a way of proving** Toujou-san’s killer and Shinguuji-kun’s attacker are the same person,” Rantaro guessed.

“ **The proof is in the pudding** , you foolish inventor!” Tenko scolded.

“Not yet, it isn’t. Slow down there, Tenks.”

Tenko flushed, a tad irritated. “‘T-Tenks’? I didn’t consent to that nickname! How dare you?!”

“Sorry, ma’am. Won’t give it until you say so.”

“Flirt on your own time! We still haven’t made a nick in this case!” Ouma complained.

“What **other evidence** are we missing?” Himiko inquired.

“I don’t think we’ve gone over **the time of death and miscellaneous details** yet,” Kiibo recalled. “Starting there might help since it’d narrow down the time between the murder and Shinguuji-kun being attacked.”

“But, **how can we pinpoint that**?” Shuichi wondered. “We don’t know when the attack part happened.”

“It stinks Toujou-san didn’t survive her **one-hit murder** ,” Tsumugi mused. “Then she’d still be here to tell us who really killed her.”

“The fact of somebody having taken her out is a tragedy in itself,” Korekiyo mourned, sadder. “And all because I wasn’t there for her in time…”

 _‘Hold the phone. Shirogane-san just said something that doesn’t add up,’_ Kaede realized. _‘I remember very clearly what debunks that.’_

Backtracking a little, Kaede proved Tsumugi’s claim of Kirumi dying from a “ **o** **ne-hit murder** ” incorrect using the one piece of evidence that said otherwise.

**|| Kirumi’s Injuries >**

“No, that’s wrong!”

_Break!_

* * *

“Although Kirumi definitely got a nasty blow to the head, she didn’t die on the first hit,” she refuted. “The first hit only knocked her unconscious.”

“What?! You mean both people were KO’d?” Tsumugi gasped.

“That’s right. When I took a look at the body, Kirumi had two kinds of wounds. One was the **dent** from when she was actually killed, but another was a **bump** , which didn’t. Her bruise is the same kind Shinguuji-kun’s got on his head.”

“How do you know?” Himiko asked. “She could have hit her head before she was murdered and couldn’t put ice on it.”

“Doubt it. The bump was pretty nasty, and definitely looked to be one that you get after you’re hit on the head and knocked out.”

“Lots of bumps look the same on your head!” Miu barked, then simmering down. “Well, okay, I take that back. Some of ‘em can get really big if you get hit with something hard or large.” She got stares from everybody, returning with a dirty look of her own. “What? I ain’t saying it! That fruit’s hanging lower than any ‘a your ballsacks!”

“There really is a first for everything,” Shuichi commented. “But, Iruma-san does have a point. What proves Toujou-san was knocked unconscious at all besides having two kinds of head injuries?”

 _‘Even Shuichi’s starting to doubt me. I’d better remind them,’_ Kaede said in her mind.

**|| Monokuma File #3 >**

“I get it! Don’t you guys remember what the Monokuma File said? It clearly stated that Kirumi’s _second_ injury killed her, but the first was only strong enough to knock her out and was otherwise non-fatal.”

“Which proves neither her nor Shinguuji-kun getting hit on the head was an accident!” Kiibo exclaimed. “It was all part of the killer’s ploy!”

“Yes, Shinguuji-san’s ploy,” Tenko continued to accuse, smug. “You still can’t convince me he wasn’t the one to strike her down, and never will.”

“Tell us something that’s new,” Shuichi muttered.

“But, did he even attack first, if he did at all?” Himiko asked. “It really could have been Kirumi for all we know, and one thing happened after the other.”

“Not a doubt in my mind! Kirumi-san wouldn’t attempt to do something so thoughtless unless it was self-defense,” Tenko claimed. “She’d need to be provoked into it, and what was it? Him!” She pointed to Korekiyo, who remained indifferent.

“...Man, at least say something!” Kaito griped. “Anything in defense!”

“Dum… da, dum-dum,” Korekiyo hummed, more or less tuning out what he deemed nonsense as his pocket watch seemed more interesting to him.

“Too late, he’s gone,” Rantaro sighed.

“No matter what he says, Misandroid gonna be there to shoot him down,” Miu grumbled. “Fuckin’ idiot robot.”

“If you’re going to call me names, leave me being a robot out of this!” Tenko scolded. “I refuse your robophobia!”

 _‘The thing is, some of Tenko’s claims actually add up,’_ Kaede stated in her thoughts. _‘Let’s start by solidifying what_ **_did_ ** _happen instead of what didn’t so we can debunk the rest and put an end to this once and for all!’_

* * *

_Psyche Taxi_

_Start!_

_3_

_2_

_1_

_GO!!_

Kaede hopped inside the fuschia cab, buckling in and getting the engine revving so she could step on it and drive. Her first pathway was through a bright city under a moonlit night sky with billboards all depicting her horrified face watching the motive video she’d been presented first thing after waking up lined up on both sides of the road. She aimed for every prismatic cube in her way on the road, running them over and getting closer to the question she needed until every last letter got filled in. Everything started to turn neon pink, hinting at how close the following area was.

**Who was knocked out first?**

_☆ THINKING TIME ☆_

Passing through the new area, up ahead were two voluptuous women colored only pink awaiting their ride whilst carrying two possible answers. The left said “Kirumi Toujou”, and the right “Korekiyo Shinguuji”, their distance giving Kaede a bit of time to think it over without stopping the car. Now certain which was the better, she turned the wheel left and rammed into that lady, who got inside the passenger’s seat strangely unharmed. Above them, several signs all saying “Next Question” alerted Kaede that another round of solving and guessing was coming up. She wound up passing through a dry desert of dead trees and tall rocks, more boxes eating the hood of her taxi and filling in blanks where her second question could be read. The next set of billboards this time showed Tsumugi showing everybody the Flashback Light destroyed by her own foot in an attempt to frame the student council for misconduct and abuse of power that wound up going under when she was exposed by them all as the one truly responsible.

**Why couldn’t Kirumi have attacked Korekiyo?**

_☆ THINKING TIME ☆_

Back in the pink city lights again, Kaede saw two more women holding answers up ahead, one carrying “She was somewhere else” on the left, and the other saying “She was already unresponsive” on the right side of the road. Given what was blatant about the case, one didn’t seem possible, so the taxi was turned right and charged into its needed answer, picking up the corresponding lady and driving off with her in the backseat. The response was correct, so it led Kaede to drive underneath more “Next Question” gate signs leading into the next area being a sunset boulevard lined with palm trees and billboards displaying the memory of Kaede presenting her and her new student council to everyone else at dinner. The last set of boxes were laid all over the road, shattered when driven through and unlocking another question.

**How many times was Korekiyo hit in the head?**

_☆ THINKING TIME ☆_

For the last trip to the pink city, there were three women this time holding different answer options. In the center, one said “Once”, on her left stood an option for “Twice”, and on the right was a woman saying “Several” for the third choice. Kaede had some distance left, so she thought hard at the best answer, ultimately driving more towards the center woman and running her over, sending her flying backwards until she landed safely in her seat. Everybody was all accounted for, solving another piece of the mystery.

_Phase 1: Who was knocked out first?_

**Kirumi Toujou**

_Phase 2: Why couldn’t Kirumi have attacked Korekiyo?_

**She was already unresponsive**

_Phase 3: How many times was Korekiyo hit on the head?_

**Once**

“It connected!” Kaede shouted.

_Complete!_

* * *

“Tenko, you’re half-right,” she resumed. “We can say for certain that between the two attacked, Kirumi was knocked out first.”

“She was?” Tenko wondered. “Ha! I knew it!”

“Not so fast, I’m not necessarily saying Shinguuji-kun had anything to do with it. At least not yet.”

“What are you saying then?”

“That in a scenario where Shinguuji-kun confronted Kirumi and killed her, that would mean she’d be knocked out first instead of him. If it were the other way around, it’d be impossible for him to land so much as one hit since he’d already be out cold.”

“In other words, unless a third person were involved at the time, Toujou-san fell first,” Shuichi noted.

“Thus eliminating the possibility of only two people being linked with this crime,” Korekiyo added.

“But, it doesn’t get rid of you being Kirumi-san’s killer,” Tenko snarled. “Maybe she was hit first, but I know from the bottom of where my heart would be that you did it!”

“And how is it you figure that?”

“Like I said before. _You_ knocked Kirumi-san out and killed her after she hit you in the head to protect herself, then somebody else so happened to catch you red-handed and did the same to you in return so you wouldn’t hurt anymore maidens! It’s way too obvious to ignore!”

“Just like logic, and yet you seem to be doing that just fine.”

“Silly Kiyo-chan, logic is for people with brains!” Ouma taunted, directing it more at Tenko. “For a computer, she sure sucks at getting thinking right, huh?”

“You aren’t helping, pipe down,” Rantaro chided.

“I’m hurt, Ran-chan. You can’t take away my free speech!”

Rantaro ignored him. “So, you think Shinguuji-kun got hit, killed Toujou-san, and then got hit again by somebody else?”

“I know it,” Tenko answered, firm.

“Did you see another bump on his head?”

“...What?”

“Well, I’m only saying that the only way for him to have gotten hit a few times would be for him to have more than one head bump, right? The odds of being struck in the same spot and adding to one bump are pretty slim.”

“I— yeah, he’d need two to get knocked out the second time.”

“And we only saw one on his head,” Kaede concluded. “Which means, Shinguuji-kun’s attacker only hit him once, then down he went. Isn’t that right?”

“I can confirm I was hit no more than one time,” Korekiyo affirmed. “And, that my poor Kirumi was already dead by when I saw her.”

“Yeah, right,” Tenko spat.

“He did get closest to the killer, so I don’t think he’s lying,” Tsumugi noted. “Plus, given how badly he takes lying in a trial, why would he go doing it too?”

“Because that’s precisely what degenerate males do! They say one thing is wrong, then go back and do it themselves just so it seems appropriate for themselves! Add insult to injury, he won’t admit what he’s done wrong!”

“But, Shinguuji-kun is also an eyewitness,” Kiibo noted. “Whatever he does tell us, it’s most likely not a lie.”

“Hmph. Of course you defend your own kind. Of course.”

“Those in favor of ignoring Bionic Bitchy, say aye!” Miu exclaimed.

“Aye!” Ouma agreed, raising his hand.

“Except you!”

“Okay, don’t get so rowdy, guys,” Kaede insisted. “We’re finally making good progress given what we know now with the certainty of a third person being linked here. If we can find out who that is—”

“—Just who the Hell do you think I am?!” Kaito barked, interrupting.

“What? Kaito, what’s the problem?”

“Sorry, Kaede, but I’ve kept quiet long enough. If you wanna prove Shin’s innocence, then you’re gonna have to step things up to their fullest! Not a notch lower because one of us is just gonna knock it right down! We’ve gotta get straight to the point and stay there; no more stalling or forgetting what’s more important! Got it?”

“Aye-aye! Gimme everything you’ve got and beyond that!”

“Don’t mind if I do, ma’am! Let’s do this for Shin!”

* * *

_Rebuttal Showdown_

_-Truth Blade-_

_Start!_

**|| Broken CD || ######]**

**|| Lascia Ch’io Pianga || ######]**

**|| Miu’s Testimony || ######]**

**|| Bloodstained Hammer || ######]**

**|| Nails In Lock Reader || ######]**

“All we’ve done is bounce back and forth with who attacked who, or when attacked what!”

“None of it’s getting us as far as you think!”

“Our main focus should be on alibis! We know the time of death now, so what’s slowing you down?!”

“And at the rate we’re going, Tenko’s just gonna keep firing back with her own claims. She never makes things easy for the guys, does she?”

“What is up with that, I wonder?”

“Anyways! Even if Shin hit Toujou, or somebody else did, we’ll only know that answer by remembering where everyone was at that time!”

“So, my two cents would be whoever was closest to Toujou’s Lab when she died, that’s the killer!”

“The same goes for Kiyo’s attacker. You said yourself he couldn’t have hit himself, nor could Toujou have done it!”

“We’ve been looking into everything except the real crook! Who is the third person that actually did all of this?”

“Use that big old brain of yours and save the day! Don’t tell me you can’t do it, either!”

_Advance!_

“ **I** **never said I couldn’t, but there are some alibis we haven’t come across yet** ,” Kaede pointed out.

“Then we’ll go with the ones we’re sure of! Even you’re part of them!”

“A good number of people were on that same floor when the murder took place!”

“Pick any one that would paint the clearest picture and knock a few suspects off the list.”

“One of them might even be our killer without us having a clue what they secretly went off to do!”

“It’s our job as the student council to keep a watchful eye on our classmates and be closest when disaster strikes!”

“Which means **one of us would know best** who doesn’t have a solid excuse today!”

**|| Miu’s Testimony || ###### ||**

“I’ll cut your words!” Kaede exclaimed.

_Break!_

* * *

“From the accounts I did get before the trial started, there was one that proved to be really helpful,” she kept going. “And it wasn’t from a student council member at all.”

“Oh? Who said it, then?” Kaito asked.

“ **I** **ruma-san** did.”

“Me?” Miu wondered meekly before pretending to be more confident. “I mean, duh, it was me! This trial would be a bigger bust than mine if it weren’t for the info I gave the president!”

“And that info is?” Himiko quizzed.

“Iruma-san and Kiibo were the two that discovered the body before the announcement went off,” Kaede explained. “Which I found strange as is, but there’s something I want to clear up before I go into that.”

“Oh, this again?” Monokuma interrupted. “Lemme guess, you’re just itching in your pantaloons to know what triggers the body announcement, huh?”

“Pretty much, yes. Are you gonna tell us, or do I have to wheedle it out of you?”

“No, no, force is not necessary. See, to trigger one of my famous body discovery chimes, the number of children I’ve got left for now is your key! It’s as easy as one, two…?”

“Three,” Shuichi finished. “Three people is the minimum for setting off the announcement?”

“Up-bup, not just any three people! Three _innocent_ people, which means it doesn’t count if the blackened saw the corpse first.”

“Yeah, because they already saw ‘em. For Pete’s sake, they killed them!” Monosuke noted. “Unless you count doing it blindfolded.”

“Which I don’t. Even if they were blind, blindfolded, or did it with their head turned, it doesn’t matter! The blackened. Doesn’t. Count.”

“Nobody was able to notice given how many people barged in after Gokuhara-kun died, but actually!” Monophanie said. “Harukawa-san’s death had exactly three people who wound up not doing it.”

“Oh yeah!” Kaede recalled. “That was me, Kaito, and Tenko who walked in on… yeah. And we’re all still here today.”

“But, she’s not,” Kaito mourned, looking woefully at Maki’s postmortem portrait.

“I’m quite surprised you’d give us that little bit of information, Monokuma,” Korekiyo remarked. “I expected you more to stir the pot by keeping silent.”

“Why bother doing that? You’re already stealing my job in that department,” Monokuma snarked. “Besides, as much as I love seeing you guys cluck like headless chickens in my trials, even I get bored seeing things go in an endless loop.”

“So, you wanna savor them… and speed them up?” Tsumugi questioned.

“I guess. Enough from me, use what I told you to your advantages! Go, go, go! Andele, andele!”

“Taking that into account, if Miu and I saw Toujou-san’s body and that set off the announcement,” Kiibo started, “then there was one other person who saw her before us!”

“One other person who we can cross off the list,” Rantaro stated. “Besides you and Iruma-san, I mean. You’re both clean.”

“Damn right, I am! I’d never hurt Kirumi, and whoever did’s gonna get something large, rusty, and uncomfortable right up their—!” Miu started to bark.

“— _As_ we were saying, somebody else is innocent,” Himiko quickly censored. “But, who?”

“I think I know this time,” Kaede guessed. “It’s the one other person that was guaranteed to have been in Kirumi’s Lab when she was killed aside from her actual killer.”

“Then tell us! Tell us, I say!” Ouma demanded. “You can’t not say so!”

_‘Stop acting so impatient. The person we can say for sure didn’t kill Kirumi is…’_

**_Who saw the body first?_ **

**_Select someone!_ **

“It’s you! It’s definitely you!” Kaede’s finger went to the podium directly beside Tsumugi’s. “Since we found you seemingly dead at the crime scene, you actually discovered the body first aside from the culprit. Didn’t you, Shinguuji-kun?”

“You would be absolutely right to say so,” Korekiyo confirmed. “It’s for that very reason I was attacked in the first place. Besides others, but we’ll get into that later.”

“By ‘others’, do you mean because you saw the killer?” Shuichi asked.

“That’s one. I can confirm I was meant to be put out of commission so I wouldn’t be able to expose them right away. Or at all.”

“Which means the detective’s innocent!” Kaito declared. “Do you believe him now, Tenko?”

“Hrm,” Tenko grumbled, glaring at Korekiyo and Kaito. “Okay, maybe he really isn’t the killer. But, he was still holding the murder weapon clear as day when we found him!”

“So? The killer obviously tried to frame him. Even I got that.”

“Yeah, even idiots like Momota-chan could solve that one!” Ouma insulted, paying no attention to Kaito’s dirty look as he put a finger to his lips and looked sketchy. “Besides, I think all of us know who the real killer is.”

“Do we now?” Tsumugi wondered, tone flat.

“We sure do! Three people have already been cleared for takeoff, but one in particular has not. And I dunno about y’all, but this one yammered on pointing fingers away from themselves just so nobody will think to point at ‘em back.”

“Can you just get on with saying who you think the culprit is?” Kaito demanded. “I never took you to be one to sugarcoat shit.”

“Ever heard of ‘building up to suspense’? Followed by a DUN-DUN-DUUUUN? No? Well, I should have known some meathead like you wouldn’t, so you’re half-forgiven.”

“Get on with it!”

“Settle down, Princess, I’m about to say it. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you…” Ouma pointed to his choice, everyone turning floored with shock. “Our killer in disguise! The Ultimate Robot, 10-K0!”

* * *

_Class Trial: Intermission_

“It’s that wonderful time of the day again, children!” Monokuma cheered in front of the stump holding up his three remaining Monokubs on one wooden pedestal each. “You know what that is?”

“Elevenses?” Monotaro suggested.

“You just ate! Don’t think with your stomach, that’s how you overbuy things at the supermarket.”

“And overeat,” Monophanie warned. “Just because your brain tells you it could go for cleaning out the entire deli, your stomach begs to differ!”

“Unless you make lots of room,” Monosuke added. “Then maybe seconds might be possible.”

“Oh boy! I hope that’s true!” Monotaro whooped.

“No, no, NO! You silly young bears!” Monokuma barked. “It’s not time for any kind of meal! I meant it’s—! Augh, forget it. You little piggies ruined it.”

“Did you mean it’s time for the going to get good for the trial, Daddy?” Monophanie asked. “All you had to do was speak up!”

“Yeah, we’re on the edges of our seats here!” Monotaro agreed. “We’d never forget something so bloodpumpingly plump-tastic!”

“That ain’t even a word and I agree with youse!” Monosuke included. “Stay tuned, everyone, ‘cause the best part has yet to come!”

“...What they said,” Monokuma sighed, mourning the loss of his stolen thunder. “Man, these birth control commercials get more and more convincing, don’t they?”

“You say something, Pops?”

“Nope!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point (and since the beginning lmfao), I'm just bs'ing writing the Monokubs by putting minimal effort into them. I don't care about them, and frankly, I've got plenty of reasons to believe you guys don't either. Y'all're just here for the Ultimates and their shenanigans like I am; admit it.
> 
> Speaking of them, two things. One, I still fully intend on making a separate work for FTE's to avoid clogging the chapters here, and two, I'm highly, HIGHLY considering creating a third work meant to be my version of the Anthology, but within the V3BOOT universe and in the form of oneshots rather than manga. Just a little something that's more lighthearted and a good breather from everything going on here, and it'd help explore some characters/interactions that didn't get much spotlight in the main story. More or less a thought, but it's very likely I'd go through with it given the time.
> 
> Now, with that out of the way, I'll be hitting the hay soon after finishing my catch-up of Unus Annus (which shall depart this world today, actually; #MementoMori) so I can go to work and resume the second part of the trial. We'll be seeing each other then, so look forward to it and thanks for joining me today, folks! ♥


	29. Episode XXVIII: Class Trial 3.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, y'all! What better way to spend the night before my day off than finishing up a nice ol' chapter for you guys and uploading it? I've gotta say, the Ch. 3 trial is actually the easiest for me to write so far, likely bc I'm not just starting out like Ch. 1 nor trying to bullshit it like Ch. 2 -w-'
> 
> I'm not complaining, of course, because it was far easier to map out and make longer page-wise per part. While I am tired being on my way to bed, I never mind staying up a tad longer to get this out so you guys have... a bit of a bedtime story, if you will. It's my treat. ;3c  
> Enough of that rambling, I shall let you guys enjoy the update now without me getting in the way. Have fun and Happy Reading to all my lovely readers out there! ♥

_Class Trial: Resume_

“Me?! I’m not the killer!” Tenko argued, aggressive. “How dare you say such a thing?!”

“I double-dog dare it, actually,” Ouma retorted. “Since Miu-Miu’s clean, you just took her place on my list of ‘Guilty A-F Suspects’ right at the tippy-top!”

“Nyeh, but Kirumi was a girl,” Himiko pointed out. “Tenko wouldn’t kill a girl.”

“Maybe not on purpose, but she’d definitely aim for a boy given the chance.”

“You bitch!” Miu roared. “Did you kill Kirumi trying to kill Kiyo?! I’ve never duked it out with a gyndroid before, but boy, am I ready to now!”

“No, Miu-san, I didn’t do either of those!” Tenko pleaded, now afraid. “It’s against the law of robotics for me to kill!”

“But, you’d be willing to make an exception for those awful, awful ‘degenerate males’,” Ouma giggled. “Fess up! That’s all you wanted this whole time, right?”

“I meant from Shinguuji-san when I thought he did it!”

“Tenko, if you didn’t do it, you’ve gotta back it up,” Rantaro advised. “Without proof, it’s very easy to assume that you’re the one.”

“Unless your name is Kokichi Ouma, in which he’ll accuse you even if you have a good alibi,” Tsumugi added.

“Which she does,” Korekiyo stated, pointer finger up. “She in fact shares an alibi with a few others.”

“Did I ask for your worthless input? No? Then stay quiet,” Tenko spat, smug. “You’re the reason we’re in this mess to begin with.”

“He just defended you, though,” Shuichi said.

“A defense I didn’t need and won’t from a dirty male.”

“Your funeral, then,” Ouma snorted. “Even more when you’re turned into scrap metal.”

“Tenko’s not the killer!” Himiko snapped. “And if you won’t take my word for it, take Angie’s. She agrees with me.”

“Knock that off…!” Kaito gulped, horrified. “Tenko, just prove you’re not the killer like you’re claiming!”

“And I’m not!” Tenko further declared.

“Y’are, too!” Ouma cackled.

“Kokichi, no, she isn’t,” Korekiyo calmly retorted.

 _‘Uh-oh, everyone’s getting rowdier than ever,’_ Kaede observed. _‘If I can pick one statement to focus on, it just might quiet them all down. Listen closely, me!’_

* * *

_Mass Panic Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Motive Video Tapes >**

**|| Trail Of Blood >**

**|| Ultimate Pianist Lab Mess >**

**|| Student Council Meeting Time >**

**|| Monokuma File #3 >**

“When I want your lousy opinion, I’ll ask for it!” Tenko barked at Korekiyo.

“I was only trying to plead your case that you’re innocent, and you repay me by throwing a tantrum,” Korekiyo bluntly said.

“My case, my own pleading! I don’t owe you a thing! What is it with men and trying to butt into things unrelated to them? It’s so annoying!”

“You mean, even when I could provide a very good reason why you aren’t responsible for Kirumi’s death, thus saving everybody from unlawful execution, I’m only being nosy?”

“Exactly!”

“Very well, then do it. Plead your own case, and I’ll kindly stay out of it since I’m so unreliable.”

“Good. Do me a favor and keep it that way!”

“However, remember that I am not and won’t be responsible for any trouble your bias against the opposite sex gets you into. I’ve warned you, and you once again choose to ignore that instead.”

“Which is exactly what I’m going to do now.” Tenko blocked her ears. “I can’t hear you, you can’t get inside my head! Only my inner voice can annoy me that much!”

“You have an inner voice?”

“La-da-dum! La-da-dum! La-da-da, dum, dum, dum!”

“How come you’re picking on Tenko now?” Himiko grumbled. “Is it because she’s a robot?”

“That, and the fact that homegirl’s been too obnoxious all trial to let slide,” Ouma earnestly answered. “Nobody makes as many accusations as she did without looking a little guilty.”

“You always say that.”

“For good reasons, my dear. Your little lady friend’s become more sus than a fox covered in white feathers.”

“You’re one to talk! Nobody even trusts you!”

“Which is exactly why I didn’t do it. I don’t care what people have to say about me, so long as I know I can back me up.”

“...Pretending that makes sense, where’s _your_ proof that you’re innocent, and Tenko’s not?”

“My alibi. Unlike me, **she ain’t got no alibi**! She ugly! She ugly!”

“And ‘you stupid’, ‘you stupid’...”

“Says the one who can’t even get her grammar right. This is a school, Himiko-chan. You might wanna pick something up from it every now and again.”

“I’d hate to throw somebody under the bus, but for Tenko to wanna hurt Shinguuji-kun doesn’t sound too unlike her,” Kiibo admitted. “Unless we’re overthinking this and she really is clean. After all, Toujou-san’s the one who died.”

“That doesn’t mean jack anymore!” Kaito fought. “Anybody can kill someone no matter what they think of ‘em! I’m not too keen on saying that, but it’s sad, yet true.”

“You aren’t hearing any arguments from me. It might be Tenko after all if we find out the reason why.”

“All it takes is one shitty motive, and boom! Somebody dies when they shouldn’t.”

“Momota-kun, you really miss her, don’t you?”

“It’s not just from losing Maki, Everyone’s got their own time to go, and it’s not now. Don’t ask me why, it’s only common sense!”

“O— kay, I won’t ask, then.”

 _‘What was it Ouma-kun just said? I’ll sniff him out from the others and make his statement clearer,’_ Kaede thought. _‘Tune out the rest…’_

Focusing primarily on Ouma’s statement in regards to Tenko and how “ **s** **he ain’t got no alibi** ”, which wasn’t true given the evidence.

**|| Student Council Meeting Time >**

“I hear it!”

_Break!_

* * *

“Whether you like it or not, Ouma-kun, Tenko has a solid alibi to back her up,” she continued. “You know the Monokuma File said Kirumi died at about 4:41 today? Well, I don’t know about you, but it’s impossible for Tenko to have been in two places at once.”

“No dip, but how do you know she wasn’t near the scene of the crime?” Ouma pressed.

“Because during that time, **the student council** was having a meeting, which goes from **3:30 to 5** , with a 15-minute recess from 4:15 until 4:30.”

“You put your breaks that late? What’s the point if there’s only half an hour of jibber-jabbering left? LAZY!”

“How do we know one of your members didn’t leave during the recess?” Tsumugi accused. “It seems like a good opening to commit murder.”

“Shut up, Shirogane,” Himiko bluntly hissed. “Also, even if Tenko did leave the meeting room during the recess, the murder would have had to have gone down well before 4:41.”

“And since everyone was accounted for until 5 o’clock, it’s impossible for her to be the killer,” Shuichi concluded.

“What Saihara-san said!” Tenko agreed. “I may be the voice of the class, but those are taken into account prior to the meeting, not during.”

“Aww, you mean I was wrong about Tin Can killing my mom? Shoot!” Ouma fake-complained. “I guess that means I’ll have to go back to indicting Momota-chan then.”

“Like Hell you are!” Kaito objected. “I’m innocent, too!”

“For the same reason Tenko and myself are,” Korekiyo spoke. “Well, I’ve two reasons, but one of those still pertains to the meeting time and when the murder went down. As a matter of fact, three whole names have just been cleared.”

“Which begs the question of why we didn’t just do this in the first place,” Miu said. “It would’ve saved us a whole lotta time and gotten us closer to Rumi’s killer.”

“Because there are still many points in need of being cleared up. Something minor may just lead us to where we need to be. Now, would our student council president make things official and tell the court the ones who aren’t viable to be the culprit, either?”

 _‘For a quiet detective, this guy’s the exact opposite of subtle when he wants me to say something,’_ Kaede thought. _‘This time, he means…’_

  1. Ouma, Miu, & Himiko
  2. **Shuichi, Kaede, & Kaito**
  3. Rantaro, Tsumugi, & Kiibo



“I get it! Because the two times don’t add up, none of the members of the student council could have committed the murder. Which not only proves Tenko innocent, but also Kaito, Shuichi, and myself.”

“The lucky three are lucky again,” Rantaro commented. “Seems like a lot of this traces back to you guys.”

“Well, we are the founding officers, so that’s not too surprising,” Shuichi replied, modest.

“Not just that, but we’re all formally trained in martial arts!” Kaito boasted, punching the air a few times. “Building up our strength as much as possible to protect you all with some good ol’ Aikido! Right, Shu?”

“Right, just don’t test any of it out now. We’re still in the middle of an important trial.”

“Yeah, and your so-called Aikido did a great job protecting everyone!” Ouma sarcastically said, pointing to Kirumi’s death stand with his thumb. “Back to the dojo with you three!”

“Or, we could resume discussing other parts of this case we still aren’t aware of,” Korekiyo suggested. “The most important thing we must do today is bringing justice to a girl that had her life so abruptly ended by a criminal so abhorrent, so wretchedly thoughtless to have even _considered_ —!” He cleared his throat, refraining from showing too much anger. “Pardon me. I nearly lost face.”

“By how you almost sounded, I think the killer might instead once we find out who they are,” Kiibo gulped.

“Can’t wait to see that!” Miu declared without a hint of sympathy towards the unknown blackened. “Serves ‘em right for offing Kirumi!”

“Do save it for when they’re revealed,” Korekiyo advised. “Now, have we discussed the inner fibers of the murder yet?”

“Fibers?” Tsumugi quizzed.

“What I mean is. We only know the superficial facts: Kirumi was knocked unconscious, killed, then I nearly suffered the same fate and only making it out with some bad injuries. But, we’ve yet to go into _why_ any of this happened. If we don’t, we’ll never discover the motive, which means…?”

“That we’ll wind up with a harder time picking the candidate likeliest to have killed Toujou-san,” Shuichi finished.

“Very good, Saihara-kun. You took the words right out of my mouth.”

“So, Detective, what’s the little bit of the crime we need to look at?” Ouma asked.

“How about the cause of it?”

“We know what it was! She got hit twice in the head and died!” Kaito interrupted.

“I don’t mean the cause of _death_ , Kaito. I mean the cause of the murder since that will help us find out why Kirumi of all people was chosen as somebody’s unwitting victim, and whom the bill fits best.”

“Oh. What, like how they jumped into the murder itself?”

“Precisely. To start, I can say there was even a reason Kirumi was hit first before the fatal blow, and it wasn’t initially to kill her right away.”

“It wasn’t?” Himiko quizzed. “Seems a little sleazy to up and change your mind about not killing someone barely seconds later.”

“Sleazy would be the polite way of saying it, but the killer no less had a motive for attacking Kirumi, just like they did for killing her.”

“Two separate motives?” Tsumugi inquired.

“Bizarre as it may seem, yes. One thing led into another, thus causing the murder. I know somebody here—”

“—Stop beating around the bush and say me already,” Kaede demanded.

“You didn’t hear me say any names, but since you insist so badly, go right ahead.”

Kaede’s annoyed eyes rolled. _‘Either way, the killer was bound to do way more than just knock out a pianist. Why only hit hard enough to knock her out first when it seems pointless?’_

* * *

_Hangman’s Gambit Ver. 3.2_

_Start!_

Vision going dark, all Kaede could see at the moment were the same old orbs drifting over her lashes containing pieces of the puzzle she needed to put together and find its answer. The circles drifted aimlessly in any direction they deemed fit, a brief flash of light running over them and revealing what a handful said. Having missed it, Kaede instead turned to the brightness expanding in a circle, identifying some letters and putting them in order correctly while the first word made itself clearer.

**F** **I** **G** **__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __**

The quick line of light came back, giving her a better opportunity to snag more letters and put them in order, revealing more of the word. Remembering what some said before things went dark again, Kaede picked them out to put in place, now patiently awaiting another flash of light to repeat the process. She rationed with herself what she was trying to spell out, deciphering the exact order of letters and what word they were trying to create. A circular light beam let her pick a couple more out, watching them fly into place and bring her even closer to the phrase.

**F** **I** **G** **H** **T** **I** **N** **__ __ __ __**

So far, so good. One word was almost done, but another was left a mystery. Deep in concentration, Kaede picked the last letter of the first word and thought on the identity of the second, shorter one. The orbs revealed by the circular light helped some, revealing a repeated letter and two that were new. It didn’t take long realizing what the missing word was, spelling it out using what was available and watching each of those specific, colorful circles fly to their new spots, filling in the blanks for the part of the mystery that’d been missing.

**_Why did the culprit knock out Kirumi?_ **

**F** **I** **G** **H** **T** **I** **N** **G** **H** **E** **R**

“Now I see!” Kaede declared.

_Break!_

* * *

“When Kirumi met the killer, she didn’t go down then and there,” she resumed. “As soon as it became clear things were headed south pretty fast, she put up as best of a fight as she could against them.”

“Toujou went mano-a-mano with the killer?” Kaito wondered. “I didn’t think she’d be much of a fighter.”

“Because she’s a girl? Wake up and smell the present,” Tenko spat.

“I mean on how she acts! Do you really expect a musician to go and beat somebody up like that?”

“Well, no. But, Kirumi-san could have taken self-defense training at some point! Maybe she joined you and Saihara-san for one of your Aikido practices?”

“She didn’t,” Shuichi denied. “That’s exclusive to us and Kaede.”

“Even more impressive!” Kiibo remarked. “Without martial arts training, Toujou-san still managed to fight the culprit all by herself.”

“And lost,” Ouma bluntly said. “Oh, well. A for effort and D for dying, I guess.”

“The only person at fault is the one that murdered her,” Korekiyo reminded. “Now, Akamatsu-san, what solidifies that a fight did ensue between them? Something say… out of place with the scene of the crime?”

 _‘Something out of place,’_ Kaede repeated in her thoughts. _‘Kirumi’s Lab did seem pretty off when we all came in.’_

**|| Ultimate Pianist Lab Mess >**

“I get it! Kirumi’s Lab was a pigsty by the time we found her body.”

“Which, given her preference for tidiness, seems a tad unusual, yes? Why would somebody like her deliberately leave things scattered and out of place?”

“She could’ve been renovating, but never got the chance to put things back later,” Ouma semi-jokingly suggested. “Alack, that’s not the case, is it? Because moving one little piece of paper for two seconds means a big fat fit!”

“Rumi wasn’t that anal about tidiness. She only got uppity when an actual mess is involved,” Miu corrected. “Like Dildonaga spilling water backstage to try and get her stupid skull back. Water puddles are a pain to find and clean without slipping and breaking your assbone!”

“Tailbone, Iruma-san. Tailbone,” Rantaro cut in. “Just say that like the rest of us.”

“Oh, s-same difference, who cares?!”

“Whatever way we all put this, it’s definitely not normal for Toujou-san to have left her Lab to be that much of a mess. It couldn’t have been her doing alone.”

“Duh! Two people are the minimum for a fight! Why else do you call it a _duel_?” Ouma giggled. “But, man, whoever Kirumi duked it out with has gotta be pretty strong to hit her that good. I’m still betting on…”

“It’s not Kaito,” Shuichi interrupted.

“No one, then. For now. While we’re still chatting about the murder, though, didn’t something else seem off with the scene of the crime?”

“What are you on about now?” Kaito pressed.

“One little detail you’re all guaranteed to overlook with your pea brains and 10/-5 eyesight. A surprise tool that’ll help us later, if you will.”

“Being?” Tsumugi asked.

“Come on, come on, y’all! There’s something in that Lab that looks even the slightest bit out of place. Even for a ransacking caused by a big ol’ fight! Use your heads and at least pretend you can think!”

“Are you trying to trick us again?” Tenko suspected.

“Duh! I’ve just been getting your goats and providing no useful information whatsoever. The jig’s up, Kokichi!”

“Did he just call himself by his own first name?” Tsumugi wondered.

“Quit wasting our time!” Kaito snapped. “Either you have something useful to say, or you don’t! Pick and stick!”

“Already did that on the back of your jacket when you weren’t looking,” Ouma teased, snickering when Kaito turned to see if anything gross had been stuck there.

“He didn’t mean your nose,” Himiko gagged.

 _‘Ouma-kun’s no doubt got some useful info he’s trying to tell us, but where in the Research Lab is he talking about?’_ Kaede wondered. _‘I’ve seen it before, too!’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Monokuma File #3 >**

**|| Nails In Lock Reader >**

**|| Tsumugi’s Testimony >**

**|| Lascia Ch’io Pianga Sheet Music >**

**|| Trail Of Blood >**

“Why can’t you ever just come out and say the truth for once?!” Kaito demanded to know. “Things’d be a Hell of a lot easier if you didn’t act all cryptic and tricky!”

“And things are boring when they’re too easy,” Ouma retorted. “Besides, none of you would believe me right away even if I did bother with that junk.”

“It’d still pay to—!”

“—So, **you’re saying I’m wrong**? Or am I right that I’d just get swept under the rug. After all, I am a liar through and through. You never know when I’m telling the truth, so you just assume first that I’m not.”

“Fuck it! If he ain’t gonna talk, then who needs him?” Miu spat. “We can figure things out ourselves!”

“I’m with Iruma for once,” Himiko agreed. “ **H** **e’s not the only one who saw the crime scene**.”

“But, **only two of us** investigated it,” Shuichi added. “Think guys. What aside from the body and mess stuck out more?”

“I remember how gruesome it was,” Kiibo shuddered, “but, that doesn’t help much, does it?”

“Nope! That piece of info is totally useless!” Ouma cackled. “See? I finally told the truth. Happy now?”

“Why don’t you try telling it without being a dick?” Kaito hissed.

Ouma ignored him. “But, since you’re talking about gruesome, Kiiboi, let’s go off that. **When people get hit** , what do they do?”

“Umm… bleed?” Kiibo answered.

“Correct-a-mundo-mondo! And this isn’t for the squeamish, but **there was a lot of blood smeared all over the place** when I walked in! Or, I could’ve dreamed it. Either one works!”

**|| Trail Of Blood >**

“I agree with that!” Kaede confirmed.

_Break!_

* * *

“Saying it was smeared all over the place might be an exaggeration, but there really was a long trail of it leading up to Kirumi’s body,” she explained.

“And it took him that long to say that?” Kaito groaned.

“Would you rather I didn’t?” Ouma remarked. “You’re welcome. And thank _you_ , Kaede, for having ESP.”

“I— don’t, but you’re welcome?” Kaede said back, recalling the crime scene and Kirumi’s corpse. “Anyways. Given where the blood starts and ends, we’ve got proof that for some reason, the killer moved Kirumi after she died.”

“The fuckin’ pussy was probably trying to hide her body after what they did!” Miu snarled. “And then Kiyo came in and caught ‘em red handed!”

“Leading to him getting knocked out back,” Shuichi finished. “Not to mention, Toujou-san never wound up going anywhere given we found her in the same spot.”

“Wait, but if the culprit was trying to hide the body, why would they just up and give up after knocking out Shinguuji-kun?” Kaede quizzed. “It’d make more sense to go ahead and still try getting her out of there after getting rid of the witness.”

“Perhaps they had another idea,” Korekiyo suggested. “Moving Kirumi clearly was not their intention.”

“And if it was, we’d see a lot more blood than just in her Lab,” Rantaro included. “I’m getting… a nagging feeling.”

“Of what?” Himiko asked.

“That between the killer and victim, the line’s not as clear as we thought. We thought figuring out they fought would help us find a motive, but it only added more onto it as soon as Ouma-kun indirectly got us thinking about the blood trail.”

“In other words?” Tenko wondered.

 _‘Wait, I think I know what Amami-kun’s getting at,’_ Kaede guessed internally. _‘The blood trail was there because Kirumi…’_

  1. Deliberately put it there
  2. **Wasn’t the intended victim**
  3. Tried faking her death
  4. Couldn’t get away in time



“I get it! Amami-kun, are you saying that Kirumi wasn’t supposed to die?”

“Yes,” Rantaro answered to everyone’s shock.

“Wh-What the fuck’s that supposed to mean, Rantardo?!” Miu gasped. “No shit she wasn’t s-supposed to die! Rumi didn’t deserve it, and we all know this! Don’t state the obvious in a trial!”

“It’s crucial, Iruma-san, calm down. I don’t mean she _deserved_ to get killed, more that I mean the killer wasn’t targeting her for it in the first place, but it wound up happening by circumstance.”

“So, the culprit killed the wrong person?” Himiko gulped.

“That’s what I’m gathering. And that’s not all, given the spot where the trouble all started. Err, ended, excuse me.”

“Why does it matter where it started?” Miu despondently wondered, her uniform wearing down with her as a mushroom sprouted on her head. “Kirumi still got axed in the end, didn’t she?”

“I’m not the best at explaining things. Akamatsu-san?”

 _‘You’re turning into Shinguuji-kun,’_ Kaede exhaled. _‘But, the spot where it all happened first… it could lead us somewhere good. Where was it again?’_

* * *

_Mind Mine_

_Start!_

Only three options were available for Kaede, all fragments of Kirumi’s Lab-turned-crime-scene. An array of pink, yellow, and silver blocks built up a wall concealing all of it, some lined up with their respective color to make for an opening in destroying them. A few matches in and Kaede found herself too far from where she needed to be, pairing up blocks sitting on the other side of the wall. Nothing came up yet save for parts of other clue options, so she moved some and kept smashing away at the matching, colorful blocks. She had a limited amount of time to complete the puzzle, thinking quick and destroying just as fast.

In no time, a breakthrough was within sight, letting her settle on that area for exposing the clue underneath. Matching silver to silver and pink to pink, Kaede found more of the important section of the crime scene until it all became clearer to her. With the last yellow block gone, the performing stage from Kirumi’s Lab showed every inch of itself, the incorrect options winding up being its curtains and a section of the backstage area behind it.

_Where did the culprit strike Kirumi?_

**Stage**

“Now I see!” Kaede declared.

_Complete!_

* * *

“So, not only was Kirumi not supposed to be the killer’s victim,” she proceded, “but the spot the last attack actually happened was **onstage**?”

“What is it with everyone and dying on a stage here?” Ouma wondered.

“Maki didn’t die on the stage, numbnuts. That’s just where she drank the poisoned water,” Kaito spat.

“And then what happened to her after?”

“...Kaede, could either you or Amami just tell us how all of this is supposed to come together?”

“I think,” Kaede guessed. “We know now Kirumi was hit further from where we found her, and the culprit had some sort of reason for moving her from Point A to Point B.”

“And what I believe doesn’t go past a guess, unless our class sleuth wants to confirm it,” Rantaro hinted.

“That depends on what you’re thinking,” Korekiyo answered. “All I can say right now is this. Kirumi was killed on her own stage, but moved more towards the door, which is where people enter and lay eyes upon the closest thing to it.”

“We know how doors work, get on with it,” Himiko groaned.

“Let me finish. In that, why of all places would the culprit wish to move the body to a spot of plain sight? I’m sure you can all conceive at least one reason.”

 _‘A reason? By moving Kirumi near the door, that means the culprit…’_ Kaede started.

  1. Dropped her
  2. Tried to get rid of her
  3. Felt dissatisfied with how she was positioned
  4. **Wanted someone to see her**



“I get it! Shinguuji-kun, did the culprit move Kirumi’s body to make sure it was seen… on purpose?”

“They _wanted_ the body to be discovered?!” Kiibo gasped, forehead blue and sweaty. “But, why? Why do something so depraved as to use another person as— as bait?!”

“Hey, given they already killed her, I’m not seeing any reason not to sink lower,” Ouma whistled. “Only one way left to go for a murderer, and that’s down.”

“You do have a point, but it doesn’t make it any better…”

“Who said it would? You can’t make murder better without destroying everybody equally from the stars.”

“Iruma-san, I’m surprised you’re not saying anything,” Tsumugi noted. “Of everyone bound to be upset, you’ve gotten calmer.”

“Don’t let that fool ya,” Miu answered, stoic. “I’m just… savin’ up. For a little bit longer.”

“Oh dear. I don’t like the sound of that too much.”

“You won’t.”

“Hey! So, if Kirumi-san’s eternal rest was disturbed, how do we know the same person is responsible?” Tenko asked. “I understand at this point that Shinguuji-san is surprisingly clean, but that doesn’t mean only one pair of hands did this.”

“Where’s this coming from?” Shuichi inquired.

“From when we knocked off the student council and two others as suspects. Just because they didn’t commit murder doesn’t mean they never meddled after the deed was done!”

“You think somebody messed with Kirumi’s body after the culprit did all the dirty work?” Himiko wondered. “Why?”

“Probably for their own reasons, I’m guessing. Bad reasons, no less! Very bad reasons!”

“I really hope that’s not the case,” Tsumugi groaned. “We’d have to solve who the killer and who the body mover are if it’s two people after all.”

“Back to square one,” Kaito sighed. “Unless! Ah-ha! I knew it!”

“Now you’ve got something up your stupid sports cape sleeves?” Miu spat. “What now?!”

“It might not be as tough as we think. Given how the victims were found with the same head injuries, I think only one person did it. All we have to do is find the bastard that attacked Shin, and we’ll know who killed Toujou, too!”

“For two people to hit them with the same music stand would be a pretty big coincidence,” Shuichi gathered. “Kaito might be right on this for once.”

“Exac— what do you mean ‘for once’?! Sidekicks need full faith in their heroes!”

“Not when it’s a zero like you!” Ouma taunted. “Besides, do you know how easy and droll just having one person do all this work would be? Why, it’d make Shirogane-chan look like someone actually worth not ignoring!”

“True as it may be that few people notice me outside my ranks, you don’t get to say that,” Tsumugi snarled.

“Just did. Whatcha gon’ do ‘bout it, Commander Wallflower?”

“Leave her alone,” Rantaro scolded. “Besides, it’s way more likely we’re on the hunt for only one attacker.”

“Don’t assume, Taro,” Himiko warned. “For once, Ouma has a point. Not so much on it being boring, but because anybody could take advantage of other situations. That’s just the inner bowels of human nature, right, Angie?” Silence, but Himiko nodded. “Listen to the anthropologist, you guys.”

“Or, let’s not,” Kaito strained.

“I’m with Yumeno-san,” Tsumugi agreed. “Tampering with a crime scene someone else made just to spice things up… where have I seen that before?”

“Probably some TV show?” Kaede suggested.

“Himiko has a point!” Tenko vouched. “She’s only thinking smarter, not harder for not staying inside one little box! What if it turns out true that Shinguuji-san didn’t get attacked by Kirumi-san’s killer? Then you’d be passing up such a great opportunity given to us by a greater girl like her!”

“I didn’t mean you should put me in the spotlight like that…” Himiko uttered, blushing embarrassed.

“Oh, sorry. I still stand by your point, though. It’s a good one!”

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, yeah, and if Himiko-chan said ‘jump’, you’d ask which bridge to go off of,” Ouma snickered. “Is there anywhere I can get my own robot dog?”

“I’m no dog! I’m entirely human-based,” Tenko argued.

“And can’t help running for the short red ball whenever she’s waved in front of you.”

“The point coming from Himiko has nothing to do with it; it’s only a coincidence! Especially since all of us seem— to have a hard time figuring this out, given our… unique stances on it, and—”

“—Hold up, hold UP!” Monokuma interrupted. “Did you really think some chintzy rephrasing would get past me? Nice try, sister, but I know a split when I see one!”

“Darn it all! I thought not saying it directly would get us out of it.”

“Split ‘em up, and split ‘em hard!” Monotaro cheered. “With a ripe banana in the center!”

“Phrasing, Monotaro, phrasing,” Monophanie cautioned.

“Split up! Split up! Split up!” the Monokubs all rooted.

“You heard the kids! Hang onto your seats, folks! It’s gonna be another bumpy ‘bate!” Monokuma cackled.

Out came the large key with his face on it. Monokuma shoved it inside the keyhole and twisted, everything lighting up and sending his judge’s chair rising with the students’ podiums in a semi-spiraled motion. He sat in the middle when everyone lined up on two opposing sides. The right team consisted of Kaede, Shuichi, Kaito, Miu, Korekiyo, and Rantaro with the missing gaps filled by the postmortem stand-ins for Kirumi and Maki. Going against them were Tenko, Himiko, Ouma, Tsumugi, and Kiibo, followed by Angie, Hoshi, and Gonta’s death portraits in the last three empty spots.

* * *

_Is Korekiyo Shinguuji’s attacker the blackened?_

**> | It’s two different people! >**

**< They’re the same person! |<**

_Debate Scrum Start!_

“We may have proven a few people innocent, but some might still have taken **advantage** of the crime at hand!” Tenko argued.

“No one has the **advantage** except the real killer, so where would the point be in touching Kirumi’s body if they didn’t kill her?” Kaede tested.

“Don’t forget Shinguuji’s attack was also a murder **attempt** ,” Himiko reminded. “So, it’d still be a legit kill if he’d died.”

“Even if the **attempt** took, who’d be getting executed or let out of here?” Shuichi pondered.

“Beats me, but having **double** the trouble would make for a tight case!” Ouma chirped. “Maybe both would go, or just one in for a world of disappointment!”

“What makes you so sure this is a **double** crime?” Kaito brought up. “Kiyo obviously saw who knocked him out!”

“He could have seen his attacker, but not Kirumi’s killer,” Tsumugi retorted. “It’s hard to notice anything while you’re **unconscious**.”

“The smeared dog shit left him **unconscious** after Kirumi died! He’s got the best account of any of you or your oversized taints!” Miu insulted.

“I dunno. It’s just as likely the killer could have **fled** after killing their victim, hence why Shinguuji-kun never saw them,” Kiibo added.

“A beautiful hypothesis, but no less imaginary as there wasn’t anybody that **fled** from the crime scene to hide at all,” Korekiyo debunked.

_Crouch Bind_

_Set!_

**< They’re the same person! |<**

“This is our answer!” Kaede’s team collectively shouted.

_Full Counter!_

_Break!_

* * *

“There couldn’t have been someone separate from the culprit involved,” Kaede noted. “Since Shinguuji-kun seeing the body first was ⅓ of the non-blackened students needed to trigger an announcement, having somebody else look would mean it goes off after Iruma-san walked in, but not Kiibo.”

“Which means there’s only one person we’re looking for,” Shuichi concluded. “Kirumi’s killer is Shinguuji-kun’s attacker.”

“Yawn! Now I’m just wondering what would happen if two killers were here,” Ouma complained.

“Who cares! We’d never wind up using such a rule, anyway,” Monokuma clarified. “You bastards waste too many opportunities for that.”

“At least it means we don’t lose an extra classmate,” Korekiyo reassured everyone. “Be thankful for less blood spilt.”

“Yeah, you’d know plenty of a second victim being off’d, huh, Detective?”

“Excuse me?”

“Moving on! I won’t make the rule because it’s pointless, but if it weren’t, only the first killer would live free or die. First come, first served! Second killing means second place, which means dead last.”

“You snooze, you lose!” Monotaro cackled.

“Or they wouldn’t because they’d be exempt from punishment,” Monosuke corrected. “So, they snooze… they win? Whatever. It’d be great for some extra carnage for the Hell of it!”

“You say that like we didn’t dodge a bullet, then,” Monophanie gagged. “Phew! My big lunch lives another day! Unlike the blackened, I mean.”

“We’ll get there when we do,” Monotaro said. “Hang onto your gut!”

“Here’s all we know so far,” Tsumugi stated, bringing the point back from the annoying Monokubs and counting off her fingers. “Toujou-san was killed, moved off her stage to where somebody would see her, and then that same person that did it tried to kill Shinguuji-kun too, but only knocked him out. Where… do we go from there?”

“Oh, I know!” Kiibo exclaimed. “Shinguuji-kun, when was it you saw Toujou-san’s body? Was it right after the student council meeting?”

“Given when she perished, yes,” Korekiyo answered. “There’s no other time possible.”

“Alright, now do you remember when after the meeting you found her body and the culprit?”

“Yes.”

“...Aren’t you gonna tell us?”

“No.”

“Aww, come on!” Kaito barked. “It’s an important detail, but not a long one! Just tell us!”

“You’ll have to figure that one out for yourselves,” Korekiyo refused. “Kirumi died at 4:41, the student council meeting ended at 5, and Miu and Iidabashi-kun triggered the body discovery announcement at 5:42. Filling in the missing gap towards the end shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Vile, corrupt sleuth!” Tenko growled, her choker monitor lining up with angry red vein icons. “We’re all going to die and it’s all your fault!”

“The only person guaranteed for death is the killer, and no one else.”

 _‘I can’t deal with him. I really can’t,’_ Kaede sighed. _‘If he won’t say anything, then I’m gonna force it out of him the only way guaranteed to!’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Broken CD >**

**|| Kirumi’s Injuries >**

**|| Nails In Lock Reader >**

**|| Lascia Ch’io Pianga Sheet Music >**

**|| Dented Music Stand >**

“Shin, c’mon, aren’t we friends?” Kaito pleaded. “You can at least tell your good ol’ buddy Kaito anything! I’d at least hope my sidekick can confide in me!”

“I never agreed to be such a thing,” Korekiyo argued. “While this isn’t me being spiteful towards anyone, the only real way to solve difficult cases is to **analyze and deduce** , not have the answers handed out like candy just because you ask for them nicely.”

“He’s basically makin’ us beg for it like little bitches!” Miu snapped.

Korekiyo caressed his own face. “Now, if I wanted any of you to beg, that’d imply I’d tell you the answer after I’ve finished humiliating you all.”

Miu writhed, sweaty and aroused. “Ooooh, a bit of humiliation in the mix~?! D-Don’t make it even harder, Kiyo!”

“You’re kinda already doing one of those things,” Shuichi told him. “If you won’t say it outright, the least you could give us is a hint instead of being such a pain in the butt like usual.”

“I’m a pain for **wanting you all to think** for yourselves?” Korekiyo hissed, glaring. “Weren’t you the one who insisted I don’t act like the begin all end all each time a mystery befalls us?”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t at least help out!”

“Nyeh, all we need to do is **fill the blanks in** , right?” Himiko yawned. “Shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Right! You can’t rely on _men_ aces for anything at all!” Tenko cheerfully agreed. “We already know it was **after our student council meeting** …”

“And that’s it thus far,” Rantaro finished. “From that point on, there had to have been **something to lure Shinguuji-kun** to the scene of the crime so the killer could strike him.”

“Well? Was there?” Himiko asked.

“My lips are hereby sealed until you’ve all made some more progress on your own,” Korekiyo vaguely responded.

“There’s no point in asking him if he’s gonna be like this,” Shuichi decided. “Let’s figure it out for ourselves and hurry things along.”

 _‘No, there isn’t, which is why I’m gonna trick him,’_ Kaede thought. _‘And I just found a great point to start!’_

Rantaro’s guess on there being “ **s** **omething to lure Shinguuji-kun** ” was actually correct, but Kaede used it to her personal advantage in a way bound to set the Ultimate Detective off enough to get him to squeal.

**|| Lascia Ch’io Pianga Sheet Music > —> || Clean Sheet Of Paper >**

“I’ll turn this lie into the truth!”

_Break!_

* * *

“Amami-kun, I’m afraid there was nothing to report,” she fibbed. “As far as we know, Shinguuji-kun had no reason whatsoever to go to Kirumi’s Lab and get knocked out.”

“Uhh, you sure, Akamatsu-san?” Rantaro questioned. “Nobody just gets baited for no reason. Why else would he wind up at the crime scene and almost killed?”

“There must’ve been some kind of sign from the culprit! Maybe **a note** or secret call?” Kaito guessed.

“Nope. Nothing,” Kaede lied. “Well, we did find **a piece of paper on Shinguuji-kun’s door** , but it didn’t have anything on it.”

“Just some blank paper put on his door for no reason? Why do I find that hard to believe?” Ouma tested.

“Well, you’d better start believing it. Because that’s all we could come across. It was most likely just a case of Shinguuji-kun being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and ending up seriously hurt.”

“That’s it?!” Miu piped up. “What are the odds of him walking into his own almost-death?!”

“Fair enough to happen. Because if memory serves, didn’t he say something before he left after the meeting got done?”

* * *

_“Very well. Then, I can only assume you and Akamatsu-san as usual don’t require my help,” Korekiyo said at the time. “Which is good, since I’m wanted elsewhere and need to stop by my room to fetch my viola.”_

_“Okay, bye, Shinguuji-kun,” Shuichi answered indifferently._

_“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” Kaede spat as Korekiyo left before Tenko._

* * *

“On his way to his room, he must have peered into Kirumi’s Lab and saw it all,” she resumed her lie. “And that’s the moment the culprit got him in their clutches.”

“I do remember him saying that,” Kaito agreed. “But, man, that’s some horrible timing if I ever saw it.”

“Not to mention an atrocious fabrication…!” Korekiyo snarled, fists balled so hard they reddened befitting his growing fury. His head was facing downward, eyes glowering underneath darkness. “Kaede Akamatsu, tell me. Tell me right now.”

“Anything,” Kaede replied, confident she had him.

“I want to know something. ...How? How could you stand there, blatantly taking my words out of context and twisting them for your own sick gain… after everything that’s happened today? Somebody I hold very dearly was murdered, I was forced to confront her killer whilst they looked me right in the eyes and _mocked_ me with her lifeless body, and then! Then, just as I thought it couldn’t get worse, I nearly died after being assaulted!”

“Sh-Shinguuji-san?” Tenko gulped, nervous at what was about to happen.

“Uh-oh, he’s gonna pop~,” Ouma uttered in a sing-song.

“And for you to go and stand there, pretending as though that wretched piece of paper I found taped to my door, slathered with poor Kirumi’s own blood! Like some depraved ransom note! You, ma’am…!” Korekiyo finally looked up, his hair tie snapping in half and releasing long vines of dark green hair hissing around him like venomous snakes. Gold eyes usually so serene were now poisoned with rage, emphasized by the shadow that only made the detective look even more like a daytime horror as his voice screamed past its default volume. “YOU ARE A DISGRACE! Having the gall— the nerve! To lie to me and everybody wanting to see tomorrow and play such foolish games with us! You are shameless! You are impudent! You are going to be the death of us all whilst spitting on Kirumi’s memory, and you couldn’t care less?! And you call yourself some sort of leader?!”

“Heeee! Did Kaeidiot awaken the beast or something?! I’m not diggin’ this side of you, Korekiyo!” Miu cried.

“Man, this is the angriest, loudest, most expressive… okay, this is the most any kind of emotion I’ve seen out of him,” Himiko remarked.

“Not me, but man, do I wish I had a camera right now!” Ouma laughed.

“Whoa, Shin, buddy, you gotta calm down!” Kaito gulped. “Kaede’s gotta know what she’s doing.”

“No! This is no time to be calm anymore!" Korekiyo roared. "I have had it up to here with this woman thinking she can do whatever she wants with no consequences! Unless she can find a means of proving to me that she’s capable of participating like somebody with a semblance of professionalism, then she’ll be getting no kind words from me! Do you hear me, Akamatsu? None!”

“Don’t need ‘em. That confession was plenty,” Kaede giggled. “Thanks to you, we now know the killer left a ransom note on your door— sort of— to lure you to the crime scene.”

Korekiyo almost continued yelling, but nothing came out as his hair fell, now a messy array over his face while he moved it aside and held it in one hand. Just like that, his rage melted into the calmer disbelief. “I… d-did you just. Trick me? By using my biggest pet peeve against me?”

“I had to, otherwise the bush you kept beating around would’ve been pulp by now. Sorry I had to make you feel a little silly, but contrary to everything you just said, I do care about everyone staying alive so a killer doesn’t get off easy today. Okay?”

“Y-Yes… yes, of course.” Kiyo tucked his bangs behind his ear, the rest of his hair dragged in the same direction. “Well played. Very well played on your part.”

Kaede smiled. “Thank you.”

“Ahem. Permitting that unlawful outburst of mine, it’s true. On my way to get my viola for my private duet with Kirumi, I saw something taped to my room door.” Kiyo remembered the exact moment he pulled the paper off, looking at it horrified. “Although a little strange, I didn’t think much of it until two things hit me. There was blood smeared all over it… and it was a song I knew very well.”

“What was it called again? Lash… piano?” Tsumugi guessed.

“Lascia ch’io pianga, composed in 1711 by George Frideric Handel and infamously played in Act 2 of his opera _Rinaldo_ whilst the titular character’s lover, Almirena, had been kidnapped.” He got stares from the others, sinking into his coat some and flushing shyly. “...Kirumi gave me a handful of trivia the first time we played the song together.”

“It’s also the song from Romeo x Juliet that played when they exchanged true love’s vows,” Himiko reminisced, a rather sweet smile on her face.

“That too, I suppose. But, it’s for that very reason the culprit chose that song and smeared it in Kirumi’s blood. As Akamatsu-san correctly guessed, it was a form of **ransom note** telling me exactly who was in danger.” Korekiyo held onto his arms clinging to his composure, forehead turning a light blue and releasing a few drops of sweat. “Such beautiful music used for something so vile…”

“So going off this, we just confirmed who the culprit meant to kill in the first place, which wasn’t Toujou-san at all,” Shuichi added.

 _‘Yes, we did, Shuichi! And that intended target is none other than…!’_ Kaede started in her mind.

  1. **Korekiyo Shinguuji**
  2. Rantaro Amami
  3. Himiko Yumeno
  4. Kokichi Ouma



“I get it! The culprit wasn’t trying to kill Kirumi, they were trying to kill you, right, Shinguuji-kun?”

“Unfortunately, that I can also confirm as the truth,” Korekiyo sighed, solemn. “This isn’t my first go with being put in harm’s way so a criminal doesn’t get punished, but it burdens me that Kirumi had to be the one to die as a result.”

“Hey, no. Don’t give us any of that,” Miu scolded, pointing a stern finger at the detective. “Kirumi ain’t dead because of you. She’s dead because some lowlife, unplucked piece of ball hair had to go and hurt her, then do it to you, too. Everything that happens today is on them, and only them. Got that?”

“Miu…”

“Hey, quick question,” Rantaro interrupted. “Since you don’t find a lot of sharp things in a musician’s Research Lab, what did the culprit use to try and kill you, Shinguuji-kun?”

“They could have brought something in from outside,” Kaito conjectured. “Nothing’s limited to just one room, ya know.”

“You mean while waiting patiently for their would-have-been victim to see the ransom note and come running so they can piss him off even more using the girl he likes’ corpse? I don’t think so. Not enough time.”

“Oddly specific for someone that supposedly isn’t a murderer,” Ouma accused, smirking.

Rantaro gave him a disapproving look as if a younger sibling had done something naughty. “Knock it off over there.”

“Hey, hey! I’m just sayin’.”

“That’s all you’ve been doing this whole trial, and it’s done nothing but stress us out more,” Kiibo scolded. “Please. Stop it, Kokichi.”

“I’ll stop if Kaede can tell us what the killer used to try and do Kiyo-chan in. Weeeeell~?”

 _‘Easy enough question,’_ Kaede pondered. _‘What did I find back at the scene of the crime?’_

**|| Broken CD >**

“I get it! Kirumi’s Lab has shelves of CDs to help her study classical music better. And while Shinguuji-kun was unconscious, we found one broken in two next to him with one half’s edge covered in blood. Although not sharp enough to leave a huge mess or deep enough to make anybody suffocate, the culprit got a little too cocky and left as soon as Shinguuji-kun was gagged and bleeding.”

“How specific,” Tsumugi shuddered.

“Congratulations, Shin, you’re no longer the only morbid one around here,” Kaito gulped.

“Kukuku. I’ll work harder to protect my pedestal next time,” Korekiyo joked. “For now, let’s get back to figuring out the guilty party that did such a sloppy job in trying to get rid of me.”

“So, we can cross off the student council,” Kiibo noted. “That’s Kaede, Shuichi, Momota-kun, yourself, and Tenko-san.”

“Plus you and me, Kiibabey!” Miu whooped. “Clean as a freshly waxed floor and pair of legs!”

“I would certainly hope you aren’t using the same kind of wax on your legs as the floor, Miu…”

 _‘Leaving four people whose names haven’t been cleared yet,’_ Kaede thought. _‘Those people are…’_

  1. Korekiyo, Shuichi, Himiko, Ouma
  2. Tsumugi, Kaede, 10-K0, Rantaro
  3. **Rantaro, Tsumugi, Himiko, Ouma**
  4. Shuichi, Kiibo, Ouma, Korekiyo



“I get it! The culprit is either Amami-kun, Shirogane-san, Himiko, or Ouma-kun. They’re the only ones we haven’t heard alibis or excuses from yet.”

“Ah, but I was with Shirogane in the Dormitory, remember?” Himiko reminded Kaede. “We have the same alibi.”

“You can guess my alibi,” Rantaro said. “Well, around it, at least. I thought I could use some fresh air, so I went walking near that new area where Saihara-kun’s Lab opened up. Nice dojo you’ve got there, by the way.”

“Oh, uhh, thank you,” Shuichi timidly responded. “What about you, Ouma-kun? Where were you?”

“A place,” Ouma vaguely answered, smiling with both hands behind his head. “Don’tcha worry ‘bout it, bodyguard.”

“I don’t have a choice given you haven’t given us an alibi. Without one, you’ll be taking the hot seat as the prime suspect.”

“What else is new? It’s always me when people aren’t pointing to Kiiboi or Kiyo-chan.”

“Tell us!” Kaede demanded, then calming down. “Please. Don’t make this a fight or anything, just tell us where you were today, and we’ll pick it apart from there. Okay?”

“Hmm, how ready are you to know? Because if I say it, it might incriminate me more! Or just make me look bad, but neither is very good, is it?”

“We’ll see. Now, I’m gonna ask again, Ouma-kun. Where were you around the time of the murder?”

“Nishishi! You silly old goose, you know where I was! I was helping you and Shuichi set up ‘The Screening That Never Was’, remember?”

“Okay, besides that. Go ahead.”

Turning to Kiibo asking wordlessly for consent, Ouma waited until the entomologist nodded after some hesitation to speak up. “Alright. If you claim to be _so_ ready for my answer, here’s my alibi, folks! Listen nice and clearly now!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, what a way to end the chapter, huh, guys? As always, I refuse to outright say whodunnit, but I narrowed it down pretty well this time, so you've got a 25% chance of being correct with who Kirumi's killer is before it's all revealed in the final third of the trial next chapter uwu
> 
> I'm not too sure what else to put here aside from encouraging you guys to make your best guesses to the missing pieces of the case, but just don't overthink it is all because then you'll be looking so into it you wind up wrong. Or will you~? >:3c  
> (No, no, I kid, but try not to think too hard on this case lmfao)
> 
> And with that, I finally hit the hay. Anything I might have forgotten to say in these notes will be fixed tomorrow alongside anything else I notice in the story that needs tweaking. Good night, guys, I'll be seeing you in the next update as soon as it's ready for y'all to read and weep (and boy do I mean /weep/ given there'll be an execution). Stay freeeesh~! ♥


	30. Episode XXIX: Class Trial 3.3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Execution, mentions of incest, a LOT of emotions flying all over the place
> 
> (If I missed any warnings, lemme know so I can edit this note, okay? Dangan Ronpa is not for the lighthearted, but that don't mean I can't give you a heads' up first)
> 
> You know what this chapter's gonna have. The big reveal, the big arguments, the big execution, and above all, the big angst. Lotsa bigs today, huh? ^w^  
> It's always the trial finales that wind up being longest, though some parts I meant to put in I decided to save for next time while changing others a bit. Let's see whose guess was right, whose wasn't, and who landed a little in-between, if possible. Go right ahead and get reading! This is the last part of the third out of six trials! Have fun, my lovely readers! ♥

“It all started on a fine June 21st some years ago,” Ouma continued. “There was white, beeping, screaming, and lots of other stuff. And there I was, crying my lungs out in somebody’s hands covered in my mom’s—”

“—Too far back! Just say what you were doing today!” Kaito yelped.

“Getting to that! Geez Louise. Fast-forwarding a little brings me to the fourth floor. You know, the really creepy-looking one belonging more in a cheesy horror movie?”

“We know of it, yeah,” Himiko said.

“I was there. And so was Kiibo. We were just chilling in the Ultimate Artist Lab before Bitch Hog came in screaming at me, and then I left to help set up the screening before the body discovery went off.”

“You’re such a liar. That room should be locked because Gokuhara died before he could see it himself.”

“For someone claiming to be good at lying, this is one of your weak ones,” Kaito remarked. “At least tell a convincing one if you’re gonna bullshit us.”

“Maybe we should take that as a confession? What do you guys say?” Tsumugi suggested.

“But, it’s the truth. We were making out,” Ouma half-lied.

“We were not!” Kiibo snapped, flustered. “We were playing Menga until you cheated again by kicking the block tower over.”

“Don’t knock me for being better than you at stacking a tower, Iidabashi. Accept your loss like an adult.”

“You don’t have to lie for this little brat, Iidabashi,” Kaito insisted. “I get you’re trying to be a good friend, but it won’t do any good for anybody.”

“But, I’m not—” Kiibo tried to say.

“—Stop trying to protect him,” Himiko interrupted, Kiibo glaring at her. “If he winds up being the culprit, you’re only putting everyone in danger and I’m not ready to turn into a ghost like Angie. Not yet.”

“Where were you really, Ouma-kun?” Rantaro questioned. “Fess up, and we’ll clear your name if it clicks. If not, then just face the music for what you might’ve done.”

Himiko heard Tenko murmur, turning to her. “What’s wrong?” she inquired.

“He’s…” Tenko was hesitant to speak up, but found her voice. “Ouma-san. Is telling the truth.” Most other eyes went to her, shocked as their outbursts. “I know, I know! It’s hard to believe, and normally I’d never defend somebody like him, but if I don’t, we won’t find the real culprit. This is not for his sake, more it’s for the majority’s.”

“Aww, how noble, Tenko! I knew you didn’t think all men were slime after all!” Ouma laughed.

“Did you not just hear me?! I said I’m not doing this for you!”

“How can you vouch for Ouma-kun’s alibi?” Kaede wanted to know. “Did you see him and Kiibo today?”

“No, not today, but during patrol one night, I caught them in the act together.”

“What?!” Miu gasped, head darting to the grinning Ouma and a highly flummoxed Kiibo.

“The act of being together inside a locked Lab.”

Miu relaxed. “Oh. So, I guess Cockitchy didn’t break inside a dead guy’s Research Lab recently, then.”

“Nope! It’s been there since the student council formed,” Ouma admitted.

“But, what I don’t get is how you got in,” Tsumugi said. “The Monokubs made it clear the dead students’ Labs were off-limits!”

“Actually, they said they were _locked_ , not off-limits. You had a full corn cob in your ears at the time, but I heard ‘em pretty clearly.”

“We did say that,” Monosuke confirmed. “We just wasn’t expecting anybody to get in, but if you found a way, oh well. Nothing we can do about it.”

“Did he break the door down?!” Kaito queried. “Isn’t that collateral damage or something? And how’d Ouma get past Shin and I?!”

“Please, honey, I could get past you blindfolded with my ankles tied,” Ouma gloated. “Other than that, there’s only one other way I got into Gonta’s Lab, and it doesn’t involve breaking the door in like a barbarian.”

 _‘A way for him to have broken in?’_ Kaede wondered internally. _‘What seems like the most Ouma-appropriate method?’_

* * *

_Hangman’s Gambit 3.2_

_Start!_

Kaede was back in the darkness, surrounded by the same shadowed orbs containing pieces of the new answer her mind had yet to realize. They drifted, floating aimlessly past the line of light she missed at first, but saw what was being hidden after it came back. Four letters were unlocked, flying down to where they were needed most as their comrades still remained unknown. As far as they were concerned, however, all of them would be revealed soon under Kaede’s watchful gaze and brilliance at intense problem solving.

**L** **O** **C** **K** __ __ __ __ __ __ __

So, the first word was “lock”, was it? Okay, that was given considering the current question at hand. But, it could be anything containing those four letters specifically, so Kaede kept on brightening up the darkness to find out what the real word was. Since the flash of light wasn’t much help, she relied on using the circular beam to get a better range of orbs revealed to her, snagging a few more and watching them zip to their new spots. Waiting a bit, the first type of light returned, allowing her to see the missing pieces and choosing them, now having everything she needed for figuring out what Ouma did.

**_How did Ouma get into Gonta’s Lab?_ **

**L** **O** **C** **K** **P** **I** **C** **K** **I** **N** **G**

“Now I see!” Kaede exclaimed.

_Break!_

* * *

“Ouma-kun didn’t need to break down any doors, because he just needed to pick the lock and walk right in,” she answered. “That’s probably why nobody else can get in except him and Kiibo unless one of them says so.”

“Namely me,” Ouma added. “Of course, we’d have no problems if _somebody_ didn’t keep forgetting to lock it from the inside.”

“I’m sorry, okay?!” Kiibo groaned, Ouma’s eyes boring right into him. “If it bothers you so much, then you handle the inside lock yourself.”

“Great idea! And while I’m at it, I’ll add red hot security lasers that burn your fingers right off if you try and poke ‘em. That’ll keep the intruders out.”

“But, we don’t have those here. ...Do we?”

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t in the budget,” Monokuma lamented. “The student council should have hired a treasurer after all!”

“That doesn’t necessarily fix any money issues, it just puts us in charge of what’s not there,” Shuichi said, changing the subject back to the important one. “Since we’ve got Ouma-kun’s alibi now, we’ll have to narrow things even further by figuring out who’d have the incentive to try and kill Shinguuji-kun.”

“Who here’s got a problem with him?!” Kaito barked, pounding both fists together. “Besides you, Tenko. You didn’t do it.”

“Surprisingly,” Ouma giggled.

“Quiet!” Tenko snapped. “But, that is a good question. Despite his horribly unsettling appearance and equally creepy personality, I can’t say he’s really done anything that bad.”

“Except give Shuichi and Kaede a hard time, but they didn’t do it, either,” Himiko said.

“How do we figure out who’d have a crazy enough reason that he winds up almost dead, and Toujou-san’s the actual victim?” Rantaro wondered.

“Well, since going based on personal vendetta does nothing, let’s go on a more… motive-based vendetta, shall we?” Ouma teased.

“Motive-based? You mean those videos?” Kaito guessed.

“You’d bet I do! What else would make you all so gullible that you’d resort to killing somebody and thinking it’d do any good for ya?”

“Insults aside, that’s a very reasonable deduction,” Korekiyo agreed. “This was most likely a murder born of those horrid Kubs Pads, enough to twist everyone’s general conscience and provoke them into committing the world’s most grim of atrocities for reasons we have yet to see.”

“We will, Kiyo-chan! In juuuust a second!”

“And how do you figure that?” Kaito asked, skeptical. “I’m not seeing any of those Kubs Pads anywhere, are you?”

“I sure am! See?” From his person, Ouma held up what seemed to be one tablet, but spread his fingers so a few more were unveiled like playing cards. “Pick a vid, any vid! Which vid will it be?”

“Did you have those on you this whole time?! Why?”

“Because when I left you Earthlings to run around thinking you could solve the murder without the Monokuma File like a bunch of idiots, I decided to have a more private screening all for myself. Sadly, I didn’t have enough time to get snacks or watch all the videos because Rantaro doesn’t know how to mind his own business, but meh. I still got the important ones.”

“Whose tapes did you see, then?” Rantaro asked.

“Getting to it! Patience, young grasshopper hair.”

“Yeah, right,” Kaito scoffed. “What are the odds that one of the tapes you did nab belongs to the culprit?”

“Oh, I’d never just pick up any old video and call it a day! No, I did the right thing and went with tapes that actually have to do with the murder. You know what that’s called? Common sense. You know who could use it best? You.”

Kaito’s fist tightened angrily, moving to deal with Ouma until Shuichi held him in place. “I oughta—!”

“Stop. Don’t feed into it. Just let it go,” Shuichi advised, Kaito no longer trying to leave his podium.

“Thank you, smart, sensual Shuichi,” Ouma praised. “Now, shouldn’t we get a move on with some good ol’ discussing?”

 _‘I’m not arguing with that. The sooner this is over with, the better,’_ Kaede decided. _‘Was Ouma-kun really so lucky he grabbed the culprit’s motive video? We’re about to find out pretty soon.’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Bloodstained Hammer >**

**|| Motive Video Tapes >**

**|| Korekiyo’s Injuries >**

**|| Ultimate Pianist Lab Mess >**

**|| Lascia Ch’io Pianga Sheet Music >**

“Ouma, this is a pretty big leap you’re making **gathering the motive tapes** ,” Himiko advised. “What if you think you grabbed the right one, but had a mix-up?”

“Not possible, **all the tapes are labelled** on the back,” Ouma replied. “And I checked my list twice to see who’s naughty or nice.”

“Yeah, I’d bet you’ve got a lifetime of coal back wherever you came from,” Kaito uttered.

“Have you gotten coal for Christmas, Momota-chan? Lucky! I didn’t get diddly-squat, nevermind a big old black rock to show my bad boy streak!”

“Don’t say things like that! People are gonna get worried.”

“Eh, doubt it.”

“Well, no matter whose tapes he grabbed, how will we know **he got the killer’s**?” Tsumugi asked. “It’d take a while to see what’s on each tablet.”

“Not necessarily,” Rantaro corrected. “The culprit’s only been **narrowed down to three people** , so the owner of the tape involving Shinguuji-kun is it.”

“That means we just go from there and find out who the perpetrator is!” Tenko exclaimed. “So easy!”

“At least within a trial where nothing’s been easy until just now,” Himiko remarked. “Fingers crossed that it stays that way, guys.”

“What if nobody’s has to do with him?” Kaito pressed. “Then we’ll be stuck running in a circle with nowhere else to go!”

“Don’t fuckin’ jinx it for us, Jockstrap!” Miu barked. “We’re a lick away from figuring out who iced Kirumi!”

“Because of Ouma? For all we know, the tapes he grabbed **could all just involve the owner** , and it wouldn’t be taking us anywhere at all!”

**|| Motive Video Tapes >**

“No, that’s wrong!” Kaede exclaimed.

_Break!_

* * *

“Kaito, it’s not possible for any of the tapes to be about whoever got them,” she pursued. “The culprit’s video would have to be about Shinguuji-kun if they had any motivation to try and kill him.”

“Is that right? But, we never got the chance to screen the tapes publicly,” Kaito brought up. “Pretty relieved we didn’t, honestly.”

“Yeah, so relieving that we failed to keep a murderer under reps! Happy ending for all!” Ouma sarcastically gloated.

“That’s not what I meant—!”

“—Since some people just aren’t getting the blatant picture, do you mind spelling out why the tapes will reveal the culprit, Kaede? And go _real_ slow for when the gears still don’t turn for Meathead Momota.”

“Enough with calling me a goddamn meathead! I’m not some idiot like you think I am!”

“Stop acting like either, and I just might knock it off. Easy as that, ya know.”

“Kaede, please hurry so I don’t wind up having to break up another fight between these two,” Shuichi sighed.

“You hear that, Momota-chan? You’re gonna get Aikido poked again if you don’t behave~!” Ouma teased.

“He meant you too, ya know,” Kaito puffed.

 _‘A common tie between every motive video,’_ Kaede thought carefully. _‘I think he means the fact that they’re…’_

  1. Out of context
  2. Randomly generated
  3. **About someone that’s not the recipient**



“I get it! None of our motive videos were about ourselves, but about another student, instead. That way, Monokuma could warp how we see somebody else and paint them in a bad enough light to make us kill them.”

“And given why we’re here tonight, he succeeded,” Shuichi regretfully stated.

“Doesn’t victory taste so bittersweet?” Monokuma giggled. “Get it? Bitter for you guys, but a sweet treat for me!”

“Shut up already! You’re so annoying!” Ouma snapped, everyone surprised by his outburst as he blandly looked towards his fingertips. “Getting back to things that actually matter, when will you two stop getting the right answers? I know couples think alike, but to solve alike is another level!”

“We’re not—” Shuichi gulped, cheeks a delicate pink.

“—Don’t take that as a bad thing, of course. For Earthlings, you’re both not half bad at solving stuff! Kudos!”

“Thanks?”

“No problem! Now, would anybody like to see whose motive tapes I brought with me today? I’ve got plenty to spare!”

“We only need to see one of three, please,” Kaede requested.

“Aww, really? Okay…” Ouma hummed quietly, shuffling the Kubs Pads until he picked one out that belonged to a member of the final suspects. “Oooh! Interesante! You’re gonna love seeing this! Catch!”

Kaede watched Ouma carelessly throw the motive tablet her way, using her quick reflexes to catch it in a split second. “Hey! This isn’t a hacky-sack, you know! Be more careful.”

“Turn it over. Don’t you wanna see the culprit’s name?”

“Not really, but what other choice do I have? Here goes, everyone…” Gulping, Kaede turned over the Kubs Pad, gasping at the name on its backside. “Oh no. No. No! It’s…?!”

“Surprised, aren’t you? I knew you would be! And if you still don’t believe it, go ahead and turn on the thing for everyone to watch it and weep.”

“I don’t need to yet. It’s all right here.” Kaede faced the rest of the class, bracing herself. _‘This is gonna be hard to swallow for some, but I will never let this person go for what happened today! And all for not getting what they wanted the first time, too!’_

**_Who Tried To Kill Korekiyo?_ **

**_Select Someone!_ **

“It’s you! It’s definitely you!” Kaede turned directly to her left. “Unless the motive video were to show us something different, that leaves you as the culprit. You’re the one who went after Shinguuji-kun first… aren’t you, Himiko?”

“M-Me?” Himiko gulped. “Why me? I’m not a murderer or assaulter.”

“Yeah! If there’s anybody too sweet and kind to do something this awful, it’s her!” Tenko immediately agreed, nervous. “Ouma-san must have given you the wrong video, right? Right, Kaede-san?”

“No. It makes sense,” Kaede debunked. “Himiko, you’re the only one of the three left since we just proved Ouma-kun’s alibi valid.”

“And I didn’t see anything crucial on Ran-chan or Shirogane-chan’s tapes,” Ouma added. “Hers was just _plain_ busted. Get it?”

“Haha,” Tsumugi dryly laughed. “But, he’s right. I got a defective tablet because after the introductory part, it just shut off no matter how many times I started it over. How disappointing…”

“Not to mention clumsy of the bears to give you a broken video,” Rantaro stated.

“Who was yours about?” Shuichi asked.

“Don’t worry too much with that. Just know it had nothing to do with Shinguuji-kun or Toujou-san.”

“That doesn’t mean mine was, either,” Himiko argued. “Do you seriously think I could take down two skinny giants like them by myself?”

“Right! Not to say you’re feeble, but it’d certainly be difficult,” Tenko claimed. “Himiko is clean!”

“Yeah. I am clean. Clean as a whistle!”

“Well, that settles that, then!” Ouma laughed. “You’re automatically innocent. Congrats, Himiko-chan! Whoo-hoo!”

“She’s not really off the hook, is she?” Kiibo sighed.

“Duh. You seriously need a degree in sarcasm, Kiiboi.”

“But, I am clean,” Himiko gulped, hiding in her hat. “Those videos, they— they were a bunch of hooey. Who’d actually buy into them? So stupid…”

“Obviously you since your gullible ass went and killed my friend!” Miu barked, furious. “If anybody’s the stupid little dingleberry, it’s you, Pubemeno!”

Himiko started to shake. “N-No… no, I didn’t do it. Honest! I’m no murderer.”

“Then I’m sure you wouldn’t mind telling us what was on the motive video you got?” Kaito tested. “If it’s not about Kiyo, then Ouma’s wrong and you’re not the killer.”

“M-My video? Who cares?! It doesn’t matter what I saw. You all know I’m not the culprit.”

“Actually, your alibi begs to differ,” Kaede retorted.

“Nyeh? But, I was with—”

“—You and Shirogane-san may have been in the same place at the same time, but guess what? It’s also the exact place where the ransom note was found.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m guilty. I told you I was going to my room to fix my skirt. Besides, Shirogane could have planted the note.”

“You were still at the Dormitory, though,” Shuichi argued. “For all we know, you could have made a detour. Or, you’re keeping the whole story from us.”

“B-But, I’m not! I’m clean, I say! I’m clean, really…!”

“Himiko, if you are, then you shouldn’t be holding back on us,” Kaede firmly stated. “Right now, you’re looking the most guilty of us all. Unless you wanna turn this into a fight, I suggest you go out easy and—”

“—This claim does not compute!” Tenko declared, interrupting.

Kaede sighed. “Tenko, I know where this is going, and I get it. You don’t wanna lose the girl you love either, but it’s her or us. Including you.”

“It doesn’t have to be! All of us can escape together, Himiko included. I’m sorry, Miss President, but I cannot let you accuse an innocent girl of murder!”

* * *

_Rebuttal Showdown_

_-Truth Blade-_

_Start!_

**|| Kirumi’s Injuries || ######]**

**|| Nails In Lock Reader || ######]**

**|| Tsumugi’s Testimony || ######]**

**|| Korekiyo’s Injuries || ######]**

**|| Trail Of Blood || ######]**

“Himiko Yumeno is no killer! You and I both know this from the bottom of our hearts!”

“Technically speaking, I have no physical one, but…”

“But, I still have feelings and instincts!”

“And mine are saying she’s innocent! Despite my inner voice screaming at me otherwise right now!”

“When has it ever been right, really? Guts beat annoying voices, anyway!”

“If Shirogane-san is innocent, then so is my Himiko!”

“Not a doubt in my mind about that.”

“Personally, I still feel this is the work of a male trying to trick us all…”

“Or maybe Shirogane-san isn’t as innocent as we thought!”

_Advance!_

“ **S** **hirogane-san’s video doesn’t apply, and you know that. This is the worst time to let your feelings for Himiko clutter your judgement** ,” Kaede scolded.

“But, are you really making the right decision yourself?”

“Why go based on what those sketchy videos showed us, anyway?”

“Didn’t Shinguuji-san mention the possibility of the culprit killing unrelated to the motive?”

“So by that logic, the real murderer could have struck without having either victim involved!”

“Even if Himiko’s video is related, that doesn’t mean she did it.”

“I’d bet she never even got the murder weapon! You couldn’t commit the crime unless you had time to take it!”

“And since Amami-san would never let anybody borrow his tools from his Lab, how could Himiko have gotten the weapon?”

“Nope, I’m calling it now!”

“There is no other option for her to have gotten anything dangerous **without being caught red-handed**! Case closed!”

**|| Nails In Lock Reader || ######]**

“I’ll cut your words!” Kaede proclaimed.

_Break!_

* * *

“Tenko, it would have been very easy for Himiko to have grabbed the murder weapon without anybody knowing it was her,” she kept talking. “Remember we have a warehouse?”

“Crystal clearly, but Amami-san put a security reader that doesn’t unlock without fingerprints! And once it does let someone in, their name gets recorded for a full day for us to look over who took out what.”

“Normally, yes, that’d be the case. But, the problem is, the culprit knew this would get them found out, so they **destroyed the screen** so none of us could see their name pop up on the warehouse visitors list.”

“Covering up your crime _and_ wrecking a piece of my hard work? Seriously, Himiko?” Rantaro scoffed disapprovingly. “To think I believed you’d never stoop so low with me. Figures I get proven wrong…”

“No, Rantaro, I didn’t do that,” Himiko pleaded. “You’ve gotta believe me!”

“Sorry, but I don’t think I have a reason to anymore.”

Himiko sunk further, her hat taking up half her face. “I’m telling you all, I’m clean! Why don’t any of you see that? Do you seriously think I'd hurt Kirumi, nevermind Shinguuji?”

“We know you wouldn’t hurt Kirumi, but you wound up doing so to get somebody else,” Shuichi answered.

“Stop your nonsense!” Tenko chided. “A broken lock reader doesn’t automatically incriminate Himiko, and I refuse to let any of you harass her any further!”

“Even though she’s guilty as sin?” Ouma questioned. “Face it. You’re only lying to yourself because you don’t wanna believe an ‘innocent’ girl is anything but, while a ‘degenerate’ male didn’t commit the crime no matter how much you wanted him to just to be right. Even if it dooms yourself and all of us, you’re too stubborn and stupid to see otherwise.”

“Wh-What would you—?!”

“—More than you ever could or have. Wake up now, Tenko, or you won’t have a choice later.”

“Don’t talk to her like that,” Himiko hissed. “She’s got this one right, and _you’re_ the one who won’t admit he’s wrong. I mean, really, breaking one of Taro’s inventions to avoid people seeing my name? What a joke.”

“The only joke here is some red-headed, chickenshit A-cup otaku that won’t face what she did!” Miu roared. “Gimme one reason not to throttle you myself and be done with it!”

“Him,” Korekiyo answered simply, pointing to Monokuma.

“Me! I’m the executioner here!” Monokuma gloated. “And though it wouldn’t be a big deal for anyone, I’d have to send you to death row if you killed somebody in a court of law! Capiche?”

“F-Fuckin’ overstuffed chew toy, who asked ya?!” Miu stuttered, still irritable.

“Since you’re so ready to keep this game up, tell me how you think I’d break the lock,” Himiko demanded of Kaede. “I mean it when I say I’m clean of this murder.”

 _‘Saying it on repeat makes me think otherwise more than ever,’_ Kaede said in her mind. _‘And she definitely broke the lock’s reader with…’_

**|| Bloodstained Hammer >**

“I get it! That screen was riddled with nails, and the only way they could have gotten in there is with a hammer.” Kaede thought back to Korekiyo’s unconscious body holding one covered in Kirumi’s blood, which came from atop her head. “The same one you not only used to kill Kirumi and frame Shinguuji-kun, but one you got out of the warehouse with the nails.”

“So, even if you couldn’t borrow Amami-kun’s, the warehouse would back you up, and you’d destroy the evidence afterwards by killing two birds with one stone,” Shuichi concluded.

“Or in this case, two Ultimates with one hammer,” Korekiyo hissed, more angry towards Himiko than anybody else.

“Nyeh… you’re all full of it,” Himiko grumbled, tremoring like a quake whilst gripping her witch’s hat. “So, so full of it.. Here you are throwing all these guesses at me like they— they say I’m a criminal. A murderer! What is the matter with you people?”

“Himiko? Why are you acting like this?” Tenko gulped. “Are you alright?”

“No… no, Tenko, I’m not alright. Nothing is. Kirumi’s dead, and nearly everybody here is accusing me of killing her. Somebody I cared about, gone, and they all think I did it when… I’m clean. I am not the murderer, I’m clean. Do you understand me? Clean!”

“Yumeno-san—” Shuichi tried to say.

Himiko was now hysterical, eyes shrunken with stress with her bob cut thrown into disarray outside of her hat. “—Oh, no, no! Don’t you ‘Yumeno-san’ me, Saihara! I wanna keep hearing this! How I was anywhere close enough to Kirumi to allegedly ‘kill her’! I was in one spot, and one spot only!”

“Toujou-san would have had to have seen or heard you at some point, which is when your fight ensued. And given the time of death and where your original target was, it’s not too hard for her to catch you.”

“Where was she then? Hmm?!”

 _‘Obviously, near where she died, but what proves that?’_ Kaede asked herself.

**|| Miu’s Testimony >**

“I get it! According to Iruma-san, Kirumi was practicing in her Lab from around the start of the student council meeting, until an hour later per their promise that she’d take five.” She remembered the second floor’s layout, focusing on only two specific places. “Since you’d be hunting Shinguuji-kun, you’d be lurking near the student council meeting room, which is in the Ultimate Maid Lab. The Ultimate Pianist Lab isn’t very far from it, just down the hall.”

“Which means, as soon as she was done playing piano, it’s a guarantee for Kirumi to have heard you,” Korekiyo included.

“As if. What are the odds of her picking up on someone near the other room? Even if they are close,” Himiko scoffed.

“It’s possible with a musician like Kirumi. There is a way for her to personally be able to do so and perceive even the quietest of sounds as being at normal volume.”

 _‘Something to do with her ears, then. Kirumi would have heard Himiko because of her…’_ Kaede pondered internally.

  1. Musician’s intuition
  2. Ability to sense vibrations
  3. **Sensitive hearing**



“I get it! Kirumi was able to hear you from that distance because of how well she can hear things from farther away. Remember when we all first found out about the killing game?”

* * *

_“Shhh! Do you hear that?” Kirumi asked, putting a hand to her ear._

_“Hear what?” Kaede queried._

_“It may be a tad faint, but it almost sounds like… machinery.”_

_(...)_

_“A-KILLING-GAME,” Monodam finally interrupted._

_“M-Monodam! I didn’t tell ya to upstage me, ya useless bastard!”_

_“Wait— WHAT was that?!” Kaede gasped. “I must not have heard right.”_

_“No, I heard it, too,” Kirumi said. “My hearing has quite the range, so they definitely said…”_

* * *

“And there’s also when she heard me playing my instrument,” Korekiyo recalled. “The door was shut tight, and yet she still caught wind of it.” His fingers curled into his podium, shaking angrily. “Now, I’ll never get to play alongside her ever again, and it’s all your fault…! And you won’t even admit it—!” Coughing once, Kiyo put a stop to another potential outburst. “Excuse me. I nearly lost face again.”

“You’d have every right to,” Miu hissed. “This little bitchlet should be thankful I haven’t dug my heel so far down her throat she’ll be tasting my boot in all she eats for years!”

“I’m telling you guys, I have an alibi!” Himiko claimed. “I was in the Dormitory to fix the tear in my skirt, and I went straight to my room. And if you don’t believe me, ask Shirogane! She saw me.”

“Umm…” Tsumugi uttered.

“What? Why ‘umm’? Don’t lie and say you didn’t see me!”

“No, I’m not saying that. We really did see each other, and then I went back to my room.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“Well, Yumeno-san, don’t you think it’s wrong to leave some things out? Given either one or most of us could die if you conveniently forget the full story?”

“I’m— I am telling the full story! How do we know yours is legit?”

“Ask Tenko! She was hounding me every two seconds making sure I didn’t go anywhere I never said before I got her to leave me alone! I get what I did wasn’t cool, but there’s no need for crowning me the new Akamatsu-san…”

“Hey!” Kaede objected.

“Does that mean you saw Yumeno-san, too, Tenko-san?” Kiibo asked.

“No, I didn’t,” Tenko replied. “Only Shirogane-san whenever I knocked on her door during my brief inspection. Himiko must have been in her room just like she said!”

“Funny you mention that,” Tsumugi hummed. “I’ve got something to say on that little claim.”

“Don’t listen to her!” Himiko piped up. “She’s lied to us before, and she’ll do it again!”

“Let her talk,” Kaito demanded. “You’re already keeping quiet on what really happened!”

 _‘And if it goes south, I can actually back Shirogane-san up this time,’_ Kaede thought. _‘Then, she can tell us the full story Himiko’s keeping shut about.’_

* * *

_Non-Stop Debate!_

_Start!_

**|| Monokuma File #3 >**

**|| Broken CD >**

**|| Student Council Meeting Time >**

**|| Ultimate Pianist Lab Mess >**

**|| Tsumugi’s Testimony >**

“Here you are making up lies again,” Himiko snarled. “I swear you’re **worse than Ouma** , and I didn’t think that was possible!”

“Wow, first you kill a girl, try to kill a guy, and now you’re insulting me like this? For shame, Himi. For shame,” Ouma said.

“Don’t call me ‘Himi’, you’re the last person with that privilege.”

“Shirogane-san, **you were there before I was** ,” Tenko pleaded. “Surely, Himiko was upholding her word and went to her room, right?”

“And don’t lie to us,” Korekiyo warned.

“Yeah, or Kiyo’s gonna fly off the handle and turn into Medusa again!” Ouma laughed. “Actually, I want an instant replay of that, so go ahead. **Lie, lie, I say**!”

“Could somebody pull on his ear for me and silence him into behaving? I can’t reach from this spot.”

Ouma’s eyes darted between Tenko and Himiko, whom he was standing between. “Or! Or let’s not and say we didn’t! Yeah, good idea!”

“You guys can’t trust Shirogane,” Himiko argued. “She’s lied before and she’ll do it again to **manipulate** us.”

“First you say to take her word for it, and now you say not to,” Shuichi exhaled. “I wish you’d make up your mind.”

“It’s a sign **the little midget’s lying** through her crooked yellow teeth!” Miu declared. “Of course she’s changing her tune so quickly to get outta jail free!”

“Yumeno-san, we need to hear any and all input,” Kiibo responded. “And if you won’t tell us the truth…”

“I am! And I’m telling you that **Shirogane’s tall tale** isn’t believable!” Himiko shouted.

**|| Tsumugi’s Testimony >**

“No, that’s wrong!” Kaede objected.

_Break!_

* * *

“Himiko, you can’t just go and throw Shirogane-san’s account out the window without hearing the full explanation first,” she chastised. “The more you do this, the guiltier you look to the rest of us. If you’re supposedly not the killer, then you wouldn’t have a reason not to wanna hear her out.”

“Besides wanting to save you all from hearing a bunch of bullcrap?!” Himiko growled. “Why even trust her? Why, I ask? Why?!”

“At least she’s willing to not leave out any details,” Shuichi said. “That’s all you’ve done so far, so if I were you, I’d let somebody else have the floor that isn’t gonna beat around the bush for hours on end.”

“There’s also the fact that ironically, Shirogane-san seems far more trustworthy than the one claiming she isn’t to be heeded,” Korekiyo sneered. “In a cruel way, it’s rather ironic, I say.”

“Go ahead, Plain Jane. The floor’s yours,” Miu begrudgingly said.

“Here it goes,” Tsumugi decided. “Like I said earlier, it’s true Yumeno-san and I ran into each other in the Dormitory. She wasn’t lying about that part. But, with us spotting each other, that’s when things get a little funky.”

“Are you saying I _didn’t_ go to my room?” Himiko tested. “Because I definitely remember setting foot in my own dorm, ya know.”

“No, but I’m saying this.” The others gasped at what she said next, Himiko turning paler than milk versus Tsumugi’s blank expression. “You went to the Dormitory more than once.”

“I did n-not! Why would I leave before patching up my rip? Remember? The one in my skirt I couldn’t leave alone?”

“Because for somebody in such a hurry to fix an alleged tear in her skirt, **I don’t seem to remember hearing any footsteps** going up the stairs, a spot I so happen to sleep very close to while your bedroom’s on the level above. And when I looked out again way later, that’s when you noticed me like an upperclassman before you actually headed inside your room.”

“Quite a bit to leave out of that story,” Rantaro noted. “In fact, how can we say for sure you even went to fix your skirt? You might be lying about that, too.”

“What else would I be doing?” Himiko hissed.

“How about cleaning up the evidence of what you’d done?” Korekiyo suggested, glaring at Himiko. “Given how much blood Kirumi lost, you’re bound to have come out quite filthy.”

“And you as the Ultimate Cosplayer would know a lot about getting icky stains out of fabric,” Ouma pointed out. “It’s no wonder she looks so spotless despite all that blood on her hands.”

“I don’t have blood on my hands, or my outfit! Because for the last time, I’m clean!” Himiko screamed. If she hadn’t been before, she was now fully unhinged, pulling at the sides of her hat and further spiraling into an unfamiliar rage. “I’m clean! I’m clean, I’m clean, I’m clean, I’m clean, I’m clean, I’m clean, I’M CLEAN, I’M CLEAN, I’M CLEAN, I’M CLEAN!”

“Look, everyone! You finally broke her! Good job.”

“Silence, cretin!” Tenko snapped. “This is all your fault for upsetting her!”

“You mean for exposing another killer who sucks at lying? Yep, I’m who’s guilty here. Great eyes from the squawking fax machine!”

“Why don’t any of you get it when I say I’m clean?!” Himiko wanted to know, still trapped in her stupor of madness. “I’m clean! I’m clean! I’m clean!”

“Himiko, you’re not, and there’s cold, hard proof of that,” Kaede calmly stated. “If it comes to that, I won’t have a choice but to keep forcing the truth out from you.”

“I’m clean, Kaede! I’m really clean!” Himiko was now stuck between rage and being on the verge of tears. “Clean! I’m c-clean…! I’m clean! I’m—! I’m clean!”

“Forcing it out it is, then.”

“Kaede, do you really have to?” Tenko whimpered. “Maybe there’s another way around this! There has to be, right?”

“...No, Tenko. This is for her own good, and yours. Stay out of this.”

“But—! Stop! Please!”

Kaede was no longer listening to Tenko’s begging, now turning and facing Himiko with a hard expression. “Since you’re turning this into a battle, you’d better suit up for a war! Because I’m not letting you get me or our friends killed for every ounce of heartache you’ve caused us!”

* * *

_Argument Armament START!_

Himiko looked different in Kaede’s eyes surrounded by a background of a shimmering white palace underneath a night sky and glowing full moon only emphasizing its radiance. The top half of her hair put into two pigtails with white bows and her bob having grown wide and past her ankles thanks to extensions. On her, a fancified sailor’s uniform also white except for the rainbow-colored skirt center and yellow sleeves on her biceps, the chest bow resembling a small pair of wings like the ankles of her silver heels. The white cape held up in the hand not holding the long magical girl’s staff flowed just as freely as her hair, giving off an appearance closer to a beautiful gown instead. Around her were mannequins covered in similar, yet far simpler dresses of blue, red, yellow, and dark plum in various styles.

“You’ve got the wrong idea!”

“Nyeh, what a bother, accusing me like this…”

“Why would I kill Kirumi or Shinguuji?”

“I’m a good girl, I’d never kill.”

“How could you even call me a murderer?!”

“I didn’t do it!”

“For the last time, I’m squeaky clean.”

“I’m clean, I’m clean, I’m clean, I’m clean…!”

“Stop calling me a killer!”

“I never killed or hurt anybody, and wouldn’t!”

“This is all stupid, so stupid…!”

“Point that finger anywhere else, but not at me!”

“You’ve got a lot of nerve thinking I’m your culprit, Kaede.”

Himiko’s magical girl mannequins were no more, allowing her to move onto the next, more upbeat phase and amping up the difficulty of her argument.

“I didn’t even go to the second floor today!”

“And to sabotage Rantaro’s invention is just cruel…”

“I’m clean, damn it! Clean, clean, clean, clean, clean!”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, and haven’t!”

“There’s no blood on my hands, clothes, fingers, or anywhere!”

“Quit drawing this on for so long when I’m not going down.”

“Not for a crime I didn’t commit.”

“Kirumi was my friend, too! I didn’t lay a finger on her!”

“I miss her so much, why’d she have to go and die…?

“Somebody else is responsible, but I’m not.”

“You can’t be this serious about accusing me, are you?”

“I’m not the untrustworthy one around here, and you know that!”

Now the white cape was gone, the tempo growing more difficult in its next phase while Himiko refused to back down and admit guilt or defeat as she kept spitting more claims Kaede’s way with just as much firing towards her in return.

“You’re all making things up!”

“Nothing means I’m the killer, it’s not true!”

“My thread of life’s not getting cut today, or ever ‘til I’m 81!”

“Take back everything you just said!”

“I’m clean! I’m clean, I’m clean, I’m clean!”

“My alibi makes perfect sense, you just don’t wanna admit it, do you?

“I wasn’t even closest to the crime scene, but the student council seems sketchy…”

“How do you know it was me and not one of you guys?”

“I miss Angie, but don’t send me to see her now!”

“Because I didn’t have a thing to do with the victims!”

“Why can’t you accept I’m clean as a whistle? Spotless, even!”

Himiko was pushed to the center after the disappearance of her majestic, lengthy scepter, landing her in the spot where Kaede needed her to be for landing the finishing blow that’d put a stop to her false claims absolving her of blame. It didn’t feel easy, but it had to be done for everyone else’s lives hanging on the line.

_Final Blow!_

**“I really was patching the tear in my skirt. Why would I lie about that?”**

**_NO-EXTRA-SKIRT-SEAMS_ **

“This ends now!” Kaede shouted.

The last hit was given, sending a loudly wailing Himiko onto her bottom now covered in tears on her skin and uniform with her extensions chopped off and leaving a messier version of her normal, shorter haircut in its place.

_Break!_

* * *

“You’ve said repeatedly that you went to your room just to fix your skirt,” Kaede pointed out. “I expect no less from the Ultimate Cosplayer wanting her clothes looking picture perfect, but if that’s really what you did, one thing should be noticeable even for you. Unless you miraculously tore along the seams, there should be **extra patchwork** on the fabric where the tear used to be. Is there, Himiko? Or would I be looking at a skirt with nothing different on it?”

“Don’t ask that! That’s the perfect cue for males to—!” Tenko warned.

“—Shut up already!” Ouma barked. “If it bothers you that much, then you look! That’s what you’ve dreamed of if robots could, ain’t it?”

“I wouldn’t be looking up her skirt unlike you perverts. T-To prove it, I’ll even enhance my vision to see Himiko’s handiwork! I-It’s bound to be so well stitched that the naked human eye couldn’t find it!”

“Then do it,” Korekiyo demanded. “Find where she fixed her tear, and show us.”

“Fine! I will.” Gulping nervously, Tenko shimmied over to Himiko, who neither moved nor looked up at her from her stunned state. Zooming in, the robot examined the skirt, growing more afraid each time she looked at every nook and cranny. “Hang on, guys. I’ve almost found it! I can— I’ll see it soon! I…!”

“Yes?”

Tenko stopped, backing away from Himiko with her head hanging low. A pair of photographs printed from her flattened lips, plucked and given to Kaede before she trudged back to her trial stand now feeling rather hollow. “...See for yourself.”

“Well?” Korekiyo wondered.

Kaede did as told, examining the tasteful photos of Himiko’s skirt before shaking her head. “Nothing,” she answered. “Not even any red thread that might be blending in.”

“Man, Himiko-chan, you’re on fire with these half-baked lies today!” Ouma cackled. “I didn’t think you had it in you!”

“Do it,” Korekiyo said to Kaede, his glare more because of the culprit than her. “Hold nothing back. She doesn’t deserve an ounce of mercy for what she’s done.”

“You heard him, everybody,” Kaede reluctantly admitted. “We all know what’s coming next for us.”

“B-But, I didn’t—! I’m cle—!” Himiko sniveled.

“—Stop it. There’s no way you can run from this anymore. Alright? Now, let’s all run through this from start to finish.”

* * *

**Closing Argument**

“While it’s not certain of the exact moment a plan like this began, there’s no sort of doubt for what the **motive** was to start this whole mess. Just like the rest of us, the culprit woke up this morning and found a **Kubs Pad** had been dropped off overnight containing **out of context footage** showing one of their classmates in a not-so friendly light, bad enough to provoke them into wanting them dead. Unfortunately for **Shinguuji-kun** , he was that very person in the video, and unknowingly a new target for murder. Now given the incentive, the culprit devised a master plan ending with the death of our class detective, and eventually sprang into action after we all left breakfast.

“Before recent days, grabbing a murder weapon and anything else necessary would have been a walk in the park. Thanks to my **student council** and our new rules, however, the culprit knew they’d be taking a risk at getting caught going inside the warehouse. Using Amami-kun’s **fingerprint reading lock** , inside they went, picking up a **hammer** and some **nails** ; one for killing Shinguuji-kun, and the other for covering their tracks. Before they left the first floor, the culprit **destroyed** the lock’s screen by hammering a handful of nails through it, preventing anybody from finding out who’d been in the warehouse last. Now having driven the trail away from them, it was time to start Phase 2 and carry out the deadly deed.

“Since their target was a **member** of the student council, the culprit needed to wait upstairs near the meeting room— the **Ultimate Maid Lab** , where all of us would convene and talk about the planned screening for everyone’s motive videos until **5 pm**. Around that same corner practicing in her own Research Lab was the girl who’d wind up being the actual murder victim, **Kirumi**. Given the deal she’d made with Iruma-san beforehand to take a break after an hour of piano and thanks to her keen hearing, she heard the culprit nearby at around **4:30**. Confronting them, it didn’t take long for her to realize what they were planning, leading to a nasty **fight** between her and her future killer that went all the way to her Research Lab’s stage, where it’d end after the culprit picked up a lone **music stand** and struck Kirumi in the head with it, knocking her out cold.

“Because she knew too much now, the culprit couldn’t let Kirumi go squealing to Shinguuji-kun about their plan to murder him. Left without any other option, they decided she had to be kept quiet. **Permanently**. With a second hit to her skull using the very hammer intended for somebody else, Kirumi Toujou was dead at roughly **4:41 pm**. But, that wasn’t the end of it. Although they’d killed the wrong person, the culprit still refused to let Shinguuji-kun live, and given his fondness for Kirumi, using her sudden death to their advantage wouldn’t be difficult. Dragging her body offstage and into plain sight, now came an unexpected bonus phase of the culprit’s plot.

“The culprit grabbed the **sheet music** to a certain song, rubbing it against whatever blood from the victim’s head hadn’t marked a **long trail** on the floor to turn it into a gorey **ransom note** , taking it all the way to the Dormitory. Once there, they taped it to Shinguuji-kun’s door, knowing he’d recognize the song he often played with Kirumi and be baited into following. After planting the note, the culprit ran as fast as they could back to the scene of the crime before the end of the meeting would make them too late, not knowing **Shirogane-san** was present and having just witnessed their first visit from her bedroom.

“On schedule, the student council meeting ended, letting Shinguuji-kun out to get his viola and meet up with Kirumi for their **duet**. The furthest he’d get, however, was just his door, where he fell right into the culprit’s trap and pieced together what the bloody ransom note meant. Wasting no time, he ran to where it’d come from, finding not only his dead music buddy, but the culprit as well. In a rare emotional fit, Shinguuji-kun did the same as Kirumi in her last moments and **attacked** , starting a second fight with a murderer and making an even bigger **mess** of the Lab than the first one. During it, the culprit ended up losing the murder weapon and giving Shinguuji-kun a chance at picking it up, which he did, but before he could use it himself, the culprit gained the upper hand. Grabbing the same music stand they hit Kirumi with, they got behind Shinguuji-kun and swung, knocking him out with the hammer **still in his hand**.

“With no chance of Shinguuji-kun fighting back anymore, the culprit took the opportunity to finish him off like they’d intended. Breaking one of **Kirumi’s CDs** in half, they untied his cravat and tied it around his mouth, slicing his exposed **throat** to make him bleed out, not knowing they hadn’t gone deep enough to actually kill him. Convinced Shinguuji-kun was on his way to die with Kirumi, the culprit sat him against the wall making sure he still had the hammer in order to make it seem like he’d done it instead before someone put an end to the disaster. Free to leave it all, the culprit took off, running back to the Dormitory to clean off any **blood** that’d gotten on them during the murder and fake their alibi, greeting Shirogane-san on their way inside their room, unaware she’d caught them earlier.

“After picking Kiibo up from his **secret rendezvous** with Ouma-kun, who’d left to help Shuichi and I with setup for the motive video screening, Iruma-san took him back to her Lab for some alone time together. Remembering she hadn’t checked on Kirumi in a while, she pardoned herself to do that, but only found her dead with another friend looking the part. After hearing Iruma-san scream, Kiibo came in and triggered the body discovery announcement at **5:42 pm** with seemingly only two people present. We’d later find out that the reason behind this was because one of the victims **never actually died** …

Kaede folded her arms at the culprit disapprovingly, exposing their true form as a classmate glaring her way bitterly and gripping their large, black witch’s hat bent just as much out of shape. “And you’re the no-good backstabber who went against all our hard work to stop this from happening! **The Ultimate Cosplayer, Himiko Yumeno**!”

_Complete!_

* * *

“Well? Do you think _I’m_ the liar now?” Kaede tested. “Or did I hit the nail right on its head?”

“Seems that was more her doing than yours,” Korekiyo stated. “Now, Yumeno-san, you have but two options you can pick from. Either you confirm your misdeeds, or I do.”

“Doesn’t matter who speaks up,” Miu growled, smiling infuriated at Himiko whilst cracking her knuckles. “Result’s gonna be the same because now I know who took Kirumi from me.”

“You aren’t laying a hand on her!” Tenko objected. “H-Himiko would never— why would she do something like this? It’s impossible!”

“Is it really?” Kaito tested. “Was it ‘impossible’ for Yonaga to have taken Maki from me even though we proved she did? Is Shin automatically wrong saying Yumeno did all of this crap despite having looked straight at her when it happened?”

“Of course he is! Because Himiko-chan’s a cute girl, and that means she can’t hurt anybody to a brainless bucket of bolts!” Ouma laughed dryly. “Perfect logic, I say!”

“Himiko. You’ve done enough lying,” a disappointed Rantaro chided, arms folded. “Confess. Now.”

“Why don’t I pound it outta her?!” Miu exclaimed. “And no, I don’t mean the enjoyable way, either! The only thing I’m ever gonna serve her is a nice helping of knuckle sandwich with a side of beatdown!”

“Miu, control yourself,” Kiibo commanded. “We don’t need anymore violence today than the kind from Monokuma.”

“That’s not gonna happen yet, kid!” Monokuma spoke up. “Did you guys forget the juiciest part besides the punishment? You need to V-O-T-E, vote!”

“We can’t! We haven’t—! Oh, none of this makes sense!” Tenko cried. “Himiko can’t be the culprit!”

“You’re right!” Monotaro agreed. “Or, you’re wrong, but if only there was some way to find that out.”

“There is, ya ding-dong!” Monosuke fought. “Didn’t Pops just say everyone’s gotta vote? Except us, of course, we’re exempt.”

“Everyone else, however, please look at your podiums and make your choices!” Monophanie instructed. “Just because we don’t vote doesn’t mean you get to opt out!”

“Unless you wanna suffer a painful, painful death, that is,” Monokuma reminded the class. “You’ve all got thirty seconds to pick and choose a majority, because IIIIIIT’S VOTING TIME!”

Only eleven of sixteen podiums had screens turning into its “Class Trial Voting Time” mode, the missing four they belonged to being grayed out and left unavailable for anybody to vote as the culprit. Korekiyo and Miu were the first to cast their votes without wasting a second, looking at Himiko with pure, unfiltered loathing for her double crime. The others made their choices, Tenko’s being the last vote needed for finalization. Selection closed, now displaying “PLEASE WAIT”, then turning into Monokuma holding up a black sign reading “ANNOUNCEMENT” in red letters.

“All done! Let’s see where the results lie,” Monokuma teased, looking at the tally marks dividing themselves among the option. Nine votes went to Himiko, one for Tsumugi, and another for Tenko. “Wonderful! Nobody’s gonna die from not participating! Are you right? Are you wrong? Are you somewhere in-between or a fourth option? I’ll be the judge of that! Literally!”

The colorful Verdict spinner came back, the single yellow light spinning through each student living and dead in the order they stood during class trials. It slowed under Rantaro’s icon, going three more clockwise and stopping altogether underneath Himiko, where it turned pink and displayed her face on the black circle in the middle. Above it in gold lettering, “YUMENO” blinked, Monokuma’s cackling mug taking the center with confetti and Monocoins spraying all over the place while the three remaining Monokubs all rejoiced.

* * *

_Class Trial: All Rise!_

“One, two, three, but you’d b-b-better not flee, because you chose correctly!” Monokuma announced, proud. “The blackened responsible for the murder of Kirumi Toujou and the attempted murder of Korekiyo Shinguuji is our very own **Ultimate Cosplayer** , Himiko Yumeno! I understand some of you had a hard time picking a culprit, but to vote for yourself… tsk-tsk, what a waste of a vote!”

“We’ll still count it, but it won’t change a thing if you’re not guilty,” Monosuke snorted. “There’s no need to say who did that, but it should be obvious who the wise guy is.”

“Or girl!” Monophanie corrected. “Or person.”

“Meanwhile, it’s just as obvious who still voted for Shirogane-san despite her innocence,” Korekiyo hissed. “Committing a crime is bad enough, but resorting to cowardice after is beyond unacceptable.”

“You make me wanna puke,” Miu spat at Himiko, who hadn’t stopped shaking from her podium gripping the sides of her head. “We’ve exposed everything you did and you _still_ can’t come out and say it?! Fuck you, Yumeno! Seriously fuck yourself!”

“N… N-N…!” Himiko hiccuped, tears pouring from her eyes as she let out the cry of a lifetime. “NOOOOOOOO…!”

“Silence!” Korekiyo barked, shocking everybody with the return of his anger. “Targeting me was one thing, but you are the absolute last person who ought to be crying after what you’ve done to Kirumi! I’ve seen criminals in their middle ages that have shown more far more dignity than you right now, so I demand you cease your blubbering and own up this instant!”

“Given it’s coming from the man you tried to kill, I’d suggest you listen and explain yourself,” Rantaro agreed.

“Wh-What’s it matter anyway?” Himiko sniffled. “None of it’s gonna— gonna bring Kirumi back.”

“And do you know whose fault that is? Talk,” Korekiyo dictated. “You’ve had plenty of other choices, but have taken none of them. I’m not wasting anymore on you.”

“I— b-but…” Himiko choked.

“Just talk,” Kaede said. “We’re done asking you for anything else.”

“The least you could do is take this,” Shuichi added. “Explain yourself and why you did this.”

Himiko glanced at Tenko, who was neither saying anything nor sparing her eye contact. Knowing she was in a corner, the cosplayer dried her tears, glaring hatefully at Korekiyo while straightening her posture. “...Fine. You guys want the truth out of me? Then, yeah. I did it. I killed Kirumi, but entirely by mistake. All just to take down somebody that actually needed to be stopped.”

“How? Tell us what Shinguuji-kun could have possibly done to you to deserve somebody trying to kill him,” Kiibo pressed.

“It’s not anything he’s done to me. It’s what he was secretly gonna try and do to Tenko that I wasn’t gonna let slide.”

“Me?” Tenko gasped. “What do you mean?”

“Korekiyo Shinguuji isn’t the ‘harmless’ Ultimate Detective he’s making himself out as. Underneath all that quiet, he’s been covering up a big secret, and today, I’ve found out what that is.”

“My secret?” Korekiyo wondered, skeptical. “Pray tell. What have you been tricked into believing it is?”

“Kaede, the video. Play it and weep.”

Holding up the Kubs Pad for all to see, Kaede turned it on, showing off the cyan and bright orange letters reading “Himiko Yumeno’s Motive Video: A Serial Killer’s Immoral Amorous Affair”. Two outlines of her were in the background of Monokuma’s voice warning her not to blindly trust whoever was depicted in the footage, the left right-side up, and the right upside down. With the intro deal with, the video could begin, but nobody in the trial room could even hope to prepare for what they wound up seeing on one little screen.

Although the trial room in the video didn’t look at all different from how it normally did, whoever was shown to be present there did. Shuichi was explaining how Korekiyo used a white cloth to cover a giant cage, under which he’d attached a sickle to the top of it and taken everything off after without anybody aware of it. Nearly seconds following, Korekiyo gleefully confessed to that being the case, only lamenting to an irritated Kaito that his hard-worked trick ended up failing.

‘So, it was you? You killed Tenko?!’ Himiko asked on the screen, leering at Korekiyo from under her hat.

‘Let me guess, you’ll never forgive me,’ Korekiyo callously guessed. ‘Yumeno-san, you must hate me very much. Maybe you’d feel better if I was executed by Monokuma… but unfortunately for you, it won’t happen! Because if you vote for me, every spotless— including myself— will die.’

‘Whatchu talkin’ about, Shitguuji?!’ Miu gawked.

‘Kukuku… you still don’t understand? I killed Tenko, that is the truth. But, it is meaningless in this class trial.’

‘Meaningless?’ Himiko growled, the footage skipping ahead some.

‘For us, Tenko’s death is nothing but a trivial issue.’

‘A… trivial issue?’

When the footage cut to another part involving Korekiyo, things only went from bad to beyond worse. Not only did he unrepentantly confess to being a serial killer who’d slain close to 100 “friends” (young women) for the sake of his elder sister, but he was also in an incestuous relationship with her that he considered a mere forbidden romance found normal by no one besides himself to the disgust of everybody else forced to listen to his spiel. The video came to an end after Korekiyo expressed his sole regret of never making it to his goal number of innocent victims, Monokuma popping up for the concluding message like with every Kubs Pad.

“Man, what a FREAK!” the ursine headmaster laughed. “Just when you think it wasn’t possible for Shinguuji-kun to be anymore of a creep, that guy takes it past the moon! They say never judge a book by its cover, but in this case, it’s just like the contents. Now, unless you’d rather risk poor Tenko dying a family unfriendly death, I’d deal with Mr. ‘Detective’ before he can strike first. I mean, I wouldn’t trust a secret _serial killer_ who plays tonsil hockey with his own sister to care about some robot girl’s life. Would you?”

“What… the fuck did I just watch?” Kaito got out after the screen went black. “Was that really you, Shin?”

“I don’t understand. Tenko-san’s clearly still alive,” Kiibo gathered. “How could her life be in danger?”

“Because _he’s_ a serial killer in disguise!” Himiko accused, pointing to an appalled Korekiyo. “Think about it! Nobody ever suspects the one seemingly solving the mysteries to be the culprit. How else would he off so many girls and get away with it time and time again? It was either I go and get rid of him, or I lose Tenko forever just like I did Angie.” She sighed, morose. “Atua and her wouldn’t be very happy with me for what wound up happening, but I’d like to think she’d understand if she knew what was at stake.”

“Don’t speak for the dead. You don’t get to do that and pretend it’s a valid excuse,” Rantaro hissed. “There wasn’t any need for what you did, whether it was Toujou-san who died, or Shinguuji-kun.”

“You think I don’t know Kirumi didn’t deserve to die?! I didn’t even _wanna_ kill her in the first place, but I didn’t have a choice, either!”

* * *

_“Only another half-hour, and that creep won’t be able to hurt anybody else anymore,” Himiko schemed, walking along the second floor’s hallway and stopping at the corner between two Research Labs. Batting the hammer against her palm, she seethed, blood boiling just from thinking about Korekiyo and what she saw of him. “I’ve gotta time this perfectly…”_

_“Himiko-san? What are you doing?” Kirumi asked, spooking the cosplayer into concealing the weapon behind her back._

_“Nyeh! Kirumi, you scared me. That’s bad for my condition, you know. A-Anyway, what are_ **_you_ ** _doing here?”_

_“You’re a mere feet away from my Research Lab, and I’m currently on a short break from playing. Would you care to tell me what I just saw you hide behind your back?”_

_“I dunno what you’re talking about.”_

_“So, there isn’t any reason for you to not show me your hands?”_

_“You know what my hands look like, silly. I don’t need to remind you.”_

_Kirumi’s voice grew stern. “Himiko.”_

_“I’ve got nothing I need to show you, just drop it!” Despite saying so, Kirumi reached behind Himiko’s back, the resistance causing the hammer to slip from her grasp and onto the floor with a slight CLANG. “Guh…”_

_“What were you going to do with this? I hope the next words out of your mouth relate to a complex cosplay suit that requires being hammered into place.”_

_“Try not worrying about it.”_

_“Impossible. You’re clearly up to something suspicious if you’re loitering around my Lab carrying a dangerous tool. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were going to meet with me and do something foolish.”_

_“No! Well… not you, at least. Never. But, if I told you who it was, it’ll only make things worse.”_

_“If you weren’t looking for me, then that leaves…” Kirumi gasped. “No. Is it one of the student council members?”_

_“One trying to kill another. I know you’re the last person that wants to hear this, but if I don’t move now, Tenko’s gonna turn up dead and it’ll be all Shinguuji’s fault.”_

_Kirumi blinked. “K… You really believe, Tenko-san is in danger… because of Kiyo-kun? The one who deals with criminals and murderers on a frequent basis? Did you neglect to eat breakfast today, Himiko-san?”_

_“I had plenty, but the so-called ‘detective’ is about to enjoy his last meal. Don’t be fooled by the crime sleuth persona, Kirumi. He’s a killer in disguise and way, way worse.”_

_“Somehow, I find that impossible to believe, my personal feelings towards him aside.”_

_“And I’m sorry to say you’ve got some for the wrong person. That creepo’s gotta go-go.” Himiko picked the hammer back up and moved forward, only to feel her wrist being grabbed by Kirumi. “Eh?! Kirumi, let go of me!”_

_Kirumi glared at Himiko, looking frightening even with only one eye visible. “Think again. Even if this is what you really want, I couldn’t care less if it involves hurting somebody else. Especially Korekiyo.”_

_“You don’t understand! He’s dangerous!”_

_“No, you are! If you want to get to him and destroy everything the student council’s working for, then— then try to get past me first! I dare you!”_

_“Don’t make me do this. This is why I didn’t want you involved!”_

_“If you didn’t want any trouble, then you wouldn’t have tried to plot a murder.”_

_Himiko’s gaze shifted from pleading to sharp, looking up at Kirumi with the will to fight. “Then, I guess I’m taking your bet and going right past you.”_

* * *

“K-Kirumi wasn’t supposed to get roped into this,” Himiko continued to snivel, burying her face in her hands tearfully. “She should be standing here with all of us, instead of dead in her own blood, but now she’s gone for good!” The redheaded girl glared daggers at Korekiyo, eyes still damp. “And it’s all your fault!”

“My… fault? ...This is my fault?” Korekiyo breathed, staring at Himiko in disbelief.

“Like I told you back in Kirumi’s Lab, you brought this on yourself. I saw right through who you really are inside when other people failed to. If they had and thrown you behind bars sooner, nobody else would have had to die except for some deranged criminal acting like he’s on our side—!”

_WHAM!_

In the swiftest motion anybody had ever seen, Miu ran forward and slugged Himiko clean in her left cheek, pinning her to the ground and mercilessly delivering more punches like that in any area she was able to find on the girl. Both of them screamed wildly; one with terror while flailing to protect as much of herself as possible, and the second in fury as she kept wailing on bruising skin and muscle. It took mere seconds for Miu to be pulled off of Himiko by Kiibo and Kaito, holding her back while the maid kept roaring profanities at Kirumi’s killer being yanked away from the fight thanks to Tenko and Shuichi safeguarding her from anymore physical harm.

“Get any closer, and I’ll fuck you up even more, ya goddamn bitch!” Miu screamed, spit flying like bullets towards Himiko. “Lemme at her so I can keep my word! Fuck, I’ll even do much worse until she doesn’t have anything close to that warty little face of hers anymore!”

“Miu-san, that’s enough! I am not letting you lay one more finger on Himiko!” Tenko declared, still in a guarding stance with Shuichi as backup.

“Why not?! This unpopped little twat was askin’ for at least fifty punches to the ribs thinking she’s got any place blaming Kiyo for any of this! Maybe I’ll cave _her_ skull in and see how she likes it!”

“Shinguuji-kun, say something quick!” Kiibo pleaded. “I don’t know if I can hold Miu off until she cools down!”

“Yes, I suppose now is the perfect time for me to speak,” Korekiyo said, stepping forward to the injured Himiko and moving her bodyguards aside. He looked right into her eyes, his own chalked with equal detestation. “So. You say I’m the cause of Kirumi’s death? My own, imaginary actions are the sole reason she’s no longer alive? Why none of us will be graced with such extraordinary musical talent, or an unconditional kindness that comes just once in a lifetime, or a gentle soul that only wanted us to find peace and one I’ll never again get to enjoy my scarce leisure with for as long as I still live? Is that your final argument, Yumeno-san?”

“I stand by what I said,” Himiko spat. “You’re a monster that needs to be stopped.”

Korekiyo’s lips were a parted, stoic line, then stretching into a grin unsettling enough to make skin wrinkle and slither off. “Kukukukuku… shut up.” The words came out like the hiss of a viper. “Do yourself a favor, and shut up.”

“You wanna run that by me one more time, Shinguuji?”

“I said… shut. UP!” His fist’s side slammed into the nearest podium, a loud _BANG_ resounding through the trial room as Korekiyo’s previous bout of rage returned in full. “Never have I ever seen any abominable piece of— scum! As bad as yourself than I have now! You’ve not only the gall to kill Kirumi, who had no business being involved at all in this, but also to fool yourself into believing I’m some sort of culpable for it? And why is it you’ve come to that conclusion? Oh, I know! It’s because you think I’ve secretly killed off an unrealistically high number of women I’ve never even met all for the sake of one who’d done nothing but torment me— the same one, my _sister_ , you think I’d… fallen in love with?! Is that it?! Is that the world I’ve come to live in now?!”

“There’s no bringing him down from this one, is there?” Kaito wondered.

“Don’t complain, watch!” Ouma replied.

“Normally, I’d make some sort of effort to try and understand a criminal’s motive,” Korekiyo breathed heavily, voice still hoarse from his fury. “Inexcusable as their actions usually are, I at least try to gather a semblance of understanding for what drove them so far. ...But, you, Yumeno? You?” His hateful glower drove more swords into Himiko’s soul. “There is nothing. Nothing for you except the painful, agonizing death you deserve. And I’m going to be watching every. Last. Moment, until nothing remains of my misery.”

“I don’t care what you think of me. Hate me all you want, but the reason I did all of this was to keep your spindly hands off Tenko’s neck. She’ll back me up, I just know it!” Himiko looked at the robot, hopeful. “Right, Tenko? I did this to save your life.” Nothing. Not a word, nor a look up at her. “...Tenko? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“...Himiko,” Tenko croaked out, finding the courage to speak, but only looking at the shorter girl uncharacteristically bleak. “You know I love you more than anything. I don’t want you forgetting that or thinking otherwise even for a second, but…”

“But?”

“What you did today… was thoughtless. In my favor or somebody else’s, there is no sort of justifying taking a life, or trying to end another one, for that matter.”

Himiko’s eyes grew, her chest constricting. “Isn’t this coming from the girl who thinks all ‘degenerate males’ deserve to die? And I was trying to get rid of one, but here you are suddenly saying it’s wrong?!”

“Because it is! Murder is murder, be it done to a man, woman, or somebody else! What’s so hard to get about that?! You weren’t doing me a favor, you were doing something horrible and have! And worse? Now I’m about to lose you forever! You’re putting me through everything Angie did to you! Are you happy? Do you think I’m happy?!”

Himiko’s mouth fell open partly, overcome with sadness seeing the heartbreak in Tenko’s eyes. “...No. I’m sorry, Tenko.”

“Sorry for what you did, or sorry because you got caught?”

“For what I did!” Himiko began to blubber again, the only ones not looking at her with pity being the disgusted Miu, frigid Korekiyo, and reactionless Ouma. “I’m sorry for hurting not just you, Tenko, but Kirumi, too! She— d-didn’t deserve what I did to her, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry I killed her with my own two hands! I let her down, I let you guys down, and I even let Angie down!” Despite Himiko’s apologies, Tenko turned away from her with nothing but radio silence. “Say something. Please, Tenko…”

“...Can’t,” Tenko uttered. “I just can’t.”

“How about I do instead?” Monokuma chirped. “I’d love to let this little sob fest keep going, but we’re on a tight schedule, and somebody’s overdue for her time o’clock executing!”

“About time!” Miu snapped. “Kill that worthless bitch and get her outta my sight already!”

“Huh? Is that you, Iruma-san? You’re the first person to advocate for a worthy cause! Anybody else?”

“These executions have no moral ground to them, but whatever happens to that girl… shall happen,” Korekiyo indifferently spat.

“Et tu, Detective? Well, that’s plenty of motivation I need to get a start on the party! For one day only, I’ve prepared a special punishment for—!”

“—NO!” Tenko cried, unable to keep away and running to the front of Himiko before falling to her knees begging. “Take me instead! I’m the reason she even did this!”

“Uh-uh, Tenko-san. Mama didn’t bend no rules, and I won’t either! Only the direct killer gets the boot. Nooo exceptions!”

“Then make one! Or, or I’ll make you!”

“Stop it,” Himiko said, stepping away from Tenko. “Even if he did allow it, I couldn’t let you take the rap for me. The whole point of this mess was to see you live long and prosper.”

“I wanna do both of those with you! I may not approve of what you did, but I’ll be damned if I do nothing and lose you!”

“Tenko. You know that’s not how it’s gonna work. Besides, since I’m pretty much doomed now, I’d rather you didn’t play favorites with who you jump to the rescue for anymore.”

“What do you mean? I’m always gonna want to see you safe from harm’s way. You’re my— well, we’re at _least_ friends, aren’t we?”

“At least, yeah. But, I know that if I were any different, I wouldn’t be seeing you do this, would I?”

“That’s not true! I’d do this because it’s you as a person.”

“Even if I wasn’t a girl? Would you even have bothered talking to me if that were the case, nevermind defending me?” Tenko opened her mouth, but Himiko cut her off. “Don’t answer if you can’t gimme an honest one. Just take time to think about it even after I’m long gone.”

A colorless, salted solution started leaking from Tenko’s eyes hearing that, as if the stark reminder of the imminent brought her back to a harsh reality. “Tenko, are you crying?” Kaede asked, worried.

“Can robots do that?” Kaito wondered.

“Of course we can!” Tenko blubbered, the liquid dripping all over her face as she spoke through sobs. “Not all of us, b-but I can secrete saline from my eyes to show h-how broken up I am…! Can you blame me?!”

“At least you’ll be more intact than today’s culprit!” Monokuma laughed. “Because as I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me, I’ve got a very special punishment prepared for the **Ultimate Cosplayer** formerly known as Himiko Yumeno!”

“Wait! Don’t do this! I’m n-not ready to lose her!”

“You’d better be! Exisals, come on in until it’s too late for her!” Monotaro commanded, Monosuke and Monophanie also summoning their Exisals to stomp into the room.

“No—!” Tenko froze up from her system recognizing the past threat, futile to move another inch despite her fighting against it. “No, no, not now! Himiko! I’ve gotta save Himiko! Get out of my way!”

“The culprit’s all set to go, Father!” Monotaro confirmed. “Start up the death sentence!”

“I’d be glad to, my boy!” Monokuma laughed. “Without any further objections, it’s PUNISHMENT TIIIIME!”

* * *

For the third time, Monokuma spun his gavel when the red button sprang up, doing a single flip in his seat before hitting the two together and finalizing a new fatal end. On the device’s base, the only screen displayed a pixelated version of Himiko in blue being approached by Monokuma’s sprite, which pulled her away by the hat to her final, deadly destination.

**GAME OVER**

**HIMIKO YUMENO HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY.**

**TIME FOR THE PUNISHMENT!**

* * *

The familiar sound of flittering taps were all Himiko could hear as she strode along one foot at a time, her wrists tied together by what looked to her like thick red rope, its remaining length too long to reveal its ending point. Her eyes were half-lidded, less apathetic and more morose at her oncoming demise that managed to feel closer with each step, yet further away by the lack of scenery change. Suddenly, the rope was tugged, pulling her forward and seeing the Monokubs trying to instigate an unfair round of “Tug of War”. Despite all she did to yank control back into her possession, Himiko stumbled and fell on her face a good couple feet ahead, looking up and seeing a giant, fancily carved pink door towering above her. The red rope trail resumed underneath it, so she twisted its round bronze knob with both hands and proceeded, now welcomed by a bright, sunny light and others none would guess to see first.

Now in a decayed village made entirely of patchwork, plastic, and stuffing, its inhabitants noticed her on the spot, all of them lifelike figurines and faceless mannequins having nothing on themselves but wooden barrels to censor their nudity. Himiko gulped, pupils shrinking terrified when the Monokubs put up a sign shaped like an arrow pointing to her reading “FREE CLOTHES, 100% OFF”, all of them quickly running to safety as soon as the crowd began moving towards their trapped target.

**The Dollhouse**

**Ultimate Cosplayer**

**Himiko Yumeno’s Execution: Executed**

The first mannequin was lucky enough to grab Himiko by the hip, tearing off the middle of her sash and a sleeve when its second hand snagged on and stole more fabric. Another pair of figurines got their hands on the dress too, greedily abusing it to claim any part they liked best while more creatures joined the riot for a chance at having better clothing in their wardrobe. Himiko fought to protect the surviving parts of her outfit, kicking away the next mannequin that tore off a section of her skirt and headbutting another figurine before she found an opening to flee. By the time she’d been free of the mess, her dress was in shambles, her knee socks had their black strips ripped off with holes in the knees, and the witch’s hat on her head was crumpled, frazzled just as much as her scratched skin and ruined hair.

She kept running away, stopping after slamming into a sign labeled “Tear-Free Zone”, where out returned the Monokubs dressed like 80s delinquents wearing pompadours and leather jackets (or in Monophanie’s case, a face mask with a flower on the front and a seifuku with an ankle-length skirt) holding giant sewing needles attached to red, yellow, or pink thread spools. They charged, prodding and stabbing Himiko in her ruined outfit’s exposed sections enough to make her bleed, chasing her down when she kept fleeing from them weakened from the pain. Monosuke lassoed his thread, catching her by the ankle and tightening the knot so one was fastened in place before the same was done to its twin. He failed to notice Monotaro behind him, grinning like a madman wielding his giant needle and running towards him, any sort of effort to get away too late as the yellow bear robot was fatally impaled, inches of the blade now sticking out from the other side of his body.

Monotaro took the needle shish kebabing Monosuke’s body and raised it, stabbing the ground and giving Monophanie a thumbs up cue after they both ditched the old school delinquent costumes. The sister nodded, running up a giant white sewing machine turning out to be the source of the noise from earlier. Himiko felt her arms and ankles being stretched, realizing the red rope around her wrists had this whole time been a thread attached to the machine’s spool now beginning to pull her apart like taffy thanks to Monosuke’s earlier restraints on her feet. The more thread eaten, the more pain seared through her with the unsettling popping coming from her spine, shoulders and hips as her forehead started turning a ghastly blue. When it all became too much to handle, Himiko screamed out her final breath, the sewing machine reaching its tipping point and actually tearing the girl limb from limb in a bloody massacre of guts, bones, and muscles. Everything was shut off, Monotaro and Monophanie looking at the human desecration panicked, then at each other before they formed a brilliant idea. Grabbing Monosuke and the same giant needle that killed him, the bears gathered up Himiko’s remains and hauled her off somewhere else.

Next, they were peering over Monokuma’s shoulder, antsy watching him sew up everything on his table by hand donning his late son’s eyeglasses to apparently see better. Blood painted his paw with each stitch and seam, finally finishing up and showing his gleeful children the result as they applauded him. He walked over to the pretty pink plastic mansion on the shelf, opening it and seating Himiko’s corpse, now remodeled into a bloodstained, fleshy ragdoll with russet buttons for eyes. A hideous dress made from Monosuke’s skin replaced her ruined one, her trademark hat nearly slipping until Monokuma fixed it and patted her head a few times endearingly. The grinning bear shut the dollhouse slowly, what was left of the Ultimate Cosplayer now preserved in shelved darkness for all eternity.

* * *

“Another one bites the dust!” Monokuma cheered. “While costing me another cub, sadly, ‘twas not a vain sacrifice.”

“Now, I can take my place as your real successor in the great circle of non-life,” Monotaro said. “With Monophanie as my queen!” The pink bear vomited obnoxiously. “What?! I’m good looking!”

“Sorry, gorey execution,” Monophanie gagged. “Did you say something after ‘non-life’?”

“You’ll see soon, my queen. Very soon~.”

“Erm, queen?”

“And as the future king, I now pronounce this trial— done! Do whatever it is you Ultimate bastards do, but go on and git!”

Monokuma sniffled, wiping away a tear. “So proud! My little baby off to destroy people! Or himself!” Blowing a kiss to the students, he disappeared with his children. “G’night, everybody! Sleep very well tonight!”

“H…” Tenko croaked, eyes wider than plates and stained with saline. “H-H-H…!”

“I warned you,” Ouma shrugged, earnest. “Now, you’ve got no choice at all.”

The robot went haywire with jets of her artificial tears, braids flying in a frenzy. “HIMIKOOOOOOOO!” Her breath hitched, Tenko clutching the left side of her chest before her eyes went black, sending her falling in a sideways collapse.

“Tenko!” Rantaro cried, the first to her side and kneeling to inspect her.

“Is she okay?!” Kaito gasped.

“Yeah, just a little blackout is all. I’d say the heartbreak was too much for her system to handle and it caused a serious crash.”

“Can you reboot her?” Kaede wondered.

“Sure, but not here or now. I think… she deserves some time to rest after everything she just had to see today.”

“What about you, Iruma-san?” Shuichi asked, seeing the maid hardly able to stand from the intensity of her crying. “Are you gonna be okay?”

“L-Like you really give a shit…” Miu blubbered, teeth clenched to bury her sobs. “Besides, I’d be askin’ more about Kiyo than me, even if ya hate us both.”

“Don’t worry about me, Miu,” Korekiyo rasped, holding his throat and using his podium to support his jellied knees. “This outcome was expected and nothing new for anybody… so, concern is neither necessary nor warranted…!” He fell to his knees and then the ground, shaky in gasping for a weary breath.

“Shin!” Kaito shouted, running over alongside Shuichi and Miu until they’d been blocked off by Ouma.

“Will you clods-for-brains get away from him?! Give the guy some air, and keep your grimy fingers off!” Ouma snapped at them.

“Ouma-kun, he needs help,” Kaede said, crossing over to check on Kiyo and seeing fresh blood color the bandages under his cravat. “Great, his wound opened again. Why don’t I take it from here and get him out?”

Ouma cheered up instantly. “Sure thing! Take him away.”

“You let her do it?! What gives?” Kaito wondered, receiving no answer as Kaede acted as Korekiyo’s crutch and carried him off to the elevator.

“If you want somebody to help, why don’t you help me help Tenko?” Rantaro laughed uneasily. “I’m not somebody who can lift 90 kilos or higher by myself.”

“No problem. Shuichi, help me grab her knees.”

“Sorry about this, Tenko-san,” Shuichi apologized to the comatose robot, helping Kaito with her bottom half while Rantaro had her shoulders. “She’d kill us if she saw us do this.”

“What? Help her off the ground?”

“Yep,” Rantaro agreed, carefully walking to the elevator. “But, that’s Tenko for you. She doesn’t have to know who helped her, though.”

Everybody except Ouma and Tsumugi went back to the elevator helping somebody, Kiibo being the only one Miu would let near her as she shivered and sniffled, unable to stop the gut-wrenching sobs currently tearing her apart from the inside out. When it reached the Shrine of Judgement, Kaede kept going with Korekiyo, the three boys helping Tenko needing a short rest before carrying her any further to safety. The detective was still conscious, but severely weakened, just barely able to keep up his own footsteps as he was helped along the path to the Dormitory. He stumbled, but Kaede caught him just as quickly and kept going with ease despite the awkward height difference between them.

“How embarrassing,” Korekiyo quietly laughed. “Seems I’ve overexerted myself to the point of reinjury. It must be burdensome for you to single yourself out carrying me back.”

“Don’t say that like I had to carry you back here,” Kaede scolded. “I chose to, just like I chose to patch you up earlier.”

“Ah, yes, speaking of that, I never got to properly express my gratitude. In spite of everything, after all I’d done to make this game difficult for you, you still willingly went back and saved my life. Thank you, Akamatsu-san.”

“It’s no trouble. Leaving you like that was never an option, no matter what I think of you or vice-versa.”

“Hrm… your selflessness knows no bounds. Perhaps this whole time, I’ve been wrong about you. Even in my disagreements with your methods, they’ve proven a far more positive outcome compared to how you’d begun.”

“That’s the beauty of change, isn’t it?”

Korekiyo smiled, tired. “It is. It’s what you expect least is what turns out to be the most beautiful of them all…” Carefully getting down from Kaede, he knelt, hand against his chest with his head bowed. “To further express my gratitude, I’d like to try start over on a better foot. Less us trying to do things my way versus yours, and more us sharing with one another to move forward.”

“You mean by like… copying off each other?”

“No, I wouldn’t say that. We’re still bound to have techniques neither one of us is ever willing to agree on, but that doesn’t mean small compromises shouldn’t be possible. The lack of such is where I’d trace most of our hostility back to.”

“If you’re gonna go with that idea, then there’s no reason I should see you trying to force your ideas into my head.”

“Likewise, but you’re so insistent it won’t happen on your end that it’d be unwise calling you a liar, wouldn’t it?”

“Darn right, it would.” Korekiyo got dizzy and nearly fell again, saved by Kaede hooking herself under him and carrying him to his door. “Geez. This is why you don’t make suggestions on one knee after somebody tries to kill you, you drama queen. I told you not to be so formal.”

“I thought that was only for joining the student council, yes?”

“This, too!” With Kiyo’s help, Kaede opened his dorm room door and helped him inside, laying him on his bed carefully. “Look, can you do me a favor and just get some sleep? You’ve been through a lot today.”

“What I’ve experienced this evening pales in comparison to past cases and tragedies. I’m used to it, and being hung up on what’s happened won’t make any difference. I must be purely impartial, and my earlier outbursts were deplorable for a detective.” Korekiyo blinked surprised when Kaede removed his boots and coat, getting him settled under his sheets and covers. “Oh, my. Are you tucking me in, Akamatsu-san?”

“How else are you gonna sleep?”

“Fair, but I hope this doesn’t mean you aim to read me a bedtime stor— EEE!” Korekiyo hissed in pain when Kaede shut him up by applying a fresh coat of disinfectant to his neck wound after peeling off his dirty bandages, cleaning it up, then wrapping it in some replacement gauze. “A small warning would have done, you know…”

“Let your neck get better without giving me lip, and I’ll consider it.”

“Very well. I am already indebted to you for saving my life and helping me here.”

“No, no, no debts or any other being unnecessarily formal. Just the thanks was plenty.”

“Does this mean I shall address you as ‘Kaede-san’ rather than your last name?”

Kaede shrugged. “I don’t see why not. The honorific isn’t necessary with my first name, either. Maybe in return, I could start calling you ‘Kiyo’, if that’s fine with you.”

“If that’s what you desire. This will take some getting used to…”

“Focus more on getting shut-eye and closing your wound first. I’ll stop by later tonight to see how you’re holding up.”

“Oh, yes, on that. What about—?”

“—Patrol’s gonna be fine with just three people right now.” Kaede flexed her biceps noticeable through her blouse. “All of us are trained in Aikido, so it’ll be harder to get past!”

“Then I shouldn’t see poor results come morning. Don’t disappoint me now, Kaede-san.” Kiyo laid back on his pillow, eyes half-lidded. “You may go now. I need my rest, if I can get it. Insomnia is kind to nobody.”

“Just try your best. Get well soon, Kiyo. Oh, and one more thing?”

“What is it?”

“It’s okay to not be okay, you know.”

“Pardon me?”

“Exactly what I said. In this case, it’s okay to miss someone and cry over them. No one’s gonna hate you for being human.”

Korekiyo now understood, fingers curling against his sheets as he turned his head away. “...I see. Thank you, Kaede-san.”

Kaede got up and left Korekiyo’s room, closing the door behind her. “He’s safe in bed and no one’s looking. You can come out now, Ouma-kun.”

“It’s not me! You’re talking to my even more evil twin,” Ouma fibbed, jumping out of hiding. “Which is a lie. Nobody’s more evil than me.”

“Certainly. The evil, black-hearted astronaut waiting for me to leave so that he can check on his injured friend.”

“I’m not here to do that! I’m here to probe and dissect him so the Mercurians have plenty to eat. And I don’t want you watching because you’ll get squeamish and throw up. Bleugh, yuck.”

“When you work in a daycare, you’ve seen every possible level of ‘gross’, so I’d be just fine.”

“And, you’re probably used to patching up all those gushing, bloody noses and skins peeling off the elbow until it’s nothing but tendons underneath, huh?”

“None of my kids have ever gotten that hurt, otherwise we’d send them straight to the emergency room, not put on a smiley face bandaid.”

“I dunno, you were quick to help Kiyo-chan with his neck problem. Twice.” Kaede gulped, Ouma smirking at her nervousness. “That’s what I’ve been meaning to talk to you about, too.”

“G-Go ahead, then. What is it?”

Ouma slapped Kaede on the back, taking her breath away. “Will you relax? This isn’t about your secret; that’s still none of my business until you blow it yourself. In fact, consider this… my thanks.”

“What?”

“Even if I do find out your secret, I’ll keep it to myself and tell nobody as my way of saying thank you.”

“For?”

“Saving Kiyo’s life for starters, but for enders, you surprised me, which isn’t something most can do so easily. I never expected any of you Earthlings to take my idea for screening the motives, and yet you did instead of sweeping me under the rug like yesterday’s dust bunnies. So, once again… thanks.”

Ouma’s face was neutral, which Kaede took note of and smiled. “Don’t mention it.”

“I won’t, weren’t you listening? Somebody’s got too many corn kernels in her ears~!” Ouma grinned for a second with his hands behind his head before he smirked impishly. “But, don’t think I’m letting you off _totally_ easily. I may not be screeching your secret like some loser on a midnight horse, but I’ll still act accordingly once I find out what you’re hiding this badly. For now, I’ll let you off since your evaluation just skyrocketed from what you did, but watch out later on, mmkay, Miss President?”

 _‘I knew it was too good to be that true.’_ Kaede shooed him off and started to leave. “Fine, fine, just run along and don’t cause anymore mischief.”

“No promises on that second one.” Ouma wiggled his fingers goodbye. “Have a nice day, Kaebae.”

“Kae—?”

By the time she turned around again, there was only a closing of Korekiyo’s door and no physical sign of Ouma. Kaede felt it was best to leave, having no exact priorities until Night Time, for now feeling rather drained by the scars left from two more deaths having gone down. In returning to the Academy’s primary building, she’d passed by Shuichi, who kept walking on his way until rasping and coughing from the boys’ bathroom caught his ears. Alarmed, he followed the noise, finding Kaito inside and only keeping himself upright by a single hand pushing down on a running, stained sink. The other was on his mouth after the nasty cough, Shuichi horrified seeing what sat in the palm while Kaito glared at it frustrated.

“Damn it, not now!” Kaito wheezed, forcing the blood down the drain as the faucet washed it away from his hand and mouth. “I’ve still got time left here! And I’m doing so well, too…! I’m not going out until I say so, you got that?!” Gagging, he failed to resist another violent cough, more blood painting the corners of his mouth and the sink a scary color while the rest of his body shook frail. “Son of a bitch…!”

“Kaito…” the frightened Shuichi breathed, unable to take his eyes off the scene confirming his hidden fears.

 _What was gonna happen to Kaito?_ , he wondered. And more importantly, when?

* * *

**_New!_ **

_Obtained Present:_

  * Little Witch’s Hat



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 03: Law & Disorder: Trial By Fury - Class Trial END
> 
> Students remaining: 10/16
> 
> (If you guys seriously thought I was gonna write out THAT dialogue from canon Ch. 3's trial during the motive video playback, you are sorely mistaken >:( )
> 
> I know evidence in this chapter points otherwise, but I make it very clear that I do NOT in any sort of way hate Himiko. I'm fine with her, but killing somebody dooooesn't exactly fly too well with people who cared about the victim plenty, now does it? Not to mention, executions are gorey as is, so that also doesn't impact how I feel about her (still hoping I didn't go too far with this one, tho =w="). Also, her Argument Armament outfit took me a while to remember what I was gonna use for it, but it's meant to be a mix between Godoka's (who is also Christine Marie Cabanos, I may add) outfit and Sailor Cosmos'. All fancy and whatnot for a cosplayer :3
> 
> Once again, the grand majority of you guessed the killer right, so mega MEGA non-AO3 kudos to you smarty-pantses! I'm so proud of you all! So weird to think we've just completed the halfway mark of this story, huh? Only three more trials and an epilogue to go, and it'll all be over. Not that the end is coming too-too soon, but just lookit how far we've come on this journey of despair, bs, and heartbreak during equally trying times.
> 
> Until next time, I'll be figuring out how to start off the start of Ch. 4, and you'll all be seeing that chapter as soon as I've got it done (unless you're just here for the deaths, then kindly skip the Daily Life chapters and just wait until the Deadly Life ones to comment,,,,,). It won't be too long, but I'll need some time. Hope you guys enjoyed this arc because there's more of them coming your way! See you, and have a lovely night/morning/etc.! ♥


	31. Episode XXX: Daily Life 4.1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, guys, this is the final chapter of New Dangan Ronpa V3BOOT... to be released during the shitstorm year we were forced to call 2020! I wanted to get this up before midnight, so I can at least get rid of this year with at least one positive thing. Let's hope 2021 isn't practical Armageddon and actually improves (at least we have someone different in the Oval Office now, which is better than you-know-fucking-who). 
> 
> While I've no intention of halting character interactions/development, from here on out is gonna start focusing more on the aspects and secrets of the Killing Game, and what I have planned differently from canon V3. I already mapped out how the juicy parts of Chapters 5 and 6 are gonna go, but that's for me to know and you guys to find out in the near future! Until then, enjoy the start of the fourth (arc) chapter! Y'all oughta love it~ ♥

_‘Hey there. Guess I don’t have to introduce myself, huh?’_

“Nope, we’re perfectly acquainted,” Rantaro sighed in his Lab, fast-forwarding on his Lab’s computer to a more laconic part of the warning.

_‘So, let’s get to it, then. The reason I recorded this footage. I won the right to a special perk for participating in the killing game. Part of that perk is this video message. Also, you can’t share this with anyone. If you catch Monokuma shooing anyone away from you, that’s why. There’s another part of this perk, something you get at the beginning of the game. I bet you know what I’m talking about. Something you’ve had from the start, yeah?’_

“Still do. Nobody knows about this except me, Chief. Even if I’ve got some company today.” Rantaro looked at his reclining bench, where Tenko still lay with black eyes in her dormant, crashed state. “I don’t think she can hear me right now, so the secret’s safe.”

 _‘Now, I_ **_thought_ ** _that if you were smart, you’d have used it to end the killing game. But, if you’re watching this, that obviously didn’t work out. Life’s never easy, huh?'_

Rantaro rolled his eyes. “Patience is a virtue. Hoshi-kun was an example of ‘why not to strike too early’. Only a matter of time…” He knew the important clue would be cut off by a red alarm, so he fast-forwarded past it and cut to its final seconds.

_‘...Oh, there is… one more thing. Well, the truth is… this isn’t your first killing game. You’re the Ultimate Survivor. You survived the last killing game. That’s why you get this perk— the Survivor Perk. But, it’s not all fun and games. Anyone who finds out who you are is gonna come for you. So, watch your back. Trust no one.’_

“Definitely won’t be doing that anytime soon after what’s happened. There’s no use getting too attached to people who aren’t sticking by forever. One way, or another…”

_‘And never forget. You wanted this killing game, so you have to win no matter what. ...No matter what.”_

“This game is as good as over.” Rantaro closed out of the USB drive and pulled it out of his computer, the recording of his alternate self following. After putting it in its secret hiding spot and locking it tightly, his eyes went to the work desk full of gadgets and gizmos, some closer to completion while others needed some more tinkering. “And I’m gonna win it my way.” The alarm on his Monopad beeped, quickly turned off after reminding Rantaro of something important. “Wow, look at the time. I’d better not make us both late for the services, huh, Tenko?” No response, the robot girl still shut off. “...Counting that as a yes. Let’s get you out of here.”

Wheeling in a hand truck, Rantaro pushed hard to roll Tenko off the metal examination bed, just barely able to sustain her weight enough and stand her up before strapping her against the dolly so she couldn’t fall off. He quietly apologized in advance for it not being a wheelchair, but in his defense, he was an inventor, not a doctor despite fair arguments that he was technically Tenko’s in a way. Four days she’d been out cold, and rebooting her proved difficult after he’d looked hard for the source in order to fix the problem. Until then, a comatose gyndroid being at the gymnasium beat having none at all given how badly she would be bound to react to not attending if she were conscious.

He leaned Tenko against the outside wall of his Lab, locking it behind him so nobody else could sneak in and see things only he was permitted to. Now all set, Rantaro kept pushing the hand truck, having a distance to go until the destination.

Like it had been both times before, a small part of the gymnasium was redecorated with a white-clothed table covered in a row of lit candles and two large portraits bearing a pair of hanging black ribbons: one depicting Kirumi’s headshot, and the other Himiko’s. By the entrance, a frame sign saying “In Memoriam: Toujou Kirumi & Yumeno Himiko” stood covered in false white roses tied into a green wreath. Rantaro was the last arriving with Tenko being wheeled in by him, surprised to see Ouma of all people hanging wordlessly by the side wall further away from those attending the services.

“You made it,” he observed of the astronaut’s presence. “I take it you’re here for Toujou-san?”

“No,” Ouma claimed. “I just wanted to see what all these silly funerals were a big fuss about. I got banned from the first one and didn’t bother with the other.”

“If that’s the hill you wanna die on, then you won’t see me fishing for another answer out of you.”

“Well, are you a smart little Earthling? Usually, that’s next to impossible, but you’re at least good at looking it!”

“Pipe down! Kaede’s speaking!” Kaito shushed him, curt. “Have some respect for the dead if you won’t have any for the living!”

“Before I start, I wanna thank you guys for coming this morning,” Kaede said, solemn at the podium and microphone. “It’s been a rough couple of days trying to digest the last trial, but now’s when we all get together and honor our friends with one last goodbye. Some of you… have been taking it even harder than others.” She looked at the gloomy Miu ignoring anybody’s comfort that wasn’t Kiibo’s, and Tenko still in her crashed state on Rantaro’s hand truck. “But, this is still just as difficult of a time for all of us. Although it’s not fair that we lost one friend to the other killing her, it’s even less fair they both had to go so soon because of Monokuma and his stupid game. They suffered because of him and everything he’s pulled and trying to! If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have had to lose either of them and—!” Kaede’s voice got choked up, using her sleeve to clean the tears she shed so she could clear her throat and continue. “N-Now, with that said, if anybody had any words they wanna share about either Kirumi or Himiko— or both, even— come right up. The floor will be yours.”

“You’re free to go up there if you’d like,” Rantaro suggested to Ouma.

“Why? I’m not talking,” Ouma grumbled. “Be thankful I’ve even graced you people with my presence.”

“...It’s okay if you do speak. Nobody’s gonna be on your case for missing somebody you cared about.”

“Good for them. I’m still not going up there, so get over it and off my back. Ain’t it a little soon to be taking up Kirumi’s old mantle of ‘naggy mommy’?”

“What you’re calling ‘nagging’, I’m calling ‘trying to help’ a little.”

Ouma looked at his fingers, coldly dismissing Rantaro. “Do me a favor and don’t waste your time, sweetcheeks. People die when they’re killed, and I’m not wasting my time jumping up on stage repeating that like a brain dead parakeet.”

Rantaro exhaled, giving up. Before he could say something else, Miu shoved him away and marched on stage. “Outta my way! If you wanna give a dead girl the respect she deserves, you gotta do it yourself,” she hissed, replacing Kaede at the podium. “Beat it.”

“Going,” Kaede sighed without any other words, walking offstage. Were it not for any other circumstances, her reaction would have been far less patient, but for now, Miu got her pass.

“Now, I’m only gonna say this for one person, and one person only, because Otacunt ain’t worthy of my spit. Whoever wants to waste their time with her eulogy, be my guest. I couldn’t care less about her.” Miu felt her eyes sting with tears, taking a moment and resisting their escape before finally speaking in what had to be her most sincere tone possible. “A-Anyways. Of all the people to lose next… Kirumi shouldn’t have been anywhere near the top of that list. She was kind, she was patient, always bein’ so considerate of how someone else might feel before herself… and above all of that, she—” Tears started to sneak out despite resisting, Miu wiping them away. “She cared about me, actually wanting me to be a better person and have a better life ‘til I’m pruned and dying. There ain’t many that think I’m even capable of that, nevermind myself, but Kirumi stood apart from that. I had somebody I actually considered… well, a friend. A real, honest-to-God friend out there caring where I go or what I say next. B-But, now… she’s…!” Miu gripped the microphone, her tears uncontrollable like the shakes of her body. She couldn’t bear to remind herself that Kirumi was gone, her memorial portrait not helping the matter. “Fuck it, I can’t do this! I can’t say goodbye! I don’t wanna say goodbye! Not to her!”

“Miu!” Kiibo cried when his friend surrendered the microphone and ran off the stage bawling into her hands, following her out of the gym. “Wait, Miu, come back!”

“Poor Iruma-san,” Shuichi lamented. “I knew she’d take this hardest, but it still stinks to see her like that.”

“You’re telling me,” Kaito agreed. “Poor girl couldn’t even get through the eulogy in one piece.” He scratched behind his head awkwardly. “Dealing with a friend’s murder during their funeral— I wouldn’t wish that kinda pain on anybody. Not here, or in the outside world.”

“Speaking of eulogies for Toujou-san, have you seen Kiyo anywhere? I’d figure he’d be at the service.”

Kaito shook his head. “Not since bedtime, no. He’s probably doing his own solo mourning, but we’re finding him after this if he doesn’t show up late! No sidekick of mine is gonna be sulking alone without his friends!”

“Don’t you think there are people who’d rather mourn in peace? Without the extra noise?”

“It’s still better being surrounded by people that have your back! People shouldn’t need to feel like they’re doing everything alone.”

“That’s not really what I—”

“—Would anybody else like to come up and speak?” Kaede asked, back at the podium again. “Let’s give Iruma-san some air, but right now, we can do another eulogy for either or both victims.”

“I’ll go,” Rantaro volunteered, trading himself in for Kaede’s spot in front of the microphone. “Thank you, Miss. Ahem. To Himiko, there aren’t any excuses for what you did to Toujou-san; even though you only did it because you were worried about someone you cared about, it’s still a life lost before yours, and you went behind everyone’s backs and stabbed us there to do it when all of us considered you a friend. Now, that being said— most of us still do. Although what you did was without question horrible, you were still just as much Monokuma’s victim as Toujou-san. If anyone’s the most at fault for why none of us will get to see you anymore, it’s him. 

“I may not have known Toujou-san that well, but it’s gonna be a whole lot tougher going on without either of you. Possible, but nowhere near easy. I wish you guys could have had the chance to go home with us, but I guess not everybody gets what they want all the time…” Rantaro swallowed some tacky saliva building up in his throat, finishing his eulogy calmly. “We’ll miss you girls. Not just one or the other, but the two who are gone too early because of a demented teddy bear, but never forgotten. And won’t be. Rest in peace up there, okay, ladies?”

“Thanks for that, Amami-kun,” Shuichi said, getting on stage after Rantaro got down and back to the floor. “Before we all come up to the table and pay our private respects, I want everyone to take a moment of silence for the two we’ve lost. It’s the least amount of peace they deserve after all they’d just been through.”

Everyone except a seemingly indifferent Ouma bowed their chins to their chests, eyes closed and saying nothing in honor of the dearly departed. When the silence passed, the students had the okay to approach the table and give Kirumi and Himiko’s portraits another personal farewell in place of their discarded, unobtainable bodies. Shuichi noticed Ouma behind him leaving the gym without saying a word or paying anyone else heed, choosing not to intervene given it wasn’t anybody’s business except that of the astronaut’s. One candle each was blown out by one mourner’s breath, Rantaro taking an extra so Tenko wouldn’t miss out and joining the rest in leaving the gymnasium for the dining hall to try and see if breakfast was possible after concluding the depressing services.

“Iruma-san, if you’re not feeling up to cooking—” Shuichi tried saying after meeting the maid and Kiibo in the dining hall.

“—Fuck off with that, I can make breakfast just fine,” Miu coldly sniffled. “Save your bullshit pity for someone who’s actually pathetic enough to need it.”

“But, I wasn’t—” Miu ignored him, storming into the kitchen to get the first meal started. “Nevermind. She’s not in the mood to hear that.”

“Give her some room to breathe,” Kaede suggested. “If anybody’s among the ones who got hit hardest by this, it’s Iruma-san.”

“Not just her,” Kaito noted, looking at Korekiyo sitting at one of the tables alone. His hair was fixed back into its usual high ponytail save for the hair hanging from his temples, but the only place his eyes were focused on was underneath. Were it not for him breathing, one could easily mistake him dead given the icy silence and stillness. “Yo, Shin! We missed you at the services today. I’d have figured you’d have been there.”

“Hmm? Oh,” Korekiyo uttered with half-effort, hardly able to look up from his misery. “I wasn’t.”

“Did you forget or something? I could’ve—”

“—No, I remembered perfectly.”

“Then, why didn’t you come?” Shuichi asked. “Did you just want some time to digest it all with some peace and quiet?”

“Partly, that’s the reason,” Korekiyo sighed, “but the rest of it has to do with my previous behavior.”

“Your behavior? Where?”

“Don’t pretend as though you’d suddenly forgotten. At the trial, Saihara-kun. My behavior was… inexcusable, and I regret losing so much control that day over something I ought to be used to by now.”

“What, that? You’re seriously hung up over something nobody’s blaming you for?” Kaito scoffed. “Shin, you’re gonna have to let that go.”

“I can’t just do that! Maybe you don’t see it as an issue, but I do.” Kiyo gripped his own arms, nails digging into his coat sleeves. “All those horrid things I’d said to Yumeno-san before her demise… even when she wasn’t entirely to blame for Kirumi’s death at all. She was right; I’ve lost the woman I cherish because of my own poor preparedness.”

“How could you say that without joking?! None of that shit was on you! Yumeno hit her with a hammer and killed her, and Monokuma tricked her into thinking she had a reason to do it! You didn’t have anything to do with any of that!”

“You’re wrong!” Korekiyo darted up from his chair, slamming his hands on the table in a state of distress. “What you’re neglecting to recall is how I was meant to be the intended victim, and yet I didn’t die!”

“Don’t say that like it’s a bad thing! You should be happy to live another day after that close of a brush with death!”

“H— Happy? _Happy_?! Who would be stupid enough to find joy in losing a girl like Kirumi and being left alive to deal with the aftermath?! Who, I ask? Who?!” Korekiyo’s forehead blued with sweat, spindly fingers crunched into a fist that couldn’t stop shaking. “It’s certainly not me! I shouldn’t be alive right now, I don’t deserve it…! Kirumi! Kirumi deserves to have her life back, and yet I screamed at Yumeno-san as though it would change that! Worst of it, Tenko’s currently in a coma for that same reason… none of this would be possible if I’d simply bled out to my grave and—!”

 _SMACK_!

Kaito rubbed his hand, which he’d used to strike a muted Korekiyo in the side of his face to snap the detective out of his meltdown. “No. Enough of that, you got it? If you’re gonna yammer all day about you ‘deserving’ to die, do it in front of anyone else but me. I will _never_ play with that shit, and you’d better learn that really fast.”

Kaede noticed Korekiyo still wasn’t talking, instead holding a hand to his reddened cheek and staring horrified at the ground. “Kiyo? Are you okay?” she asked, highly concerned. He didn’t respond still, shaking in place while the tears started falling uncontrollably with his hardened sobs.

“...Shin?! What’s wrong?!”

“Duh! You fuckin’ hit him, Homota!” Miu barked, angry. “Name one time that’s ever helped someone in the middle of a spiral!”

“I was just trying to— I didn’t—! Bah! Shin?” Kaito rushed to Korekiyo’s side, trying to help him and being refused by the latter jumping away from him looking more like an injured deer. Still in tears, Kiyo fled from the dining hall using the courtyard door. “Shin, wait! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make it worse! Come back!”

“Screw you, you’ve done enough! He needs a woman’s touch, and I’m the only one left for the job!” Miu chased after, now strictly concerned for her friend. “Kiyo, wait up! It’s just me!”

“Nice going,” Rantaro scolded, arms folded disapprovingly at Kaito.

“You say that like I went into that meaning to make him cry!” Kaito argued. “He was just going on about wanting to die, and I— I only wanted to make him stop. Get his head together, you know?”

“There were a million other ways you could have gone about it!” Kiibo snapped. “Laying your hand on somebody never helps! What on Earth were you thinking?!”

“I get it! Bad idea. What the Hell do you want from me?”

“Apologizing comes to mind. And since it’s not ‘unnecessary’ this time, I suggest you get a serious move on, Momota-kun.”

“Don’t forget to use sensitivity,” Kaede firmly reminded him. “Because this time, you apparently did.”

“Thanks, President Obvious,” Kaito sighed. “Even a kid could guess I need to say I’m sorry. I know when I gotta show humility, and now is it—” The courtyard entrance burst open, revealing Ouma glaring inside with his mouth in a flat line.

“Ouma-kun!” Tsumugi exclaimed. “What a surprise. Where have you been all morning?”

 _‘I hope he didn’t see Shinguuji-kun on the way here,’_ Shuichi gulped. “Listen—”

“—Who did it?” Ouma demanded an answer to, venom dripping off the coolness of his anger. “Tell me right now.”

“Did…?”

“Playing dumb? Pathetic of you, Shuichi. Real pathetic. You all know _exactly_ what I’m asking, so speak up. Who. Did it?” No response, only guilty looks. “I’ll ask again, but differently. Which one. Of you godforsaken creatures. _Laid their dirty fucking hand on Korekiyo and made him cry_?! Answer me!”

“I did,” Kaito confessed, raising his hand and worsening Ouma’s fury. “But, I was just on my way to—!” A punch to the gut sent Kaito on the ground, shirt collar gripped and dragged closer so he could see the pure hatred boring from Ouma’s eyes.

“You just think you’re the hottest thing since the Big Bang, don’t ya? Because you’re ‘good-looking’ or ‘great at sports’ and ‘popular’ that you think you can do whatever you want and everything else in the world will just bend over backwards for you like some sorta dog, huh?!”

“N-No…? Where’s this—?”

“—Shut up! Just shut! Up! I’ve had it with idiot jocks like you making life Hell for whoever you want just because you fucking feel like it!”

“Why don’t you actually let me talk?! Before you came in screaming at me, I was on my way to patch things up with Shin for what I did! Can’t do that if you don’t get outta my way already!”

“No. You’re not going anywhere _near_ that guy as long as I’m still alive. People as dumb as you are only make asses of themselves thinking they’ve got any capability of fixing anything, and I’ll be damned before I let you make Kiyo feel even worse.”

Kaito ignored him, shoving Ouma away before marching off to the halls. “Move, Ouma. I don’t have time for your overly-negative bullshit.”

“You’ll just never know when to stop, will ya? Fine. Guess I’ve gotta knock more than just sense into that empty skull of yours…” Moving forward snarling, Ouma was held back by Shuichi and Kaede, now fighting against their grips. “Let go of me! How dare you put your slimy little Earthling hands on a future—! Intergalactic dictator?!”

“We’re not letting go until you’re calm,” Kaede ordered. “As the student council president, I say no more picking fights with Kaito!”

“As if he doesn’t deserve it!”

“He doesn’t,” Shuichi argued. “Ouma-kun, we know you’re upset about what he did, but trying to beat him up and screaming in his face isn’t gonna do anything.”

“Just watch me try it.” Ouma ripped both arms away from them, cracking his knuckles and marching off to personally deal with the tennis player. “When I’m through with him, that loser’s gonna _wish_ he never got locked in this place with me!”

 _‘I didn’t wanna have to resort to this, but you asked for it!’_ Lunging forward, Shuichi jabbed Ouma in a few crucial points located in his back, then doing the same to his waist and knees before he stopped and fell to the ground gasping. “Sorry, Ouma-kun, that was for your own good.”

“You—?! Do that to me, but let him off easy after slapping a guy?!”

“Kaito’s at least not on his way to hit somebody twice,” Kaede fought, picking up Ouma like cargo and walking away with him. “You’re hereby under Lab arrest until Shuichi’s pokes of doom wear off, or you’ve calmed down enough not to hurt someone. Whichever one comes first!”

“Put me down…! You just wait until I bust out on my own, Kaede! Then you and your stupid enforcer will be sorry!”

“It’s cute you think I’m not supervising you, Kokichi. Consider yourself officially in _time out_ where I’ll be taking you.”

Now that Kaede had Ouma hauled off somewhere else, there was no one after Kaito stopping him from completing his mission. He arrived at the Dormitory, approaching the room on the boys’ side belonging to Korekiyo and knocking on his door. Instead of him opening it, however, the athlete was instead greeted by Miu, who sneered at him before trying to slam that very door right in his face. Kaito intercepted, fighting for control of getting inside while Miu did her part to keep him out and away from Korekiyo’s side.

“You’ve done enough damage, now beat it!” Miu barked, finally winning and shutting out Kaito before locking the door.

“Who was that just now, Miu?” Korekiyo wondered, a small bag of ice taped to his cheek thanks to the maid.

“Some screwball lookin’ to get their cherry popped, don’t worry about it. You just focus on feeling better with some peace and quiet for once.”

“I can only get so much after you set foot in my room…”

“Haven’t I been behaving so far?” Kiyo barely opened his mouth before Miu answered for him. “Exactly, so don’t knock my good manners.” Speaking of knocking, there was more at the door. “Oh, what now?!”

“Don’t think I’m getting lost just because you told me to!” Kaito shouted from outside. “I need to have a talk between two men only!”

“Kiyo doesn’t want any of your fudgepackin’ after you slapped him in a bad area! Do what virgins like you do best and beat it!”

“Was that Kaito?” Korekiyo wondered, tense. “He still wishes to discuss what happened earlier?”

“Homota was just leaving. God knows you don’t need another slap to the face fuckin’ you up after all the stress from the last trial.”

“Miu, if he desires a civil conversation, I’d say he deserves one. Nothing will get better if this is left to lie and rot like a freshly severed cadaver thrown off the highest bridge never to see the light of day again.”

“Geez! And people say _I’m_ the master of TMI. ‘Sides, how do I know he won’t smack ya around for not saying what he wants to hear?”

“I have reason to believe Kaito won’t make the same mistake twice. It didn’t happen with Iidabashi-kun, so I’m going to trust him.”

Miu threw her eyes aside. “More power to you, then. Just lemme know first if he steps outta line again, and I’ll be right back in here to kick his teeth in!”

“No violence, please. I’m going to be just fine by myself for a few minutes.”

“You’ve been doin’ a lot ‘by yourself’ these past couple of days and you don’t have to, you know. Bad enough you’re more clogged up than a nine-year old who can’t take a shit; it ain’t suddenly the end of the world to cry some.”

“Oh, I believe I’ve done plenty of that today, thank you.”

Miu yanked Kiyo’s ponytail. “Do it some more!” Letting him go, she gave him a soft hug, chin sinking into his shoulder as her voice lowered morose. “...I miss her too, ya know?”

Korekiyo’s eyes widened for a second, budding up with tears he’d quickly wiped away in a sniffle. “I know you do.” His voice came out croaked as he reciprocated the embrace, rubbing the back of Miu’s head while she hiccuped away her sobs. “It’s going to be okay despite that.”

“Sh-Shithead… ‘m supposed to be telling you this…” More knocking from Kaito snapped her out of it, but just barely as the typical aggression in Miu’s voice warbled. “Yeah, I hear ya, I’m leaving! Keep it in your ‘lucky’ boxer shorts, Jock Strap!”

“You say that, but I have yet to lose a match with ‘em on,” Kaito gloated as soon as Miu opened the door, then yelling pained when she dug her nails into his arm and pulled his ear closer to her mouth.

“I’m giving you _one_ chance. Fuck this or Kiyo up, and I fuck _you_ up.”

“Goodbye, Iruma, I get the picture.” Kaito dismissed her, the sound of door slamming making Korekiyo flinch when Miu left. “Hey, uhh… Kiyo. Earlier got pretty crazy between us, didn’t it?”

“Quite…” Korekiyo murmured, distancing himself further up his bed whilst a hand rested on his slapped cheek. Kaito noticed, guiltily sitting only at the foot without getting too close. “So. You wish to talk?”

“I thought that was obvious. Look, man, I feel really bad about lashin’ out at you before, and no real man would just sit pretty and do nothing to make things right! Even if I can’t necessarily get you to forgive me, the least I can do is apologize.”

 _‘Apologize. Apologize! Apologize to me right now, Korekiyo! I demand you apologize this instant!’_ Was all the detective could hear, Kaito’s voice replaced entirely by that of his tormentor’s. It hardly took a second for him to back up the bed in panic, hitched breath while gripping both arms and looking at Kaito as if he’d turned into a woman with long, snakelike hair and blood red lipstick. “N-No… no, no, please… I can’t! Anything but that, I beg of you…!”

“You can’t what? Are you okay, Shin?”

“P-Please, don’t come any closer… I’m begging you, I didn’t mean to—! I didn’t mean it!”

“Dude, I’m not gonna bite you or something. All I came here for was to talk and apologize.”

“NO! S-Stop it! I said stop it, please! Stop it right now…!”

“Stop what?! What did I do, man? Tell me! Hell, I’ll even apologize for—!”

“—DON’T SAY THAT WORD!” Grabbing the nearest book from his shelf, Korekiyo flung it at Kaito, who swatted it away pained. Upon realizing what he’d done, the detective cowered against his headboard, curled into a ball of fright. “Forgive me… p-please, I apologize f-for my outburst. I sincerely apologize, I lashed out, I wavered, I m-mustn't raise my voice…”

“Shin? Bro?” Kaito waved his hand in front of Korekiyo’s face, but got no sign he’d be snapping out of his trance.

“Mustn’t waver, mustn’t get flustered, mustn’t s-stutter…! Must apologize! I apologize, I apologize, I must apologize…!”

“SHIN!” The loudness of Kaito’s voice got Korekiyo’s attention, but did nothing to cure his ‘deer-in-the-headlights’ stare whatsoever. Pausing, Kaito eased up on his tone, staying close to Korekiyo and removing his nails before they could draw blood from under his sleeves. “It’s okay. You’re okay. Nobody’s here to hurt ya, especially not me. I’m the only other person with you in this room, alright?”

“Th-The only other…?”

Kaito nodded. “And I’m here to say I’m sorry for hitting you earlier, not to mention freaking you out just now with that… word you don’t like for some reason. I won’t say it anymore, but just know what I did before wasn’t cool, and I promise not to lay my hands on you like that ever again. Okay?”

Korekiyo grew tears in his eyes, unable to resist the stress of the past few days and the emotional shock he’d just gone through yet again and releasing it all into his palms as uncontrollable sobbing. Kaito was prepared to just let him cry everything out, but found himself being pulled into a constricting hug as his friend wept into his shoulder. He didn’t know what to do initially, but settled for letting him stay there and resting one hand atop his head with the other arm wrapped around Korekiyo’s arms.

Miu stayed outside the room leaning against its doorframe the entire time, her wait for the door to open over when Kaito finally stepped outside and closed it behind him quietly. She shot him a silent glare, but no words were exchanged between them as he left, peering inside to check on Korekiyo. All she discovered was him in his bed respirating soundly, his emotions having worn himself out. Content, Miu closed the door again, leaving to let the sleeping detective lie and get rid of anything on her list of daily chores.

“So, how’d it go?” Shuichi asked Kaito in the corridor.

“Hatchet’s buried, but Shin fell asleep, so I’m giving him some privacy,” Kaito answered. “Where’s everyone else?”

“They left after… that. Kaede’s still babysitting Ouma-kun, Amami-kun’s with Tenko-san, of course, and Kiibo’s helping Shirogane-san clean up the memorial. Where’s Iruma-san?”

“Somewhere, but she’s… around.” Kaito put a fist on his hip, bowing his head frowning. “Man. To think that’s literally all that’s left of us… what’s happened?”

“I’ll tell you what, no, _who_ happened. Mono—!” Shuichi got muffled by Kaito putting both hands on his mouth, fighting to get him off.

“Don’t! If you say his name, that’s how ya call him! He’s like a black-and-white demon with stuffing!”

“Who, me? Oooh! Please say you’re talking about me!” Monokuma cackled, making his grand appearance in front of the boys.

“Nice going…”

“Pishy-pish-posh! Saihara-kun saying something wouldn’t have made a diff. What? Your dear old Headmaster can’t pay you a visit? With lots of goodies and fun?”

“ _No_ ,” Shuichi and Kaito both emphasized.

“Boo! You’re supposed to be bullying your other classmates, not your teacher! God! Anyways, as another reward for surviving the third school trial, I hereby present you all with—!” Monokuma paused, looking around frantically. “Hey! Where is everybody?!”

“You’re just now noticing it’s only us?” Shuichi asked.

“I’m getting up there! Two games and a shitty anime really ages a bear, ya know! Gah, maybe an oldie like me won’t get through to you, so why don’t I call on the youth?”

“Or don’t…” Kaito grumbled.

“Rise and shine, ursine!” Monophanie chimed, Monotaro right behind her panting at her like a dehydrated pooch. “Sorry I’m late, Daddy. Ran into traffic! ...And some trouble.”

“Trouble? Like the handsome, bad boy trouble capable of stealing many hearts?” Monotaro teased, eyelashes batting at his sister. “Have I finally wormed my way into yours?”

“Umm… as I was saying!” Monophanie shoved Monotaro away, holding up both prizes: a cyan rock with the Academy’s emblem carved into it and colored white, and a paintbrush. “The brand new prizes for completing another horrendous trial! Since I only see two of you right now, you get the liberty of first dibs picking. Will you choose A., the legendary Levistone— not to be confused with the Dawn Stone— or B., the priceless Octobrush?”

“What’s so priceless about some brush?” Kaito wondered.

“Don’tcha know? It was used by many famous artists, passed down from dynasty to dynasty to era! All of them cephalopods, I should add!”

“Squids?”

“No! Octolings! Phooey on those squid kids, I say! Phooey!” Monotaro argued. “Take the superior brush and run with it!”

“I’ll take it, I guess,” Shuichi sighed, accepting the brush. “That leaves you in charge of the, uhh, Levistone?”

“Fine by me,” Kaito reluctantly agreed, taking it from Monophanie.

“Oh, and don’t think those are the only prizes any of you bastards will be getting from us!” Monotaro warned. “We’ve got number three waiting in the wings!”

“There’s a third?” Shuichi wondered. “But, there’s only two of you left.”

“We can count, and you can count on seeing a bonus prize later! For now, I’ve got a date with a fat, pink lady named Monophanie!” Monotaro replaced his pacifier with a red rose, inching more towards his sister. “Can’t neglect romance with my—”

“—So long, bear well!” Monophanie quickly exclaimed, booking it.

“My queen! Don’t go! I’m not done rekindling our love!” Monotaro chased after her, disappearing.

“Horny little bastards, aren’t they?” Monokuma snickered. “Gross. Really gross, but that’s kids for ya! As for you kids, I’ll be seeing you when the planets align and the stars are in position for a tribute. Toodles, doodles!”

“Well, Kaito?” Shuichi quizzed after the last bear left. “Do we split into teams for this one?”

“Nah, ain’t much of us left for that,” Kaito reluctantly admitted. “No! We’re all going as a single group… but with two chaperones! And who else better than the student council VP and enforcer? No one, that’s who!”

“Okay. Who are you picking to chaperone?”

“Anybody willing to join me! Maybe I’ll even check and see if Shin’s awake yet. I know he likes seeing new things and whatnot.”

“I think we should let him rest and tell him everything when he’s done. He could use as long of a break as possible.”

“Fine. Let’s go hunt down the others and make our group.”

Shuichi and Kaito left together, starting in the gymnasium to track down Kiibo and Tsumugi for their first recruits after revealing everything Monokuma and his two children explained and gave to them. Their next stop was Kaede’s Research Lab, where she was still keeping Ouma (who’d mostly recovered from the paralysis of Shuichi’s earlier attack) under her watchful eye, holding his hand on the way out so he couldn’t do get away with anything except glaring at Kaito hatefully. Finally, Rantaro and Tenko were picked up alongside Miu in the courtyard, the only person they didn’t stop to get being Korekiyo, whom they all agreed to let sleep for now.

“All here?” Kaito asked, quickly doing a head count. “More or less! Now, we’re all sticking together, but if you’ve got anything you wanna know, ask your appointed chaperone.”

“Chaperone?! What, do you think this is some kinda cheap, grade school field trip to the next door crackhouse?!” Miu snapped.

“It’s just to keep us all accounted for,” Shuichi explained. “We’re sticking together while looking into the new spots, but nobody needs to be wandering off doing anything else yet.”

“Some even less than others,” Kaito hinted, leaving no room for ambiguity looking at a displeased Tsumugi.

“Does that put me in your group, then?” Tsumugi spat.

“Yes. It’s you, Iruma, and Amami with Tenko by default.”

“Leaving my group to be Kiibo, Ouma-kun, and you, Kaede,” Shuichi added, pleased.

“I’ve got some chaperoning of my own to do inside the group,” Kaede said, having to deal with a bouncy little astronaut boy.

“You may have kidnapped me, but now I’m making you _my_ hostage as payback,” Ouma claimed, swinging Kaede’s hand like a pendulum.

“Well, I certainly hope you don’t let me out of your sight or anything. If you do, I might try to escape.”

“Not under my watch. My hand sweat is at least 78% hot glue once it touches human skin.” Ouma eyed Shuichi, smirking. “I’d bet some people wish they had half as many guts as I do to be using it on you, huh?”

“Meaning?” the martial artist tested, raising one eyebrow.

“That you wish you were me, but you’re not, so cry about it. Boo-hoo! So sad, die mad!” Using his other arm to hug Kaede’s, Ouma hiked his left foot up with one eye closed against the girl’s waist. “C’mon! I wanna make Shuichi seethe with even more jealousy!”

“You’re not really jealous, are you?” Kaede giggled.

“No,” Shuichi insisted, cheeks pink. “Whoever’s holding your hand or not means nothing. I could— hold it some other time. Only if it’d be okay with you, though!”

“But, you’re not holding it now,” Ouma continued to tease, earning a flick on the head from Kaede. “Oww!”

“Don’t taunt people, that’s not nice,” Kaede reprimanded.

“I’m sorry~.” Ouma batted his eyelashes, faking innocence smiling.

“Which means he definitely isn’t,” Kaito muttered. “Alright, we’ve got our chaperone groups all squared away? Good! Let’s roll, people!”

Everyone got going, starting with finding the one true place of the Levistone. Since they were all outside, that was the first place to begin looking, passing the Dormitory and going downstairs from its level after nothing special came up by there. Nothing of interest came up near the pool or the forest surrounding the Ultimate Aikido Master Lab, but while looking, Rantaro plucked the Levistone clean from Shuichi’s grasp and walked off with it. The others were prepared to question him, but stopped when he stumbled upon something near his own Research Lab; a pedestal with an indent in it shaped exactly like the cyan rock given to them by the Monokubs.

“Found it,” Rantaro announced. “Now, why don’t we see what new hotspot awaits us?”

Fitting the stone to the empty space, Rantaro and everyone conscious watched it glow brightly after its runes, rising up slowly before shooting up like a rocket until it reached too high of a point near the cage’s top to be seen by human eyes. It twinkled once, then fell as an entire circular mechanical building with electric lime rings around it, attached to the side of the Ultimate Inventor Lab and thereby extending it as one larger building. The others gawked at it awestruck, Rantaro only giving it a mild look like he hadn’t just watched everything spectacularly ensue.

“I guess your Lab got an upgrade, Amami-kun,” Kaede guessed.

“That’s not fair! My Lab hasn’t even been opened yet, and he gets more onto his lame one?!” Ouma complained.

“I don’t think this is any old extension, everyone,” Rantaro corrected. “If I had to guess… well, just follow me in. Somebody’s going to like the sight of this once she wakes up.”

“You mean?” Kiibo wondered.

“Oh, I do.”

Turning the gear on its door first, Rantaro wheeled Tenko into the new Research Lab, which by its looks couldn’t belong to anybody but the Ultimate Robot herself. An enormous room of polished green, octagonal flooring shaded brighter than the owner’s eyes, the holographic screens and orbs instead a bright orange color. One one showed a white silhouette of Tenko, different labels pointing to important parts of her system with a computer keyboard and mouse underneath for controlling what sections were enhanced or selected. Left of the sturdy operating chair situated next to the metal stand with wheels was an automatic door, which led into a full supply closet consisting of wires, tools, and spare parts for repairing machinery. A circular pad meant for scanning was in the Lab’s center connected to the main computer, near it a table with a full-sized mechanical arm and a panel full of tweakable wires put there for testing its functions and features.

Another machine closely resembling a CAT scanner had yet to be turned on, showing an empty battery level on its side screen and no sign of anything being plugged into its core port. Hanging over by the holographic orbs were many black cords above an empty pedestal meant for connecting Tenko to it and getting a deeper look into her programming. Overall, there was hardly any inch or corner of the Lab that hadn’t felt more fitting for a science-fictional depiction of the world humanity lived in.

“Damn! Iron Man-Hater lucked out!” Miu gawked before chortling. “Sucks she’s not even awake to see any of it!”

“Only for now,” Rantaro said. “Try not to poke and prod at too much. It’s not nice to break things belonging to someone who’s pretty much in a coma.”

“That means you guys,” Ouma teased, gesturing to the boys of the group.

“Hey, genius, she’d hate you smashing her shit most of all,” Kaito spat.

“Yeah, but I’d be able to get away with it because I’m not some clunky jock who’s about as subtle as an exploding trainwreck, now am I?”

“Don’t start, Kokichi,” Kaede chided. “I’m sure this will be a nice surprise for Tenko the minute she wakes up. When’s that gonna be again, Amami-kun?”

“It’s only a matter of time,” Rantaro guessed. “Since there’s a whole lot more to work with in here, checking to see how her system’s doing oughta be much easier now.”

“Are you gonna put some interesting features in her for once?” Ouma asked. “It’d be nice to see some eye lasers, or if you could take her head off and turn it into a bomb! Ya know, something useful for once.”

“No, she wouldn’t want me messing up anything she’s already got without her permission.’ Rantaro chuckled nervously, one hand scratching the back of his head. “God knows I’d lose a few teeth for that one.”

“I’d take the risk if _I_ were the Ultimate Inventor! You just don’t got the guts.”

“He’s just being considerate of other people,” Kiibo noted. “Toying with a girl’s body while she’s out cold is… well, I don’t have to say how messed up that is.”

“Whether they’re made of metal or skin, if she doesn’t want you gettin’ real good in there, then keep your grimy spooge hands away if you know what’s good for ya!” Miu barked, defensive. “Maybe consider someone doesn’t wanna use her slammin’ hot body just to make your shitty fantasies reality if she ain’t up for it, huh?!”

“Uhh, Iruma-san, I think you’re coming from a different place,” Shuichi noted.

“Either way, it applies all the same!”

“Right. Just let Tenko-san wake up when it’s the most possible. Until then, don’t touch anything in her Lab, guys.”

“Unless you’re myself, Akamatsu-san, or Iruma-san,” Tsumugi noted.

“So, fellow chaperone, where to next?” Kaito asked Shuichi.

“We already dealt with the Levistone, so now we’ve gotta find out where the Octobrush goes,” Shuichi said.

“You guys go ahead without me,” Rantaro requested. “I think I’m gonna stay here a little bit longer.”

“How come?” Kaede asked.

“Well, depends. Did you guys find anything out of place on the first floor?”

“No,” Kaito answered.

“Exactly. And if my guess is as good as yours, that brush is gonna give us access to the fifth and final floor of the school. For that reason, I can’t follow any of you.”

“How do you know it’s the last floor?” Ouma questioned. “There could be a sixth, seventh, or eighty-bajillionth waiting for us! Sus-pi-cioooous~!”

“Or he could have looked at how tall the Academy is and gone off that,” Kaito guessed.

“It still doesn’t tell us why he’s too good to explore. What makes you so special, Ran-chan?”

“Having to wheel around a very, _very_ heavy robot girl comes to mind,” Rantaro retorted. “I haven’t left the ground floor in four days since stairs are currently my enemy. Just tell me what you find, and I’ll come look later.”

“Suit thyself, Tinker Balls,” Miu snorted. “We don’t need him to slow us down!”

“We’ll just see you after, Amami-kun,” Kaede said, being pulled by Ouma impatiently to follow everyone else out. “Hey! I’m going, I’m going.”

After the coast was clear, Rantaro wheeled Tenko over to the pedestal, sitting her in a kneeling position and plugging the cords into the cranial ports underneath her hair. “Why don’t we run a quick little report so I can get a good clue at what’s going on with you inside, huh, Tenks?” It took a few moments to fully load, but it took little time for Tenko’s “mind” portion of her AI to register on the hologram orbs. “Bingo! Sorry I’ve gotta pick your brain a little, but whatever helps you get better is what I’ve gotta do.”

Reaching forward, Rantaro dragged the circular screen past “Memories” and “Likes/Dislikes” to find the little section over by “Relationships” that was aptly labelled “Troubleshooting”. He selected that option, scrolling through a table of contents meant for rectifying specific issues with Tenko. When he finished reading what he needed to, he went back and wound up discovering a peculiar section of the inner manual, out of curiosity selecting it and reading up on the new information.

“‘Disarming & Detonating’?” Rantaro wondered. “Hello, what could this be?” He looked through it, eyes widening some after getting the gist. “...Oh boy.”

Wasting no time, he strenuously moved Tenko over to the scanning pad and helped her stand up, the green light running up and down her before fully unlocking the computer’s analysis of her physical body. Typing the keys away, Rantaro dug deeper into the chest area highlighted in blinking red. At first, it was nearly mistaken for a heart, but what he discovered wound up being the opposite of something that brought life. Now knowing he had extra work needed to be done with Tenko, Rantaro dragged her over and laid her on the bench bed, cranking the pedal a few times so she was at level with his sight and hands. Pulling down his goggles and putting on gloves, he got started, efforts to reboot Tenko put on temporary hold.

* * *

Everyone else was back inside the Academy still as two groups mixed into one, going no further than the fourth floor to find the second and last prize’s missing spot. Nobody was particularly stoked to be there given such unsettling surroundings, but it was the only part of the school possibly containing the grounds for anything new. Down the hall past the back door leading into Angie’s unused Lab was a large, blank scroll just waiting for decoration in front of a row of creepy stone statues.

“Anybody know how to paint?” Kaito asked, getting head shakes from everyone else.

“Darn. If only Gokuhara-kun were here,” Tsumugi lamented.

“Step aside, rookie,” Ouma demanded, stealing the brush and going to the scrolls. “Let a _true_ artist show you how it’s done!”

Barely making a stroke of his own, Ouma watched the Octobrush instead come alive and paint its own image on the scroll in seconds. It briefly showed two Monokumas engaged in a divine duel before rolling up, a full staircase dropping and awarding everybody with access to the next floor up. Shuichi and Kaito kept their groups together, the seven students present going ahead upstairs to discover what sort of surprises were waiting ahead. The fifth floor looked akin to the outside of a Gothic cathedral, including carvings, holy figures placed on top of the pedestals, and a fancy window taking up the proximity of a full wall between two Monokuma statues with six wings each.

“Check it out…” Kaito breathed. “This is such a big difference from just downstairs. How come they put way more work into here?”

“It must be in the aesthetic Monokuma had in mind,” Tsumugi guessed. “And since this is the highest floor, why not go all the way?”

“Hey, what’s that?” Kiibo wondered, pointing to a pair of white doors between the left border consisting of a pink witch’s dress and cap, and the right showing spools of thread with needles attached.

“Gotta be another Research Lab!” Kaede insisted before getting sad. “Unfortunately, I don’t think the owner’s here to see it for herself…”

“Rise and shine, ursine!” Monophanie panted, popping up and catching her breath. “S-Sorry, just gimme a second…”

“Where’d you come from in such a hurry?”

“A place. Phew!" She stood up, no longer wheezing. “As I was gonna say. You might have guessed by now, but this is the Ultimate Cosplayer’s Lab. The late one, I may add, which means—!”

“We know. It’s locked,” Shuichi sighed.

“Until I get my hands on it,” Ouma giggled.

“Oh, you could!” Kaede chirped. “It’d be a really nice present for Tenko once she wakes up. Maybe decorate it a little to honor Himiko and give her some time to— you know. Say goodbye in peace?”

“Now, why would I do that? Do it yourself if it bothers you so much, Lazymatsu!”

Kaede glared. “Just a friendly suggestion…”

“A word he doesn’t know the meaning of,” Tsumugi spat.

“Or ‘personal space’,” Monophanie agreed. “But, I’m willing to bet he’s better at it than—”

“—Yoo-hoooo! Monophanie, my queen, where are you~?!” Monotaro sang from afar, spotting his sister and running forward with a pair of grabbing hands. “There you are!”

“NONONONO—!” Too late. Monophanie was pounced by her only living brother, who immediately began macking on her in an unwanted embrace. “Ugh… fantastic!”

“Aren’t we, though? A king can’t rule without his queen, so why run from me? Give us a kiss, sugar~!” Monotaro puckered his lips to the students’ and Monophanie’s disgust, earning himself a punch to the face instead by her. “Gee-yowch! What’d I do?!”

“Take a hint and hit the road!”

“C’mon, baby! Let’s rekindle those old sparks we used to have! Or is it ‘cause we’re brother and sister that you’re apprehensive?”

“No, I couldn’t care less about that, but those days are over and so are we!”

“They don’t have to be.” Getting even closer to her, Monotaro tipped Monophanie’s chin, which made her face flush uncertain. “What do you say we give us… another try? Live a little dangerously and go through that rush all over again?”

“I-I… well…” Monophanie slapped him, knocking him down. “No! I’m saying no to temptation, and that’s my choice! Sorry, Monotaro, but you just can’t have me this time!”

“Oooh, playing hard to get, are we? I like the chase!”

“Eek!”

“So long, bear well!” Monotaro and Monophanie said together, red chasing the aversive pink amorously.

“Just when I thought they couldn’t get any freakier,” Shuichi groaned.

“For real!” Kaito agreed, disgusted. “Ain’t they brother and sister or something?!”

“Not that it matters to either of them,” Ouma snickered. “Two screwed up cubs of an equally screwed up Headmaster. Why are you surprised?”

“I’m not, but a guy can’t think it’s gross?”

“Shuichi, do you know where we’re going next?” Kiibo asked.

“Down there,” Shuichi answered, pointing down the only available hallway. “There’s bound to be some place that’s open on this floor. Let’s go.”

Everyone followed, stopping when they came across another area with two doors. Ouma started pulling on the biggest with the keyhole, Kaede wasting no time taking him from it. “That door’s obviously locked. You’re gonna break it if you keep messing with it,” she warned him.

“At least it’d get it open,” Ouma said back, still led away. “Hey! I wanna go inside the mysterious room!”

“Do it on your own time. Let’s look at the other one instead.”

“What? You mean this boring, humdrum door to some supply closet or something?” Ouma pointed to the black door with elegant carvings in the marble border.

“This looks way too fancy to be some anything custodial,” Kiibo remarked. “Why don’t we see what’s inside before we judge yet?”

“O-kay, but don’t say I didn’t warn ya.” Ouma snapped his fingers, pointing to the entrance. “Kaede! Open up that there door!”

“Ahem,” Kaede coughed, stern.

“...Please.”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

Kaede pulled the knob handle down, letting everybody inside the new room, which by the looks of it turned out to be another Research Lab. Inside, the walls were a dark maroon wherever not covered by shelves of old books, a big window sitting in the back between two black curtains fastened open. More in the center was an old hearth covered by a protective gate to prevent anything that wasn’t firewood from burning by mistake, its mantle housing a pair of unlit candlesticks, a vase, and a small portrait frame. Seated close to the fireplace, two cozy red Victorian parlor chairs and a velvet chaise lounge sofa of the same color. Surrounded by them was a coffee table, the white porcelain tea set on it waiting for use by visitors.

A single mahogany desk was in the middle of the Lab, the surface of which had a cup of feathered fountain pens resembling actual quill ones and an electric candle on a golden chamberstick meant for authentic lighting. On the wall hung a blank cork board, the ball of red yarn and thumbtacks giving away its true purpose if the green rolling chalkboard couldn’t deliver. A black filing cabinet leaned heavily against the wall, likely holding secrets and files of great importance from the past.

“...Well, I think we know whose Lab this is,” Shuichi spoke up.

“Mine!” Ouma claimed, jumping on the chaise lounge and laying carelessly.

“No, shithead! It’s Shin’s!” Kaito barked.

“I know. That was just a lie of mine. You might have noticed I tend to do that, huh?” Ouma didn’t wait for Kaito to make a comeback, rolling off the sofa and exploring. “Man! It stinks Kiyo-chan’s napping the day away, though! If this _were_ my Lab, I’d never pass up getting to see it first!”

“We’ll be sure to let him know it’s open after he does wake up,” Kaede said, pulling Ouma away from messing up the filing cabinet. “Oh! Kokichi, no! We look with our eyes, not our hands.”

“Duh, why do you think I’m _touching_ , not looking?” Ouma pulled out a random file labeled “RA2”, dropping it on the desk to see its contents. “Check this! Mr. Detective hasn’t even been here yet, and there’s already a file of murders waiting for him!”

“‘Psychologist Found Dead In Fridge, Half-Naked And Handless’?” Tsumugi shuddered, reading one aloud.

“Get this one,” Shuichi added. “‘Twins Found Guilty In Murder Of Billiards Player, Scattered Limbs In Several Places’. Yikes!”

“I found some more where that came from!” Miu declared, dropping files labeled “RA”, “R1”, “SR2”, and “R0” onto the table. “Shit, these are just as brutal as whatever you just read! A baseball bat I get, but a _dumbbell_ and a meat skewer? Chill with those!”

“Let’s hope only some of these are murder cases,” Kaede gulped. “Kiyo did say this place was his first time dealing with any.”

“This is probably Monokuma’s way of getting him used to it, then,” Shuichi figured. “If anybody can even do that.”

“You’d be surprised how little it takes to numb somebody to gore. It’s never pretty, but it all just starts bleeding together until it’s only another Wednesday…”

Shuichi looked up, highly concerned. “Is there something on your mind by any chance, Kaede?”

“Nope! Let’s just get these all put back. I’d sure hate having my stuff rummaged through.” Kaede lumped the files together, about to put them in the cabinet when she saw something sitting at the bottom drawer. “Hello, what do we have here?”

“Is it a severed head? Or a satchel of gold?” Ouma teased, sticking his tongue out when Kaede traded the files for a new Flashback Light. “Booo! Just another phony Anti-Neuralyzer! Put that thing back where it came from, or so help me!”

“The Hell are you gonna do about it?” Kaito sneered. “Let the student council handle this one.”

“Like how you guys handled the last one and Shirogane-chan got you all in trouble by smashing it?”

“That’s the past and won’t be happening a second time,” Kaede growled, glaring at an indifferent Tsumugi. She put the Flashback Light in her backpack, making sure she was watching. “Good luck pickpocketing me, either.”

“Yeah, you’re nowhere near as small as Hoshi-chan was! Speaking of, I don’t see his Lab nowhere, huh?”

“It’s probably locked, so there’s no point in trying to find it,” Shuichi answered. “We oughta leave his Lab in peace to at least honor him. I think he’d like the privacy.”

“Which means keep your grubby little paws out of it,” Kaito demanded.

“You’re not the boss of me,” Ouma spat. “I can go in there and violate his memory if I darn well wanna!”

“Do you?” Kiibo asked.

“Nah, who cares? He barely did anything worth remembering. Well, unless you count sending us all to our dooms as something.” Kaede punched him in the head. “OWIE! Child abuse, even though I’m right!”

“Be quiet down there,” Kaede hissed, still feeling guilty about the memory. “We’ve looked at everything up here, now let’s all get everyone together to look at another refresher. Dining hall or gym, guys?”

“Dining hall,” Miu decided. “I didn’t get to finish up before I got pulled out to look at nothing.”

“Why don’t I go get Amami-kun and Tenko-san so they don’t miss anything?” Shuichi volunteered.

“And I’ll wake up Kiyo,” Kaito decided, about to leave after Shuichi when Ouma shoved him aside and left instead. “Hey!”

“Screw-ups aren’t allowed within 20 feet of sleuths in some countries, don’tcha know?” Ouma lied. “It’s punishable by death.”

Kaito rolled his eyes. “Just say you’ll do it and leave it at that. Quit going the extra mile…”

Everyone except Shuichi and Ouma followed Kaede downstairs until they’d returned to the very first floor of the Academy, gathering in the dining hall and waiting for all to be present for witnessing another sudden burst of regained memory. Uncertain murmurs were traded between students, debating whether or not using another Flashback Light was a good idea. Soon came Rantaro pushing in Tenko using the hand truck with Shuichi leading, then the drowsy Korekiyo… with Ouma clinging to his torso like a baby koala on its mother. Any and all efforts made to get him down by force were bound for failure, and likely had been if made previously. Kaede did a quick head count, finding everyone present and accounted for to receive the Light.

“I don’t know about this,” Kiibo gulped. “What if we see something we aren’t supposed to this time?”

“Aren’t all Flashback Lights things we’ve gotta remember?” Kaito quizzed. “True, none of us like seeing ‘em, but it’s for our own good to know what we don’t know.”

“What most of us don’t, anyway,” Ouma brought up, staring right at Rantaro distrustfully.

“Stop antagonizing Amami-kun,” Shuichi chastised. “He’s just as much in the dark about this as the rest of us.”

“Is he really?”

“Whether or not he is, now is not a good time to pry into it,” Korekiyo advised. “For now, we should save it until we’ve unlocked more of our forgotten memories first.”

“Leave it to Handsome Detective-kun to give me the least migraine-inducing response possible.” Ouma nuzzled Kiyo’s tummy affectionately. “And this is why you’ll have first dibs on the safe haven while the unworthy Earthlings go boom~.”

Korekiyo patted Ouma’s head, flushed. “Isn’t it about time you stood on your feet? You can’t hang on me all day.”

“Challenge accepted!”

“Akamatsu-san, what are you gonna do about Tenko?” Rantaro asked, relieved to be saved from Kiyo and Ouma’s interrogation. “Unconscious people can’t get their memories back.”

“Do Flashback Lights work more than once?” Kiibo offered. “If so, we can just flash it again so she doesn’t miss out.”

“If not, then just play messenger pigeon and tell her what’s what,” Miu added. “Either way, she’s gonna be missing the rush of the first dose.”

“We’re talking about curing amnesia, not a coke overdose, you sweaty pile of pig balls,” Ouma affronted.

Miu cracked her knuckles. “How about I come over there and knock more memories outta you until you forget how ta talk shit nevermind make it come from that flat ass of yours?!”

“Can’t we all just get along? You’re stinking up the atmosphere with your halitosis breathing. Maybe stop doing it completely and make everyone’s day.”

“Goddamn little abortion! I’m gonna—!”

“—Stop it! Guys, stop fighting right now!” Kiibo demanded, getting between Ouma and Miu. “If you can’t say any nice words to each other, then you don’t have any reason to be talking at all!”

“Fine by me,” Ouma agreed. “The only person responsible for what ends up happening to me is her, anyway.”

“I just might. Watch your back, Cockitchy,” Miu hissed.

“Kaede, can you turn the Light on and get it over with?” Kiibo sighed, already worn out.

“Way ahead of you,” Kaede consented. “Look sharp, guys!”

Flicking the switch with her thumb sent a bright beam of light to everyone conscious and attending. Then, it happened again, just like the previous two times. Like a gust of wind from truth’s eyes boring deep into them, every inch of their bodies were modified, reviving images and sounds once forgotten entirely. All at once, scenes of humanity fleeing in terror of falling meteorites and mobs going mad with protest returned, throwing the students for a loop when they all faded away to show nothing else until the next Flashback Light came as another reminder.

“Meteorites!” Kaede gasped. “They were all over the city and did so much damage to my neighborhood…!”

“Same here,” Tsumugi breathed. “It took weeks to make even a nick in reconstructing half of it. All of that got wiped from my brain?! How?!”

“Every piece of media went on non-stop about those meteorites and the damage they did,” Korekiyo shuddered. “At the time, it seemed to be impossible to forget, yet here we are.”

“I know, wasn’t it cool?!” Ouma beamed before pouting. “It sucks this whole time, something almost beat me to wiping out the Earth and I didn’t remember a lick of it until now. Couldn’t they have at least kept that memory in my brain?”

“Not only that,” Shuichi added, “but all over the streets, everyone was preaching about how humanity ‘deserved damnation’. I think I saw more flyers than pavement after they got done protesting.”

“Hey, man, they were onto something. Why else would an event that last happened millions of years ago strike again? They probably wanted a second victory in wiping out anything able to breathe, but sadly failed.” Ouma threw his hands up. “I guess if you want something done, you gotta do it yourself.”

“Were you sitting in your house watching it all go down?” Kaito wondered. “Just hoping nobody survived probable Armageddon? That’s terrible!”

“Eh, whatever home I was in at the time, I was. Can’t remember the specifics. But, that’s what I get for getting too excited!”

“Kokichi, as the Ultimate Astronaut, maybe you’re able to shed some light on what happened,” Kiibo requested. “Meteorites don’t just… stop out of the blue, do they?”

“Usually, it’s pretty rare for any sort of asteroid to make it past burning up in the atmosphere as is. But! If they do, then they’ll keep falling and falling until they hit somewhere on this dump and make a huge crater. For a whole bunch of them to make it all at once has only happened one other time, like I mentioned before. It’s a pretty neat sight to see… if you make it out alive, that is.”

“But, would it be possible for them to just stop falling, is my question?”

“Eventually, they’ve gotta. That’d be like asking if it ever stops raining. At least meteorites are rarer than rainfall, given only five or ten have been known to have landed on Earth safely. Space is far too unpredictable for simple human minds so stuck in their backwater ways to try keeping track of, so really, anything can happen when you least expect it!”

“Then luck definitely wasn’t on our side this time,” Rantaro commented. “Well, at least we had _that_ on our side. Do you guys know what I mean?”

“You mean that plan meant for saving us from said meteorites?” Miu wondered. “Fuck, what was it? The— oh! That ‘Gofer Project’, yeah?”

“Oh, right,” Tsumugi swallowed. “I just remembered that myself.”

“All that work put into saving us all… only to fail miserably,” Korekiyo lamented. “The odd thing is, I don’t seem to recall how exactly that failure ensued.”

“Me neither,” Miu sighed. “Damn it! We’re always trippin’ right at the finish line before we can actually remember the important deets!”

“Unless the Ultimate Cryptic has something to say to all of us,” Ouma tested, referring to Rantaro. “Well?”

“Nothing from me, sorry,” Rantaro confessed. “I remember as much as you guys do.”

“You sure, Ran-chan? It’s always the quiet ones that know plenty.”

“By that logic, Shinguuji-kun should know a lot himself, but he doesn’t.”

“I’m regretful to affirm that, but if you do have extra information, please share it with us, Amami-kun,” Korekiyo suggested. “It isn’t wise keeping crucial things a secret when we all need it the most.”

“Sorry, Holmes. I’m drawing a blank.”

Korekiyo stared Rantaro down for a few hard moments, making it clear he wasn’t finished with him despite dropping the subject. “Very well. Since none of us are able to add onto that Flashback Light, then it’s safe to say we’ll all have to wait until the next tone to paint a clearer picture. I assume it should be only one more that’s necessary?”

“Maybe more!” Ouma chirped. “Imagine…”

“No, no, I believe the next one should be the final one, given how much we know now. Anything else would simply be excessive.”

“Unhatched chickens, Kiyo,” Miu warned. “Just because you’re good at figuring out the unknown and all doesn’t mean you’re some kinda soothsayer.”

“I don’t need to be an augur to deduce how much we have yet to learn. And if I’m wrong, it’s still only a matter of time.” Korekiyo opened his gold pocket watch and read it. “Whatever can happen shall, as stated by the many variations of Murphy’s Law.”

“Or in this case, whatever _can’t_ happen just might,” Ouma teased. “Look alive while you still are, Earthlings.”

“Why— don’t we all get going for the day?” Kaede suggested. “Student council meetings are being held off until Tenko wakes up, so everyone’s free to do what they want or need to get out of the way.”

Collectively agreeing, the students all headed out of the dining hall, only Miu staying behind to finish up her chores. Another Flashback Light meant another full day comprised of digesting its difficult revelations, wondering what else wasn’t implanted in their heads yet. Making things worse was the fact that more blood would be the key to finding out more, given the gruesome pattern Monokuma seemed to love following. Just what would it take to find the rest out and stop wondering without losing more in the process?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Whoever can guess what the files in Kiyo's Lab are referencing gets a slice of my birthday cake from yesterday. Said Lab was also partially inspired by the Arthur Conan Doyle Room in the Toronto Library, btw! Fun fact :3)
> 
> Regarding the Flashback Lights without giving away too much, I will say that the next one (which won't be for a while, btw, even if Ch. 4's gonna be shorter than the last two chapters) isn't gonna be how you remember it given "certain characters" don't have the same role as they do in canon, so that wouldn't work here. That's all I'm saying on it, though, just wait and see!
> 
> To everyone reading this fic, thank you again for picking it up and I'm equally happy you're enjoying it! It's not over yet, but I just wanna express my gratitude for you guys sticking for this long. You guys have a happy (belated) holidays, and a hopefully happier new year after tonight! Stay safe, do NOT go out and party this year, and enjoy the last few hours of this wretched year we all managed to make it out of relatively intact. Take care and see ya next time! ♥


	32. Episode XXXI: Daily Life 4.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter's a page shorter than usual, but I'm not concerned. I've done all I could for this one so the good stuff can begin on the next one! I still have a lot promised for this chapter, though, so don't worry about not seeing some neat interactions and friendships (plus chara. dev; eeeeverybody likes chara. dev :3c). And believe me, there's more than PLENTY of that in today's update, and I know you guys like seeing those the best, so I hopefully delivered. uwu
> 
> 2021 started a bit... rough (understatement), but at least yesterday was the start of what I /P R A Y/ is some positive change. But, without getting into that, let's instead get into the new chapter! Have fun reading it! It's a tad angsty, but mostly in a hurt/comfort sense, if anything. Enjoy! ♥

Kiibo was on the hunt for someone, starting with the first floor since that was where everybody had been last seen leaving to do their business and swallow the mind blowing revelations provided courtesy of the Flashback Light. When none turned up, he went outside, truly noticing how little of the lawn there seemed to be each day after the Exisals got done with it. A neat cut, but he worried for the animatronic insects making a habitat amongst the greens like Arcus did the day he’d caught him with…

He shook his head, chiding himself for associating something positive with the negative outcome. No need to drown in the swirling vortex of his grief when lots else required his attention more until everyone had been freed alive from Monokuma’s tyrannical school. Mourning Gonta could wait another day, but first, he needed to have a chat with another best friend of his. The problem was, where was—?

 _DONK_!

“Ouch!” Kiibo yelped, one hand to his head while the other picked up a stray rock thrown his way after it’d landed on the ground. Looking up, he spotted Ouma on his knees inspecting as many stones as he could find and absentmindedly throwing away the rejects. “Found him.”

“Too small,” Ouma declined, flinging another and moving on. “Not enough craters!” Toss! “Too smooth.”

Kiibo approached him, just barely dodging a rock to his toes. “Kokichi! There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“If you cared to find me, you should’ve looked to the western sky.”

“But, I did care! I—” Another rock grazed his kneecap when Ouma threw it behind him. “Okay, first, what are you doing out here with all these rocks? You could seriously hurt somebody if you aren’t careful with them!”

“Well, since that memory of the falling asteroids came back to my noggin, I figured one might have fallen over by this area at some point during the shower. I’m on the lookout for a juicy enough piece.”

“How do you know any asteroids hit the Academy?”

“It’d explain why the school looks like such a dump, wouldn’t it?”

Kiibo pondered. “You do strive a convincing point… but, that’s not my reason for approaching you! We need to talk.”

“I can talk! I love to talk! I’m the talkingest damn thing you ever saw!” Ouma gasped, pretending to get tearful. “Unless, you’re actually planning on dumping me? How cruel, Kiiboi! You’re a cruel, cruel geekwad!”

“We aren’t dating! Dumping you isn’t possible when I’m not even your boyfriend! Anyways. No, I’m being entirely serious, and I’d like for you to be, too.”

“Fine. Shoot.”

“You may not like this, but it’s a necessary conversation. About Miu.”

Ouma snorted. “What’s so good talking about that over-soaked spooge licker, anyway? I thought you wanted to have a chat worth being serious with.”

“I am! Getting right to the point, all that horrible stuff you told her when Toujou-san died was uncalled for and hurtful!”

“So? She deserved it.”

“No, she didn’t, and I’d like for you to either talk things out with her, or say you’re sorry for going too far. Especially when you promised me you’d cut back on bullying the others.”

“I said I’d _consider_ that, but only towards people who— I dunno— weren’t thinking of sticking a knife in my throat, maybe? Besides, if I said sorry to that slimy old skank, I wouldn’t mean it. I may be a liar, but I’d never apologize when I didn’t actually feel bad.”

“Would you ever, is the question?”

Ouma grinned. “Not for her! Miu’s the only person who I’m not even bothering to evaluate. I’m just gonna blast that dusty bitch to bits as soon as I reach space!”

“That’s not fair, Kokichi. Or possible.”

“No, Kiibo, what’s not fair is you thinking you’ve got any cajones chewing me out for this without saying boo to a girl who probably still wants to kill me in my sleep. Real nice priorities you’ve got!”

“Do not mistake this for a case of double standards. I said plenty to Miu after you left us alone that day, and now I’ve gotta talk to you about burying the hatchet.”

“Something of which ain’t gonna happen.” Ouma picked up the best-looking rock he could find, deciding he’d just make it into a fragment of asteroid himself. “I don’t know what kinda planet you live on, but as a spaceman, I know for sure I wouldn’t wanna visit some place where you think everybody or anybody can wind up best buddies or some nonsense. Enemies exist, and you’ve gotta get that through your thick head.”

“I know, Kokichi, I’m not five.” Kiibo’s face fell. “I was just hoping two of my best friends would get along with each other as well as you do with me…”

Ouma shrugged. “That’s life, man. Accept it.”

Now by himself after Ouma left, Kiibo exhaled, defeated. Since Ouma wouldn’t be changing his mind anytime soon, he headed back to the Academy for Miu instead, fortunate to see her leaving to go clean the Dormitory. “Miu, wait! Can we talk, please?”

“Anytime, Keebs! Don’t be so shy around your good bust buddy,” Miu crooned. “You gotta make it quick, though. Once I get that vacuum goin’, there’s no hearing the sound of my beautiful voice or yours.”

“Do you promise you won’t get mad?”

“What, at you? Never!”

“Not even if it involves Kokichi?”

Miu paused, now looking less pleased. “Depends. Does it involve me giving him a wedgie so hard he’ll have halved testicles?”

“No! Don’t do that! I was thinking… maybe you two could have a little talk and work out your differences? Seeing you guys at each other’s throats like this; it never used to be this bad until the last motive.”

“Fat chance! I’m not saying a damn word to him! Is he so scared shitless of me that he’s too much of a pussy to come and face me himself?!”

“He thinks you still wanna kill him.”

“Temping as it is, I’m not wasting my breath on Mr. One Balled, One Inch, Flying Purple People Eater. If he wants to be paranoid and let that be the death of him, I say let it.”

“Miu, that’s awful!”

“You mean more awful than saying my life ain’t worth the shit I’ve cleaned out of his toilet?”

“No, just as awful. If this escalates, I’m scared you two will be doing a little more than just spew unkind words at each other!”

“Trust me, you’ve got nothing to worry about on my end. I told you I wasn’t gonna try and kill him anymore, and I’m not violating that promise in this lifetime.”

“It’s not that I think you’ll go back on your word…”

“Kiibabey, just drop it. I get you want the people you love to get along, but that just doesn’t always happen! Sucks, sure, but there ain’t a thing that can be done about it.” Miu became sincere, running her fingers through Kiibo’s hair. “Don’t think it’s your fault, either. You didn’t do nothing to start it.”

“That’s exactly what Kokichi said.”

Miu snorted. “Then I’ll give the little ball blister that, at least. Look, go have a nice day, and if you want, I’ll pay you back with as much ‘personal service’ your little bug-loving heart wants!”

“I appreciate the offer, Miu, but I don’t think I’m in the mood today. I’ll just see you later, good luck with your chores.”

Although feeling bad at seeing Kiibo somber, Miu went back to cleaning, starting with the entomologist’s room first of all. He, on the other hand, kept walking in his disappointment, fretting over the lack of resolution. While not so naive to believe he could snap his fingers and make two people he liked friends, the possibility of their hostility overgrowing to a point past his control was overwhelming him with fear. Either Ouma would get hurt, or Miu would, or both at the same time— and there wasn’t anything he could do to stop it? What sort of cruel, sick joke was this?! How could he be so powerless? So defenseless?! So use—?!

“—Kiibo? Is that you?” Shuichi quizzed, approaching him from a different part of the courtyard. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, hi, Shuichi. I’m just having friend trouble is all.”

“Involving Ouma-kun and Iruma-san, I assume?” Kiibo nodded. “You wanna talk about it?”

“Sure, if you’re willing to listen.”

“All ears. Shoot.”

Kiibo sat down on one of the outdoor patio benches, Shuichi taking his seat next to him. “While I understand I can’t just force two people who hate each other to just get along, I’m… scared. Kokichi and Miu might get worse and— then there’s no telling what could happen with them!”

“You might not have any luck with getting either of them to bury the hatchet, but they have at least one thing in common.”

“No filter?”

“Besides that. They might not like each other, but they definitely like you pretty strongly. And if that’s anything worth going by, chances are they won’t wanna do something that’d really upset you.”

“Even if they don’t attack each other, they’re bound to stir up something bad… or worse, something might come along and lead them both into trouble! Then, what? It’s Gonta all over again…”

“Kiibo, likely as that possibility is, it’s also not a definite prediction. Maybe you feel helpless to protect them because you don’t think you’re really doing enough, but sometimes, just being who you always have to them can be plenty.”

“How can that be?”

“Dashing right to their rescue might not be possible, but you can still stay a good friend to them and be available when they need you. It’s doing even the littlest acts that can matter the most when you feel you can’t save them from every last bad possibility, which isn’t possible in the first place.”

“So, I just need to… stay supportive? As their friend?”

Shuichi nodded. “The situations you can’t control can’t really be helped, but I know Iruma-san and Ouma-kun won’t act up too badly if it means worrying you.”

“You might be onto a good point. Plus! Being present in their lives means I can be better prepared for anything and put a stop to it! Thanks, Shuichi!”

“That’s not really what I had in mind, but you’re welcome. Just don’t bent over backwards and lose sleep doing this, alright?”

“I promise. I’ll only bend over halfway, instead!”

“Sure…” That was the spirit?

Having both of his hands shaken, Shuichi let Kiibo go and resumed his courtyard walk. Passing by at the same time was Kaede, who headed in the direction where the Casino awaited until a noise akin to a mixture of repeated punches against a hard surface and aggravated yelling startled her. It came from the Dormitory, where she ran to and spotted Miu as the noise’s source. A very upset Ultimate Maid really was hitting one of the doors, specifically the one to Kirumi’s room forever locked by her untimely death. Miu eventually gave up, sinking to her knees and now sobbing with a throat left raw from the uncontrollable grief refusing to leave her alone.

“J-Just once… please,” she croaked. “It’s all I’ve got left of her in this stupid world. I don’t wanna live without her anymore…”

“Iruma-san?” Kaede quietly spoke up, earning a displeased glare from Miu as she wiped away the tears that kept falling.

“Nosy old bitch, what do you want? Scram! Can’t you tell I ain’t done housekeeping? You’re not getting any special dibs from me, either, so stomp that out instead of using me as your fuckin’ ashtray!”

Kaede didn’t know how to respond to the second part, so she stayed put. “I’m only here because I heard you… well, having a tough time in here.”

“Ha! What sorta high-class maid has anything but easy times?”

“One who’s still trying to mourn her best friend’s death all by herself.”

Miu spat on the ground bitterly, then wiped it up with a cloth. “Big deal. I don’t have any other choice around this dump without worrying Kiibo or bumming Kiyo out even harder.”

“...You could.”

“I could what?”

“Have any other choice besides grieving alone. Nobody deserves to.”

“As if you don’t think that applies to me. You and the other ungrateful shit puddles that take one look at my golden bod and run for mommy!” Miu sprayed a rag with disinfectant, polishing Kirumi’s pixelated door portrait. “Contrary to what lots say about us blondes, I’m not some brainless bimbo like you, Bakamatsu. I could cry my eyes drier than an asshole after diarrhea, and what would it do? Get me pity? I don’t need pity, and I especially don’t need it from you!”

“Don’t you think maybe there are certain reasons for why it’s come to that? Like say, why don't most people feel like they can get a word in with you before feeling it’s better not to bother? Or, has nobody once laid that out on the table and spelled it out for you?”

Miu paused, balling the cloth in her angry grip while remembering a past talk. “What good would that even do me now? None of you nobodies could actually care! And even if you did, all of you are as good as dead here, anyway.”

“Then, I guess it wouldn’t matter if Kiibo or Kiyo-kun died?”

“Shove it with that! Of course it would!”

“And yet, here you are making friends with them despite all of us being in a killing game. If those two and Kirumi found something about the real you that they liked, what’s stopping—?”

“—Yeah, yeah, ‘what’s stopping the rest of us’? Ask yourself: even if I _did_ let anyone else in, what difference would it make? I’m still Miu Iruma, the class reject.”

“If you’ve been told this before, maybe you should give it a try instead of doing nothing. I’m sure Kirumi wouldn’t like seeing you this way, would she?”

“Don’t speak for her! Don’t you DARE fucking speak for her!” Miu reached forward and tried grabbing Kaede, but the girl’s catlike reflexes grabbed her instead and kept her at a distance so as not to do any harm. “I’m sick of people like you thinking they know what they’re talking about when ya really, really don’t! You’re a goddamn know-it-all who only pretends like she gets even a fraction of me, and you’ve got to ten to cut it out before I shove a dry mop up your chlamydia-ridden clownhole! One!” Kaede didn’t say anything, only stepping closer to Miu. “Two! Three!” Another step closer. “NINE! Te—!”

Silent, Kaede hugged her. The maid went equally quiet and still, growing rigid in the delicate, yet firm embrace. “You deserve as much of a chance as anybody does, but you need to give them one back if you ever wanna hope to get it.”

Miu’s eyes grew tears as she started shaking. “Wh-Why should I? So people can hurt me all over again…? They already get a kick out of it 24/7, and the only ones who won’t might not stay for long here…”

“There are going to be some people who won’t wanna do anything except see you smile, but you’ll never find out who they are if you don’t take the small chance. Now, you could either keep going on like this alone, or try something new and let others support you for a change. I can’t force you to pick the second one, but I can at least suggest you consider it.”

Although Miu didn’t have anything left to say, Kaede could tell by her quiet, tearful whimpering in her arms that her words got through. Before she let go, she was surprised to feel the maid reciprocate the embrace rather tightly, almost as if releasing would cost her a chance at being happy for however long she would have left to live. Staying for as long as Miu was bound to please, Kaede let her know so by running her hand down her back repeatedly, listening to her cries until they were ready to stop on their own time.

* * *

_Restarting System: 10-K0_

_Loading memories…_

_Auto-detecting errors…_

_Configuring data…_

_10%_

_25%_

_50%_

_88%_

_97%..._

_0 errors detected._

_Reboot successful._

_10-K0 is back online._

“There we go, finally up and running,” Rantaro’s voice commented, waving to Tenko smiling. “Morning, sleepyhead. We missed you.”

An alarm blared from Tenko’s system as her eyes turned entirely red with a blinking yellow exclamation point. She could only see “WARNING: MALE DETECTED” flashing in an eye each until further scanning changed it to read “Analyzing… Male Identified: Amami Rantaro”. When Rantaro was recognized in full, her vision went a pale blue, then cleared out normally as soon as her green irises came back. Sitting upright, Tenko was stunned to be in a place she didn’t recognize at all, sitting upright with a quarter-jump and almost falling off the leaning bench in the process until Rantaro helped readjust her proper.

“Where am I? Where did you take me hostage?!” Tenko interrogated. “I want answers, and I want them now, you _men_ ace!”

“Isn’t it obvious? Take a look around you, and you might have an idea,” Rantaro hinted.

Half-glaring, Tenko observed her surroundings, the image of her silhouette on the computer screen and ports for charging and analysis within a technological room gave her a moment of realization. “This is… my Research Lab.”

“The one and only. I’ve gotta say, there was a _lot_ more helpful stuff in here in getting you situated. I found the source of the problem and fixed it, and… some other things.”

“Like what? What did you do to me?!”

“Nothing harmful, I promise. If anything, you just might thank me later when I tell you.”

Tenko leered skeptically. “Or the opposite. But, first, how long was I out for?”

“Four days.”

“Four days?! Why didn’t you wake me up sooner?!”

“I kept an eye on you to make sure nothing happened, but for the most part, I figured you deserved some rest after everything.”

“What do you mean after—?” Tenko remembered, eyes going wide before she suddenly felt sick. “No…! Himiko! Where’s Himiko?! Is she really—?! You know?”

Rantaro nodded solemnly. “Afraid so. I’m sorry, Tenko. ...She’s gone.”

Tenko immediately broke down in tears, her faceplate drenched with leaking saline fluid. “Himiko! Oh, Himiko, why?! Why her? Why Kirumi-san? Why either of them?! They didn’t deserve to die from that stupid motive…”

 _‘No, no they didn’t. And the losses are only gonna keep piling on until my plan works.’_ Still seeing Tenko crying her eyes out, all Rantaro could think to do was give the robot girl some breathing room, given getting too close as a guy would only upset her further. “It’s never easy losing the people we love, because that’s gotta be the worst pain anyone can go through possible. What makes it worse is the circumstances all of us are currently stuck in, but I guarantee it isn’t gonna last forever.”

“But, when is it going to stop being this way? I know we’ll have to get out eventually, but when?” Tenko sniffled. “How many more do we have to lose before the rest are safe, yet they don’t even get to see the real world ever again?”

“Soon. I promise my life on that.”

“Don’t!” Tenko pointed an angry finger at him, her faceplate still wet with tears. “I don’t ever want to hear that from you, do you understand me?! Even if you are a male, no life should be used as some— some! Gambling chip for a promise I’m skeptical of you upholding! Are you saying you wouldn’t mind being next?”

“No, no! I just meant—”

“—Meant nothing, Amami-san, I’m serious. Normally, I wouldn’t care if there was one less degenerate in the world, but you… well, forget it. I’m not obligated to elaborate on that, but I expect you to have a smidgen of self-preservation, even if it’s impossible for your kind.”

“I’m gonna be okay, Tenko. You can say you’re worried, but don’t let it eat you alive, either.”

Tenko folded her arms, turning away from Rantaro. “You are not putting words in my mouth. Let a girl speak for herself! I know that’s difficult for men, but get used to it!”

“Okay, then there’s something I want you to tell me yourself, if you don’t mind.”

“What is it?”

“Tell me about your creator. Professor Chabashira, right?”

Nodding, Tenko began. “The sole reason I exist to this very day! I consider myself somebody who’s capable of protecting herself just fine, but if I had to pick another reason I’ve been kept safe from harm, it’d have to be the world’s wisest scientist ever born! If it weren’t for him, I’m sure I’d be scrap metal by now thanks to grubby, prying mitts wanting to disassemble me.”

“It does seem like this professor of yours—” Wait. ‘Him’? “Uhhh… Tenko?”

“Yes?”

“Is Professor Chabashira… a man?”

“Yes? He’s practically my father. Don’t you have one?”

Rantaro scoffed. “One that was more concerned with getting dates, but sure.” He shook his head quickly. “No, no, not going down that rabbit hole today. Tenko, do you hate your professor?”

“What?! Never! Why would you ask something so horrible? He only wanted what was best for me every day!”

“But, you hate ‘degenerate males’. Wouldn’t Professor Chabashira count as one since he’s also male?”

Tenko paused, then her eyes widened in horror at the harsh realization. “P-Professor always said to— steer clear of men, but he’s a man, too— but also don’t steer clear of him—” The robot twitched, eyes showing blinking exclamation points while her system went haywire. “Degenerate males will never appreciate— will always hurt you— but Professor is male and won’t hurt you— males! Professor! Chabashira— degenerate _men_ ace— hurt! Not hurt! Don’t not maybe trust! ERROR! ERROR! COMMAND CONTRADICTORY—!” Just like that, Tenko’s eyes went black, her top half slumping over in yet another blackout as her system could be heard powering off.

“Uh-oh. I guess she wasn’t ready for that bomb to be dropped.” Rantaro laid her back down, goggles pulled onto his eyes again before he unscrewed the black bolt acting as a mole on her chin to access underneath her faceplate. “Did that really never occur to her before…?”

It only took a few moments, but Rantaro got Tenko up and running again. “Guh! Who the? What happened?”

“I won’t say, but what do you remember?”

“You asked me about Professor Chabashira. And—! ...It would seem there’s a contradiction in my programming. Degenerate males aren’t to be trusted, and yet Professor is? I don’t get it.”

“Well, the way I see it, he was just being a dad protecting his little girl from ‘icky boys’, so he did all he could to make sure you didn’t fall into the wrong hands of some creep or stranger that might seriously hurt ya. Don’t take it as a contradiction so much as an ‘exception’.”

“An exception?”

“Yeah. You can be hesitant with some— or actually, most— guys, but there are a handful of good ones out there like your professor. And if he’s good, what’s stopping other Professor Chabashira’s from being out there?”

“Nonsense! I’ve never heard anything about Professor having cloned himself. And believe me, he’s tried…”

Rantaro chuckled. “I didn’t mean literally, but by all means, save that trip of a story for next time. I do mean that if you lump the good apples in with the bad ones without double checking, you’ll think all of them are bad and throw them out.”

“Why are we talking about fruit now? I don’t need to eat for energy.”

“Replace ‘apples’ with ‘men’ and disregard the ‘throw them out’ part, please.”

“Oh! I wish you’d just said that sooner. So, if I’m hearing you right… I need to take a second look and make sure all the _men_ aces I run into are all bad ones? That way, I don’t accuse any halfway decent ones— if that’s even possible— of being a villain?”

“More or less, yeah. You wouldn’t call Professor Chabashira a villain, would you?”

“Never in my life! I’ll just look for exceptions to the rule like him.” Tenko glanced at Rantaro, thumb covering her lips. “Though, I might have come across a potential candidate already…”

“Did you say something?”

“Err, no, I didn’t. But, I will say thank you for once again repairing me, Amami-san. It certainly sped up my recovery!”

“Hey, it’s no trouble. Though, now that your Lab’s open, I don’t think you really need me much anymore, do ya?”

“What?! What are you saying?!”

“You’re all set. This place has everything a robot girl could ask for in case a boo-boo comes up, and you don’t have to come breaking my door down every time you need a repair.”

Tenko put her hands on her hips. “And what if I crash again? Do you expect me to fix myself when I’m not even conscious? Think before you speak, Rantaro! I know that brain of yours is fully functional!”

Rantaro paused at his first name being used by her, but chose not to bring it up lest Tenko have her mind blown again. “Good thinking. If me fixing you from time to time is what you still want, then I won’t tell you no. But, since you’re all set today, why don’t you come back at a later date?”

“I _will_. See you then.” Rantaro left first with Tenko behind him so she could lock her Lab behind them. He still had his agenda to take care of, and she had some things she needed to think over and process, but both knew from that point, change was well on its way to the Ultimate Academy on scales great and small.

* * *

Since nobody was quite in the mood to eat lunch together as a remaining class, Miu opted to lessen the amount of food wasted by only cooking for whoever bothered showing up for a bite. Though that meant less work to distract her from grief, it beat nothing at all. As luck would have it, two people did come in for a private meal together: Shuichi and Kaede, who within moments were seated at a table before two plates of sesame beef stir fry, a light glow courtesy of the candelabra placed in the middle next to their drink glasses.

“Not how I was picturing our lunch would go, but this is still nice, huh?” Kaede asked, eating a bite of her stir fry.

“Very nice. It’s not that often we get a good moment to ourselves like this,” Shuichi confirmed. “If only this could last forever.”

Kaede giggled, joking. “You mean you wanna be stuck having a meal with me for the rest of your life?”

“Don’t be silly, I mean— the peace of it.” Shuichi picked at his stir fry, uncertain. “It seems no one here gets too long of a moment for themselves, nevermind us. Just as things are calming down after all the heartache and we’re reaching a breakthrough with breaking out, bam! Monokuma barges in and stomps it all to death with his latest scheme and another trial takes two more classmates.”

“I know. And that’s not going to stop until the killing game does.” Kaede frowned at the ground. “Even with us running the student council, that’s bound to take a while. Just how many of us will be leftover after that while, I wonder?”

“Plenty. This game’s gonna be over before we lose too many more friends.”

“Since when did you become the certain one?”

“The same day a certain ex-class rep gave me the courage to help her lead.”

Kaede blushed, Shuichi’s endearing smile not helping a bit. “Maybe I should have asked when you became such a sweet talker instead.”

“I don’t wanna call it that. Just me helping you keep your chin up after you did the same for me all those times ago.”

“You really never stopped believing in me, did you?”

“And I never will.” He saw Kaede’s smile falter, concerned. “What’s the matter?”

“‘Never’ is a really strong word, Shuichi. Don’t say things that can always change later.”

“Why would it change?”

“Because you might find out something about me guaranteed to make you leave.” Kaede pointed at Shuichi, seeing his mouth open. “And no, I don’t wanna hear you say ‘Oh, nothing about you could change how I feel about you’, because this isn’t just any old flaw. I… I can promise that much.”

“Now, you’re making promises you can’t keep."

"I am not! Look, I’m not saying this to push you away from me again. I’m saying this as a warning I learned the hard way: you might feel the most certain you ever have about something in your life, but you’re not because you don’t really know a darn thing.”

“There is one thing I know.”

“Oh, really? What might that be?”

“Even if I’m not aware of your deepest, darkest, most shameful secret, I am aware of everything else. That you’re an outstanding leader who’s made her share of mistakes here, but bounced back and made up for them to really improve. Not just for herself, but for everybody she wants to help get out and get home.” In his spiel, Shuichi’s fingers reached Kaede’s, resting there as his smile stayed as loving as his gaze for her. “And that’s something I couldn’t deny even if I bothered trying, and frankly, neither can you.”

Kaede closed the distance and put all her fingers between Shuichi’s, smiling tenderly his way. “Of all the bad that’s gotten in my way during my time here, you managed to be something consistently good. I don’t know how, and I really, really don’t care, either.”

Their meals were forgotten for each other, enjoying the serenity together until an envelope plopped onto Kaede’s plate, spoiling the moment. “Oh, Kaede, you’ve got… a letter?”

“From who?” Before she could reach and find out, it suddenly flew off the table by some mysterious force. “Wha?” Another attempt to pushed the envelope away from her further. “Hey! Get back here! Sorry, Shuichi, do you mind wrapping my food up and we can pick this up later?”

“Sure. Iruma-san?”

“Already on it,” Miu called back, bringing two plastic tins to the table and containing the unfinished lunches as Kaede followed the envelope. “What, or _who_ cockblocked you two?”

“I don’t know…”

Every time Kaede got too close to the envelope, it would pull itself several feet away from her. No matter what, she kept tailing after it like a curious little girl would a white rabbit with poor time management. It stopped for a second, giving her time to prowl before pouncing on it, landing on nothing when the apparent letter kept going ahead and continuing the chase. Kaede came across the Academy’s fifth and most recently discovered floor, spotting her runaway target in front of Himiko’s unused Research Lab. The envelope went under the doors, Kaede initially believing it to be lost to the ages until she saw something else taped on.

“‘Door open’,” she read aloud, testing the note by pulling on both handles. As promised, they opened wide to a new Lab. “Wow! What do you know?”

Stepping inside felt like walking into the largest boutique in the world. The walls were painted amaranth, velvet, burgundy curtains splitting off three sections each containing their own cheval mirror, wooden chair, and hanging hooks to make a fancy dressing room. Outside of that, a large desk sat in the further corner of the Lab seating a sewing machine under a shelf housing numerous extra thread spools and replacement needles, a bucket of long fabric rolls beside the adjustable rolling stool. Empty mannequins surrounded the small catwalk stage meant for displaying fine creations courtesy of the Ultimate Cosplayer, who never lived to see them be reality. But at its foot, a stand-up frame containing the same portrait of Himiko from her joint memorial, the legs surrounded by a pattern of fake roses, artificial candles, and an unlit incense holder near a box of matches.

Further away from all the materials necessary to make cosplay, a roll-out futon mat and comforter were set up for naps and breaks, a more rectangular floor mirror next to it. Inside the one walk-in closet that came with a light switch, bins of extra supplies such as sketchbooks, pencils, and measuring tape all for creating new designs were on the floor, while hangers containing dresses and outfits that had already been made suspended above them. A small television was plugged in front of the futon, a shelf containing some premium anime DVD’s and manga volumes for design reference propped up next to the mirror.

“Himiko would have loved every inch of this,” Kaede lamented, then finally running to the envelope and feeling relieved it stopped running from her. “Gotcha! Now, what do you wanna say to me?” Opening it, she found a cryptic message. “‘Bring Tin Can’? I don’t know anybody named—!” Wait. There was only one person she knew who used that (ill-intended) sobriquet. Did he really…? “Well. Might as well do what it says.” Smiling, she headed out to find the note’s intended person.

Tenko was in her dorm room for the first time that week, hugging something close in her solitary lament. “Who is it?” she asked when her door got knocked on.

“Me, Kaede,” Kaede answered. “Do you mind coming with me so I can show you something?”

“What would that something be?”

“It’s a surprise, I can’t tell you! But, I know you’re gonna like it~.”

“Be right out!” Hiding the artifact on her person, Tenko opened her door and left with Kaede after locking it. “Could you at least say where we’re going?”

“Nope! You’ll have to wait until we’re there. But, first, do you mind closing your eyes and holding my hand?”

Tenko’s face turned pink, staring at Kaede’s hand as if it were a forbidden treasure. “I— would that really be okay for me to do? Mine are so cold and metallic, b-but if you want, I could send more heat to them. O-Or would you prefer flesh instead of—?” When Kaede did it herself, Tenko went from pink to red, shutting her eyes. “Okay, okay! Lead ahead, Miss President…”

Kaede led Tenko up another flight of stairs, crossing the floor and repeating until they were at the Academy’s summit. She stopped, opening the doors and taking her guest inside. “Alright, you can open your eyes now.” The robot girl obeyed, frozen at the sight of Himiko’s Lab. “Ta-daaaa! What do you think, Tenko?”

“It’s… oh, my goodness, it would have been perfect for her!” Tenko wiped away stray tears, sniffling as her voice croaked going over to the futon. “Look, Kaede! She even has a little bed in case she gets tired working on— oh, she could have taken her little naps…!”

“That’s not all. Look.” Kaede pointed at the small memorial to Himiko put together on the runway. “A certain someone wanted to help you mourn in peace.”

Tenko kept blubbering, hugging Kaede with all of her strength. “Oh, Kaede, you didn’t have to do all of this! H-How could I ever repay you?”

“No, no, you’ve got it all wrong. I didn’t do anything except lead you up here.”

“You didn’t?” Tenko let go. “Then… who’s responsible for this?” Kaede gave her the envelope she was chasing, reading its only contents. “‘Tin Can’?! How robophobic! Why, I never—!”

“Tenko, Tenko. Think. Who calls you that?”

“Miu-san?”

“Besides her. She uses a way less pleasant C-word.”

It took a few moments, but Tenko realized who did it. She didn’t say anything, only folding the envelope and putting it somewhere safe. “...I see. Well, I’ll definitely be talking with them about this next time. For now, I’d like to take advantage of this moment. Would you care to join me for a little, or are you busy?”

“No, I’m free until patrol. Come on.”

Kaede and Tenko went to the catwalk, using a match to light the incense and kneeling in respect. In a pause from being silent, Tenko took out one more thing to put on the memorial: a handmade clay award dedicated to “Best Concert” under Kirumi and Himiko’s names that she never had the chance of giving either of them following that fateful night. It went right under the portrait, both girls resuming their moments of silence with bowed heads and closed eyes to honor a fallen friend whom they hoped would rest in peace in a happier afterlife.

* * *

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“Good evening, bastard students!” Monophanie got out, kept also busy by having to use a pole to keep Monotaro away while he was trying to kiss her. “As you might have noticed, it’s now 10 pm! Which means, the—!” She smacked him using the pole. “—KNOCK IT OFF! The dining hall and gymnasium are closed, and no late-night swimming or we will punish you!”

“In the name of the moon!” Monotaro finished, throwing away the pole and clinging to his sister infatuated. “Its light of which is a messenger of love~! Right, my beautiful queen?”

“Euuuugh! Beautiful as I might be, you need to take a hint!”

“Don’t fight it, cutie pie! You had a real tough time resisting me before! And I know for a fact that I’m a great kisser!”

“I don’t need you to tell me that, but—!” Monotaro kept her close, piling on kisses to Monophanie trying to fight back giggles until she settled on decking him again disgusted. “STOP! I’m serious! We! Are never, ever, ever! Getting back together! I want nothing to do with you whatsoever!”

“Up-bup-bup, but I’m your king, so what I say goes!”

“Buzz off, creep! Leave it in the past!” Monophanie jumped up and started running, Monotaro chasing her all in a circle with cartoonish hearts trailing behind him and his kissy face while making a grabbing motion for Monophanie. “What’s a fine lady like myself gotta do to get some pepper spray around here?!”

“Have a swell night, kiddies! I know the Missus and I will!” After waving to the camera, Monotaro fixed his scarf and got pumped up into continuing his pursuit of desire. “Ah-ah-AWOOOOOOGA! I love it when they run!”

 _‘Yuck. I feel like I’m watching a bad cartoon from the 30s,’_ Kaede gagged, convening in the Dormitory’s lobby with the other members of the student council. “All present and accounted for?”

“For the first time in a while, yes,” Shuichi confirmed. “It feels a lot better having the band back together.”

“Now that our secretary and PR officer have made a full recovery!” Kaito cheered with a grin, his thumb up. “Nice work getting better, Shin and Tenko!”

“Recovery isn’t a sport, Kaito, it’s a process,” Korekiyo stated. “Regardless, your encouragement shall not go unappreciated.”

“So, Miss President! Where are our starting positions tonight?” Tenko asked, saluting Kaede. “There are many more floors to watch over now.”

“Well, there’s also five of us, so I’d say it splits pretty evenly between us,” Kaede said. “One floor per person.”

“But, somebody has to take the courtyard, too,” Shuichi pointed out.

“I’ll do it,” Kaito volunteered. “I’ll just start with the first floor and that.”

“Then the second floor will go to me,” Korekiyo added. “I trust that’s alright with you, Kaede?”

“Perfect,” Kaede consented. “Why don’t I handle Floor 3, and Shuichi and Tenko can pick either the fourth floor or the fifth one?”

“I’ll go to the fifth floor,” Shuichi said. “Tenko-san, are you fine with the fourth floor?”

“Yes,” Tenko answered, somewhat wary, “but, I’d better not catch you doing anything to defile a certain young maiden’s memorial by the time I get up there. I shouldn’t have a reason to scold you, should I, Saihara-san?”

“N-No, I won’t touch a thing. Just in and out to make sure nobody else is intruding.”

“Good. Don’t let me down, okay?”

Shuichi blinked, just as bewildered as Kaito at Tenko having not yelled at him on the spot. “...Okay, then. Flashlights ready?”

“Let’s go, go, go!” Kaede cheered. “Ultimate Academy Student Council, move out!”

The founding members all left together and split off to their respective posts, but Korekiyo stayed behind just as Tenko was ready to leave, too. “Wait. Tenko-san, could I have a word with you?”

“That depends,” Tenko hissed, cautious. “What about?”

“I’ll make it quick so I don’t waste your time. I promise.”

“Just come out and say it! What is it you want with me?”

Korekiyo bowed his head, somber before a confused Tenko. “To express my remorse.”

“For?”

“My actions back at the trial days ago. I never got the chance while you were unconscious, but for me to have flown off the handle and berated Yumeno-san just before she walked to her death wasn’t my definition of acceptable. She may have taken Kirumi from me forever, but that doesn’t change how beloved she was to you, too. And I went about screaming how her execution had been justified— I can only imagine how thoughtless I’d acted!”

“Shinguuji-san—”

“—I don’t see you forgiving me given I’ll never be worthy of it in your eyes, but I accept that. Just know I regret my behavior completely and seek to act more appropriately in the future while we’re still stuck here together.”

Tenko was silent, looking at Korekiyo almost pitifully. It bobbled her why he was acting this way considering every circumstance, but for once, she was willing to comply with her pesky inner voice: _Talk to him. Talk to him, Tenko! He isn’t going to hurt you._ “...Let’s sit and have a talk, Shinguuji-san. I’ll be quick, too.”

“You— want to talk? With me?”

“Don’t make me reconsider. It’s already rare for a male to show half as much humility as you seem to be doing. Now, sit.” Tenko pointed to the stairs, Korekiyo following her finger and sitting on its lowest step before she copied. “First of all, there’s something I want to make clear: I don’t want an apology from you, and I won’t accept one, either. But, not for the reason you’re thinking.”

“Then, what is the reason?”

“Because… even though I miss Himiko and agree she didn’t deserve her punishment, I also couldn’t fully pardon what she did. Yes, she was manipulated by Monokuma; just like Hoshi-san and Angie before her. But, does that suddenly change the fact that she willingly ended another life just like them? No. Kirumi-san is still very much gone because of her misguided attempt to protect me, and I’d be a fool to ignore that. I’d never outright condemn her, but I won’t excuse murder, either.” Tenko sunk deeper, her sad eyes interested in the ground. “If anybody should be saying sorry for costing them a loved one… it’s me.”

“If you won’t accept an apology from somebody who didn’t do anything bad, then neither will I. You said so yourself that you don’t blame me, yes? Then, why would it suddenly be right for me to cast blame on you?”

Tenko sighed, shaking her head defeated. “Have it your way, then. Playing the blame game isn’t going to bring Himiko back to me.”

“Nor will it Kirumi to me.” Korekiyo turned his head to Kirumi’s door sign, now wistful, but smiling. “Though, what I wouldn’t give for a chance to see such an amazing woman like her one last time.”

“I couldn’t have said so better myself. Standoffish as she might have seemed to a few, my sensors knew there was more under that.”

“Like?”

“Himiko being someone who both wanted to stay out of trouble and have a decent day, and wanted the same for the ones she truly cared about, even if she wasn’t the best at showing how big of a heart she really had. Just like the rest of us, she felt scared, and I only wish I could’ve helped her deal with that fear before it got as out of hand at it ended up doing.”

“For want of a nail, the shoe was lost. Such regrets are going to stick with us for the rest of our lives, however long or not those are going to be here.” Tenko bonked him on his head, which he rubbed with one hand. “Ouch!”

“There will be more where that came from if I hear that from you again, Detective. We’re going to get out alive, and you can’t nor won’t do a thing to stop that! Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am. Hence the reason Kaede recruited us into the student council to begin with.”

“If you agree with me, then quit the downer talk and get to work! Patrol awaits.”

Korekiyo stood up, fixing his cravat. “Be seeing you upstairs, then. Thank you for the unexpected talk, Tenko-san. I sincerely enjoyed and appreciated it.”

Tenko didn’t give a verbal response, but Korekiyo took the lack of apparent disgust or sneer as a good sign. He went ahead to start his patrol of the second floor, feeling somewhat more at peace with himself thanks to a surprising listening ear. Speaking of listening, he heard a sound coming from the top of the stairs before even fully arriving. At first, he imagined it, but it was clear as a bell. Or, rather… a piano. A slow, somber tune coming from Kirumi’s unused Research Lab. Highly concerned that someone might be disrespecting a dead girl’s sanctuary, he dashed to the entrance, prepared to deal with it until he saw who was sitting at her piano chair, playing an unusually slower rendition of Korobeiniki. The song came to a gradual end, the last two notes held for a few moments leading into silence.

“See, Mama?” Ouma said, speaking only to the memorial portrait of Kirumi’s headshot balanced on her piano. “I told you I perfected it! And I didn’t even _need_ practice! I’m just that great! ...But, that’s a big, BIG lie.” His sadness reflected in his smile and his eyes. “Because now’s the first time I’m able to pull off a single note without you telling me to slow down or start over.” Pulling down the fallboard, Ouma laid on it using his arms as a cushion. “If only you could have heard me get it right as a person, not as a ghost…”

“Kokichi?” Korekiyo softly called to attention, Ouma instantly sitting up as if he hadn’t been sulking. “May I trouble you to come in?”

“Oh, is it time to arrest me for trespassing already?” The astronaut offered his wrists jokingly. “Go right ahead, Officer! Cuff me and do what you want with my body! I won’t tell nobody~.”

“Stop. I catch criminals, but I don’t make arrests. Besides, Research Labs are the exception the student council agreed upon, and you know that.” Korekiyo sat next to Ouma. “What are you doing in here all by yourself this late?”

“Nunya.”

“Might that be the song I just heard you play? I could have sworn it was Korobeiniki, or as you’re more familiar, ‘Tetris’.”

“And so Mr. Sexy Detective solves another unwanted case. I was just leaving, Kiyo-chan, get off my back already. Nag, nag, nag!”

“It wouldn’t be right of me to make you leave if it’s privacy you seek. I’d only have to take action if you’d invited an unauthorized guest.”

“Then I guess I’ve gotta kick you out, don’t I? Can’t have you breaking your own rule, cutie.”

Korekiyo flushed slightly, eyebrow twitching. “Are you actually concerned with following basic conduct, or are you just messing with me?”

“I think you know the answer to that.” Ouma lifted the fallboard, pulling up some sheet music to a different song. “Why don’t you take five from boring sentry duty, and… join me? I’m sure Kirumi-chan would love your music as much as she did mine.”

“But, I didn’t bring my viola.”

“Not necessary! Just do what you can and don’t screw up too much. She wouldn’t care if you sounded right on the first try, just that you did it and smiled, anyway.” Ouma gave him a wink. “And given she was a woman with eyes, I know she’d agree with me and say that smile you barely show is to die for.”

Kiyo shrank into himself, face a deeper, shyer pink. “Could we just get started and be done with it…?”

“Just begging to hear my siren song, aren’t ya? I don’t blame you!” Ouma got his wrists and fingers warmed up. “Here’s a song you Earthlings created that actually doesn’t make me wanna gouge my eardrums out. ...One best played from me to you.” Fingers over the beginning keys, he pressed down on a few to start and kept going, singing along gently to his own melody with Korekiyo’s entire attention on him.

_Fly me to the moon_

_And let me play among the stars_

_Let me see what spring is like_

_On Jupiter and Mars_

_In other words…_

_Hold my hand_

_In other words…_

_Darling, kiss me_

_Fill my heart with song_

_And let me sing forevermore_

_You are all I long for_

_All I worship and adore…_

_In other words_

_Please be true…_

_In other words…_

Ouma didn’t say the last three words, but instead kept them inside his head. Korekiyo studied the parts already not covered by the spaceman’s fingers, providing the backup notes to the best of his ability. There was a good half a minute of wordless instrumental required for the song, something neither minded and used that time to helping each other get into a good harmonization of their playing styles. Korekiyo let Ouma handle the singing part whenever it was to come up again, sticking to being support where he was needed most. In fact, he very much preferred listening to the sound of him singing at the rate it was going so far…

_Fill my heart with song_

_And let me sing forevermore_

_You are all I long for_

_All I worship and adore…_

_In other words_

_Please be true…_

_In other words…_

Ouma noticed Korekiyo had become content enough with the song that he was leaning on him a bit, hardly aware of anything aside from his fingers playing piano keys to a dainty tune. The sight made his little heart flutter and quicken, and lips take the form of an endeared smile, one he noticed the detective also had on his face. Bouncing back after the momentary pause, he resumed his song beneath a moonlit sky. If it were possible, he felt as though Kirumi would feel just as content as he and Kiyo did while observing their moment of peace spent honoring her memory through something she loved to share dearly.

_In other words_

_I love you…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: the Saimatsu thing was not planned, plus the Korekiyo + Tenko talk was supposed to happen first thing next chapter, but ya boi needed something to add more pages onto the update =w='
> 
> Either way, I'm not at all unhappy with how they turned out. A nice, wholesome bonus to the chapter, if you will.
> 
> Himiko's Lab design was inspired by the Carousel Boutique from /that/ show since I thought it was pretty and a step up from Tsumugi's Lab in canon (and again, different character with the talent = different tastes with it). All the Labs will be shown before the story ends, whether or not the owner has been killed already, so look forward to that! For now, though, I'll just be working on consecutive updates for all of you to see what happens next. Thanks for stopping by today, and we'll be seeing each other again very soon. See ya! ♥


	33. Episode XXXII: Daily Life 4.3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm about 5000 years late, but it's here! Ch. 4 overall (minus the investigation and trial parts) isn't gonna be very long since I've only got so many ideas, and I don't think Ch. 5 will have many Daily Life chapters after the "prize inspections" and whatnot that they do in Part 1. We are nearing the end, after all, and I know lots of you would rather just see the murders more than anything else...
> 
> That's not to say I'll be skimping on the deets, though! *SB voice* I've got plenty of 'em! And this chapter actually met the page quota, so it's longer than our last update. Enjoy, all, and a shoutout to my lovely, lovely friend @DreamyDiamond (idk how to link accounts lol, close enough), as it is her birthday on this fine day today. Give her lots of love, and I hope you like this as my present to you (besides my undying love of course)! ♥

_Ding-dong, bing-bong! Ding-dong, bing-bong!_

“Good morning, all and some!” Monophanie stage whispered, looking between the camera and the sofa room she was in. “You may have noticed I’m keeping my voice down, but that’s because I’m trying to get through this announcement solo. It’s currently 8 am, meaning it’s also Day Time! So get up, get out there, and you know the rest—!”

“—Babycakes! There you are!” Monotaro cheered, jumping onto the couch and getting on one knee to present Monophanie with a single red rose. “A gift. For my lady this fine, fine morning. Not one as fine as her, though!”

“Tch. I’ve heard that line before.”

“From who, my queen?! It’s from that cad Monokid, isn’t it?! I’ll kill him and then I can have you all to myself!”

“Monokid’s been dead since Chapter 11, remember? How can I be seduced by a ghost?”

“Tell that to Lucy Liu…” Monotaro’s wariness was quickly forgotten, shifting back into his lovestruck mood. “But, who cares? He couldn’t get it up as well as me, anyway!” He slathered on some red lipstick— messy because of the pacifier— and licked his lips. “Pucker up, sweetcheeks! It’s time for your 8 o’clock smooching hours!”

“Absolutely not!” Monotaro advanced anyways, sending Monophanie into another chase, but this time flinging all the hanging or discarded dolls of the students at him while he kissed the air trying to get to her. “Eww! Monotaro, you’re like the living embodiment of a canker sore! Get lost!”

“Only if it’s in your eyes, my darling Monophanie!”

“Ewww! Sick!”

Well, they were a lost cause. One could almost feel sorry for them if they weren’t the spawn of Monokuma and equally despicable. The students all did their normal morning routines and took individual times getting ready to start up the day, heading out and occupying the dining hall. Even with everyone available having arrived, seeing empty chairs served as a grim reminder that some of them wouldn’t be joining their friends for breakfast, lunch, or dinner anymore. With wounds just starting to close from the recent murder and execution, the surviving group were all settling on coping as best as possible.

“I’m just saying, a little goes a long way!” Ouma insisted, biting into his honeycomb. “You might even get more honey out of them.”

“For the last time, I am not giving my bees steroids,” Kiibo shot down. “I really hope you don’t believe that’s gonna do anything except kill them.”

“How do you know? You never tested it.”

“No, and I don’t need to. I’ll happily wait for freshly-made results whenever they’re ready.”

“They could be ready faster~.”

“Moving on.” Kiibo turned to Shuichi, giddier. “Did I tell you my babies are finally all grown up?”

“Your babies?” Shuichi wondered.

“Remember when my Lab first opened and my greenhouse was full of larvae? Well, I’m proud to announce all of them have emerged from their cocoons— and chrysalises, and I’m now housing many new species of butterflies and moths!”

“Oh! That’s great, Kiibo. You must be over the moon to have seen that.”

“I am! I even got it all on tape. Do you wanna see?”

“Maybe after breakfast.” Truth be told, he wasn’t in the mood to see metamorphosis this early in the morning, though upsetting Kiibo sat last on his list, too.

“Speaking of, what do moths even do, anyway?” Ouma wondered, cheek full of honeycomb wax. “Butterflies are like backup bees and pollinate, but moths don’t even wake up in the daytime! Do they pay rent? I doubt it.”

“Actually, Kokichi, they have almost the same job as butterflies do, but at night,” Kiibo said. “They indeed pollinate, but think of it as them having… the night shift, when it comes to helping plants flourish.”

“Yeah, those who aren’t stupid enough to mistake my bug zapper for the moon.”

“Blame positive phototaxis on that. Without going into the number of possible theories for why they do it, let’s leave it at foreign light throwing their natural sensory out of whack and call it a day.”

“Like echolocation in bats?” Shuichi suggested.

“Sure! Both are ways of getting around that don’t involve sight.”

“By that logic, if I gathered enough moths and shone a flashlight in front of them enough times, I’d have my own chariot!” Ouma chirped. “One that freaks people out with a bunch of icky bugs, but also takes me wherever I want whenever.”

“You’d need a significant number of moths to lift you, even if you are a lightweight. Please don’t subject my friends to pretty much slavery.”

“Okay. I’ll get a different bunch to do it instead.”

Kiibo sighed. “Good luck with that…” Hardly a sip into his drink, he nearly choked swallowing it when Tenko approached him and the friends he was talking with. “T-Tenko-san! Good— morning?”

“Good morning,” Tenko responded plainly, something Kiibo hadn’t expected. “I’m just here for Ouma-san.”

“What does the bucket of bolts want with me? The future destroyer of Earth and ruler of the rest of the galaxy?” Ouma gloated.

“Don’t say anything that would make me reconsider even bothering with your foul presence.” Tenko leered for a moment, then became more sincere. “...I’m only here to thank you.”

“Him? For what?” Shuichi asked.

“I’m not going to say it out loud lest I crush his fragile male pride, but I think Ouma-san knows exactly what he’s done for me. That’s all.”

“Why on this stupid planet would I bother doing something for some clunky talking toaster?” Ouma snorted. “It is about high time you finally showed me the respect I deserve, but scram. You’re souring the milk in my cereal just by pretending you can breathe.”

“But, it was you!” Tenko held up the note instructing Kaede to bring “Tin Can”. “Nobody else calls me this, or knows how to lockpick locked Labs!”

“Try saying that five times fast! And while you’re at it, try saying things that aren’t giant lies about other people.”

Rolling her eyes, Tenko stormed off. “Hmph. Why is it so difficult for males to admit when they’ve done something? Even when it’s positive, they’re allergic to modesty! Honestly…”

“Why didn’t you admit to doing Tenko-san a favor?” Kiibo wondered. “It’s not often she’s like that to a guy, nevermind you.”

“Or ever,” Ouma said. “I don’t have to admit to anything I don’t wanna, and that’s that.”

“I didn’t think I’d live to see the day Kokichi Ouma gets embarrassed,” Shuichi guessed.

“And you’ll die before that happens, ‘cause I ain’t embarrassed. I’m immune to embarrassment!”

“Usually, those who aren’t embarrassed don’t deny it on the spot—” Shuichi wound up blocking his face when Ouma fired bits of cereal and milk at him. “Hey! Don’t be like that.”

“It’s no use,” Kiibo decided. “Only Kokichi knows what went down, and getting it out of him is nigh impossible.”

“Which means it’s none of your this,” Ouma mocked, holding up his honeycomb.

“...None of our honeycomb?”

“Beeswax, Kiibo. Beeswax,” Shuichi corrected.

“Oh!” Kiibo laughed, fingers covering his lips. “Next, I suppose you’re gonna tell us to—”

“—‘Buzz off’?” Ouma guessed, earning more laughter from Kiibo after a pause. “Nishishi! Knocks ‘em dead every time.”

“You only did that so Kiibo wouldn’t pry anymore, didn’t you?” Shuichi conjectured.

“That, and I’m just a natural comedic genius. He’s the one who’s got good taste.”

“If you wanna go with that, Ouma-kun…”

“Anybody care for seconds?” Miu offered a different group sitting together. “Maybe a refill on coffee? What about you, Amami? You look like you could use an extra cup of joe.”

“Uhh, sure, same way as before,” Rantaro instructed, giving the maid his mug. “Thanks, Iruma-san.”

“Don’t mention it.” She turned her attention to everyone else. “What about you guys? I ain’t letting you starve.”

“Could I get another waffle?” Tsumugi requested. “This time with a little more butter?”

“I’ll put a piece on each square so you’ve got a fairer shot, Trust me, works like a charm.”

“Miu, I’ve gotta hand it to you,” Kaede commented with a smile, “you really seem to be in a much better mood today.”

“Kinda. It’s more me trying something new than anything else.” Miu smiled back. “And I’ve got you to thank for that, among a couple of others.”

“There shouldn’t be any reason for you to regret it,” Korekiyo reassured her, lips giving a mild smile against the rim of his teacup. “I’m already very proud of you, my friend.”

“Same here,” Kaede coincided.

“Yeah, yeah, praise me when your plates are as empty as your mouths,” Miu chuckled on her way out to fulfill more breakfast orders. “It’s hard not to, but I can wait this time.”

“What did you guys do?” Tsumugi asked. “Iruma-san’s never been so… less unpleasant like this.”

“You mean ‘nice’?” Rantaro wondered.

“I don’t know if that’s a word I’m ready to use to describe her yet.”

“Nothing has happened that she wasn’t free to choose,” Korekiyo answered. “Simple encouragement goes a long way when taken.”

“Thankfully, for the better,” Kaede exhaled, a lingering sense of guilt hanging on her shoulders. “But, hey, I believe anybody’s capable of changing in that way, too.”

“Even Iruma-san?” Tsumugi inquired.

“I know what I said. Sometimes, it takes some extra support and confidence, but the results can be the same.”

“HEY! Get outta my grub, ya little two-toned tumor!” Miu shouted from the kitchen.

“Mostly,” Rantaro uttered. “Wait. Did she just say… ‘two-toned’?”

“Oh no,” Korekiyo lamented, on cue watching Miu chase Monokuma out of the kitchen, the Headmaster dripping oatmeal all over the floor.

“Run, run, run, as fast as you can!” Monokuma cackled. “You can’t catch me! I’m the Stick Oat Man! Or— bear!”

“Gotcha!” Miu grunted, trapping him under an empty, large pot and weighing it down with her boot.

“Hey! Who turned out the lights?!” Using all of his strength, Monokuma threw the pot off and knocked Miu over, Kaede going to help her up as their tormentor presented himself before his displeased students by jumping onto the table. “Nice seeing y’all again! How’s your morning going?”

“Terrible now,” Kaito spat.

“Wonderful! Then, you’re gonna love this! I’m calling for a mandatory assembly in the gymnasium! It’s time to announce the next— wait! Wait for it, wait for it…!” Monokuma pulled the string on a party popper, releasing confetti in a few faces. “Ba-ba-ba-BUUUM! The fourth motive.”

“Huh, he’s actually doing it sooner this time, _and_ making it public as well,” Korekiyo remarked. “It must be quite a tactic you’ve got pulled. Don’t disappoint us now, Monokuma.”

“Are you encouraging him?!” Tenko squeaked. “That’s the last thing we want this morning!”

“Never. If he’s making such a big fuss of it, then I suggest we all brace ourselves for danger.” Korekiyo cupped his hand to his face, mocking Monokuma. “Oh, how shameful it’d be if our fair Headmaster felt the need for compensating rather than deliver on expectations.”

“Grrr, I’ll show you compensating!” Monokuma hissed, irritated. “Just drag your lazy butts down the hall and see what I’ve got! Then, who’ll be laughing? See you then!” He disappeared, leaving everyone to a ruined breakfast.

“Fan-fuckin’-tastic,” Miu sighed.

“Do you want me to help you clean things up after?” Kaede offered.

“There’s nothing here I can’t wipe up as easy as my own ass. But, maybe there’ll be something I can let you do. ...If you’re cool with it.”

“I look forward to it.” Kaede’s smile soured quickly when she turned to the door. “This, on the other hand, not as much.”

“Let’s just get it over with. Follow the babysitter, everybody!”

Kaede took that as a hint to leave first, Shuichi and Kaito by her side while the rest went after. Breakfast was reluctantly forgotten as the ten living students arrived in a vacant gymnasium, bewildered as to why there seemed to be no sign of Monokuma, or his pair of children waiting to ruin their lives. Just moments after everyone braced themselves, the trio trained in Aikido getting into battle stances at the same time in the event of having to use physical protection, three blurs of red, pink, and black zipped all over within close proximity to the students. Collective clicking sounds in place could be heard amongst the commotion, Monokuma holding a remote while standing with his final two cubs (Monophanie groaning in disgust from Monotaro’s arms as he kept piling on kisses) after everything was in place.

“What are—?” Shuichi wondered, poking at the black collar clasped around his neck. As much as he or anyone else tried pulling it off, it wouldn’t budge. “What is this?!”

“Your motive, of course!” Monokuma cheered.

“Ugly collars? Snore City!” Ouma complained.

“Oh-ho, you’re gonna wish you were in Snore City after you see what these babies really do,” Monotaro snickered, Monophanie getting a brief break from his affection after keeping his lips away by her palm. “Father, hit it!”

Monokuma pressed the red button on the remote, all ten collars powering up with a green indicator light on each corner. “Ta-daaaa!”

“‘Ta-daaaa’, what?” Kaito asked. “Nothing happened. I’m taking this stupid thing off—!” The minute it’d separated from his skin, the tennis pro received a painful shock to his whole body. “YOWCH! What the fuck?! You gave us all shock collars?! For what?”

“Not just any shock collars, Momota-kun,” Monokuma giggled, becoming as menacing as he usually did when gloating about a new motive. “You’re looking at the ‘Sleep No More’ motive! Which, if you pinheaded bastards couldn’t guess, means—”

“—Pushing us to the point of exhaustion until somebody dies,” Korekiyo interrupted. “And should any one of us begin falling asleep before then, we’ll received painful, yet relatively harmless electrical shocks to keep us awake and irritable, thus further motivating us into committing murder once again.” In response, Monokuma pressed the blue button beneath the red on his remote, delivering shocks to Korekiyo. “Ouch!”

“You wanna steal my thunder, I’ll give it right back, thank you!” Groaning, Monokuma continued. “But, yeah, basically everything Inspector Spoiler just gave away like the killjoy he is.”

“Next time, try coming up with a less predictable motive.” Again, Monokuma voluntarily shocked Korekiyo with a press of the blue button. “OUCH!”

“Shinguuji-kun, now would be a very good time to shut up,” Tsumugi sighed.

“Wait, wait, this doesn’t make sense,” Kaito objected. “How are you gonna know if we’re sleeping or awake?”

“The difference in heart rate,” Kiibo theorized. “Basically, the heart pumps at a slower rate when we’re sleeping versus when we’re not, given there’s far less energy being used.”

“And these shock collars need all living heartbeats— or functioning artificial intelligence— to remain activated and functional!” Monophanie cheered.

“I thought the Ultimate Meathead would know something about that,” Ouma teased.

“Obviously, I know about resting heart rate!” Kaito snapped. “I’m just usually more focused on it when I’m not exercising is all.”

“So, basically… you’re a colossal nitwit. Is that what I’m hearing?”

Kaito folded his arms. “When don’t you?”

“Hey, wait!” Tenko exclaimed. “How would mine work? I neither have a pulse nor need sleep to stay energetic.”

“You’ll have to charge at some point, won’t you?” Monophanie guessed. “As soon as your battery starts to dwindle, you’re gonna be feeling pretty crummy!”

“Don’t bother plugging yourself in, either,” Monotaro laughed, holding up a pair of scissors. “Whether you try and use the charging ports in your room or Lab, you’ve been ‘disconnected’ either way.”

“And before you ask, no, the shocks won’t charge you much. I’d say at best, you’ll get an extra… 1% charge. Maybe two, if lucky!”

“Monsters!” Tenko gasped. “You absolute monsters!”

“We’ve also taken the liberty of throwing out any and all sleeping pills used to combat insomnia!” Monotaro resumed, ignoring Tenko’s plight. “No induced naptime for you guys!”

“Kukuku… an amateur move, at best,” Korekiyo laughed to himself, unaffected by the news.

“Remember! If any of you want to see a good night’s rest ever again, y’all know what to do!” Monokuma cackled. “Things might not seem to bad now because you’re all still rested well, but that won’t last~! Upupupupu!” With that, he disappeared, looking forward to another kill.

“So long, bear well!” Monotaro and Monophanie sang, disappearing together.

“I’m surprised he didn’t make these shock collars lethal,” Rantaro remarked. “You’d think violating the motive would have more serious repercussions.”

“You shouldn’t be so calm about this!” Tenko cried. “Humans need sleep more than anything in life! Besides food, that is.”

“Hey, remember you’re looking at the Ultimate Inventor. There’s very little I can’t tinker with or work my way around.”

“Famous last words, Rantaro…”

“What if Monokuma made these things tinker-proof?” Kiibo wondered, concerned. “Then, what?”

“Ran-chan will have let us down,” Ouma pretended to lament. “Thanks a lot!”

“I won’t know unless I try, will I?” Rantaro asked. “I won’t make any promises, but I can at least see if there’s anything to make these collars tick while I still have some juice in me.”

“Meanwhile, the student council’s gonna be devising our own plan at the meeting today,” Kaede included. “It never hurts having a backup.”

“Until either makes a breakthrough, stay calm,” Shuichi advised. “We’ll look for a way through this.”

“Kaede, Saihara-kun, would it not be best if we moved the meeting up?” Korekiyo suggested. “It’s better to deliberate than to dally whilst the clock ticks.”

“You mean have the meeting now? If that’s alright with everyone else, then I don’t see why not.”

“Kaito, Tenko, are either of you busy?” Kaede asked, getting shakes from both heads. “Miu?”

“It’ll have to wait until D-Hall’s cleaned, but I can make it up to my Lab in time,” Miu answered. “Did you still wanna be my second pair of hands?”

Kaede nodded. “It’s only a few extra minutes. That’ll give everyone else some time to get ready.”

“Guess we’ll die,” Ouma shrugged, changing his words when Korekiyo pinched his ear. “—Of not the motive! Not yet, at least!”

“Close enough,” Korekiyo reluctantly decided, releasing Ouma’s ear only to find the boy clinging to his arm. “Ah!”

“Kiyo-chan, let’s do something fun! All day long, what do you say?”

“I adore spending time with you, Kokichi, but I don’t that much time today.”

“You’ve got some! You can’t be in that much of a hurry to get rid of me, are you?”

“No… I’ll let you linger until the meeting.”

“Can’t promise it’ll be that short, but whatever.” Ouma ran with Korekiyo’s hand locked in his, taking the detective with him. “Come on! Don’t be such a Slowking!”

“Whoa! Com— iiiing!”

After Ouma kidnapped Korekiyo, the other students began leaving. Rantaro was ready to follow when he heard a singular “Rise and shine, ursine!”, looking down to see Monophanie by herself holding something in her paws. “Whatcha got there?” the inventor asked, suspicious.

“The final prize,” Monophanie answered.

“Final? I thought we only got two from surviving the recent trial.”

“Oh, that’s right, you didn’t hear us talk to Saihara-kun or Momota-kun, did you? Well, I don’t have enough time before my stalker— I mean, _brother_ , pops up to give me a headache, so just take this!” 

Monophanie thrust the item into Rantaro’s hand, a quick examination revealing it to be a black keycard of the sorts. “Mind telling me where this goes?”

“Hint: don’t look over, look under. I’m sure a strong, handsome young man like yourself knows where that might be?”

Rantaro blinked. “Ex— cuse me?”

“No, excuse ME!” Monotaro’s angry voice bellowed, popping up with balled fists. “Who do you think you are, pretty boy? Do I need to stick a knife in your throat instead of Monokid’s?! Paws off my girl!”

“I think you have the wrong idea. I’m not—”

“—A blowhard show-off like you!” Monophanie argued, hugging Rantaro’s leg with one of hers sticking up. “I’ve found me a new man, and if you don’t like it, tough zucchini squash!”

“But, Monophanie, we made such a cute couple the first time, what’s stopping us from a second, much hotter go around that block again?” Monotaro offered. “We could be like Bonnie and Clyde! The Joker and Harley! Veronica and Jason Dean!”

“I’m pretty sure two of, if not all of those pairs ended horribly—” Rantaro was about to say.

“—Shut it, homewrecker! This is a lovers’ quarrel only!”

“Sorry, Monotaro, but this troubled queen is getting clean! I say no!” Monophanie refused.

“But… what about us?”

“There is no ‘us’, and there never will be again! You can’t even use your old ‘memory problems’ gimmick as an excuse to make me stay, either. I may have had a thrill the first time, and where did it get me? Burst wide open like an alien host! Nuh-uh, no, no, who needs ya? Hit the bricks, you deadbeat!”

Monotaro went silent, almost reminisce of Monodam until he spoke up. “...It’s over, isn’t it?”

“Exactly! Thank you for—”

“—Oh, no, no, sis, I don’t mean _we’re_ over.” There was a sadistic glint to his eye, a grin and sharpened claws to match. “Not in the slightest.”

“H-Huh?”

“I make one thing clear, and one thing only. I was meant to be yours, and still am.” Monotaro leaned into Monophanie, who was genuinely scared. “Don’t forget that.” He turned to Rantaro, still glaring. “As for you, Amami-kun. Be lucky you won’t have to sleep with one eye open until there’s blood spilt.”

“Okay?” Rantaro gulped, liking the sound of that as much as he did being involved with the messed up love affair.

“So long, bear well!” only Monotaro chirped, dragging Monophanie with him. Before they did leave, she made a “call me” gesture and mouthed the words at a sickened Rantaro, who ignored her entirely.

“Look under, but not over?” Rantaro eyed the keycard, stuffing it in his pocket. “I think I’ve got an idea of where that might be, but that won’t be possible right now until the student council says it’s okay.”

For now, though… nobody else was gonna be needing the third prize more than he did, would they?

* * *

“Alright, Miu, that’s the last of the dishes dried!” Kaede called out, putting away a final bowl while the table was being washed. “Anything else you want done?”

“Depends! Did you wipe up around the counter and sweep?”

“Oh, no, sorry! I’ll do that right now.”

“Hurry up with that! You forget I still need to get treats ready for the meeting. Ring a bell?”

“Plenty of them; I’m the president for a good reason!” Kaede grabbed a dry towel, wiping down the water she’d gotten all over the counter after the dishes were done. “Mind telling me what’s on today’s menu?”

“Fuck yeah, I mind! Don’t ruin my delicious surprises!” Miu organized the chairs and pushed them all in. “I get my treats are all to die for, but have _some_ patience, will ya?”

“Why don’t you go ahead to your Lab and I’ll finish up, then? Treats come out best when they’re not rushed.”

“Yeah, and water among other things is wet. I don’t wanna push my easy chores onto you just ‘cause you can sorta do ‘em.”

“Don’t think of it as pushing off your chores so much as saving time getting the rest of them done. Either way, your to-do list isn’t missing a single checkmark!”

“I’ll still be seeing how good of a job you did swabbing down the deck. That thing had better be cleaner than a marble statue’s ballsack when I check it next, got it, Kaede?”

“My word is yours. I’ll be quick and careful, but meet me upstairs.”

Agreeing pleased and smiling, Miu finished up her end of the chores and headed out to get started on baking before the upcoming student council meeting. Kaede picked up the dry mop, running it along the floor and taking in any dust, trash, and specks that might have fallen down earlier and sweeping it all into one big pile together. When it looked big enough, she grabbed a normal broom and dustpan, brushing all of it inside and throwing the mess away. In checking over the tables, Kaede used a rag of disinfectant to wash each surface, wringing out the liquid and watching it flow down the sink before the rag got put back where it needed to be. By the time she’d finished up cleaning, it was about time for the meeting she’d be overseeing, hurrying upstairs and on the way encountering Korekiyo, whom Ouma clearly hadn’t finished pestering.

“C’mon, Kiyo-chan! Play hooky for a day,” Ouma begged, pulling on Korekiyo’s hand, but failing to get him to move. “It’s just one little meeting! What are the odds you’ll even find an answer, anyway?”

“I won’t know unless I attend,” Korekiyo argued, forcing Ouma to let go. “There’s much to be discussed about the new motive. You and I both know how important it is that we the student council strategize to fight it.”

“Why fight what you can barely prevent? ‘Sides, just because you five are talking it over like the fuddy-duds you are doesn’t mean us normies are gonna sit pretty and not kill.” Ouma had a dark glint to his eyes when he smirked. “For all you know, I might be the next culprit.”

“You won’t. Not intentionally, at least.”

“Not not intentionally, neither! I’m nowhere near clumsy enough to kill someone by accident.”

“And you’re neither cruel nor desperate enough to kill on purpose, either. I must say, Kokichi, of all the tactics you’ve used to get me to play with you longer, this is your weakest one.”

Ouma let out a squeak when Korekiyo playfully poked his nose with his index finger, turning huffy right after. “If I have to listen to you bitch about messing up your perfect attendance award, then lemme in as your plus-one or something.”

“Can’t and won’t. Only student council members are permitted to enter. We’ve been over this. I’ll see you in an hour and a half, and then you’ll be free to do whatever you’d like with me.” Ouma waggled his eyebrows, earning a displeased reaction and maroon cheeks from Kiyo. “That’s _appropriate_.”

“Relax, Key, you know I’d take you to dinner first.” Ouma skipped ahead upstairs, waving bye on his way out. “If I find you dead of boredom at that meeting, don’t say I didn’t warn ya!”

“Ugh. That boy…” Korekiyo finally noticed Kaede, whom he walked up with. “Fancy seeing you here, Miss President. For a second, I was afraid I’d have to kick the meeting off in your place.”

“Never fear, your hardworking leader is here,” Kaede giggled. “Besides, you wouldn’t wanna steal Shuichi’s job, would you?”

“Only if he were absent, then I’d have to volunteer to step in. Worry not, though, I’ve no direct power over the president’s favorite.”

Kaede blushed. “Don’t call him my ‘favorite’. I’m not picking any…”

“Hmm? Am I wrong? Quite a shame; Saihara-kun does carry quite a torch for you. It’d break his heart hearing it isn’t reciprocated.”

“Don’t put words that aren’t true in my mouth! I just meant that as my _right hand man_ , Shuichi has first dibs to being in charge. But, since I’m still here, I’m in charge, end of story.”

“If it’s this easy riling you up, our deal on reaching a compromise might prove easier said than done.”

“Nonsense! I’ve been pretty reasonable up to this point, so I can do it again with whatever you think might work best.”

“I look forward to it, then.” 

Kaede and Korekiyo closed the locked door and seated themselves after arriving in Miu’s Lab, the other three members having already shown up moments prior. On the table was a beautifully decorated peach mousse cake with a pink topping and a cream body, porcelain cups neatly set up in front of each occupied seat for use regarding the polished pot of hot green tea placed on the center doily. In case no one craved the cake, a platter of freshly baked thumbprint cookies (half with an apple filling, the rest a raspberry one) to snack and nibble on until the 90 full minutes ran its course.

“Alright, the five of us are all here, so I’m calling to order the Ultimate Academy Student Council’s first meeting since… you know,” Kaede announced, swearing she felt a lump against her toes, but quickly dismissing it. “First things first… these things.” She poked her shock collar, not wanting to shock herself pulling on it.

“There’s not much we can do about taking them off,” Shuichi stated. “Not until Amami-kun brings us good news.”

“If he does,” Korekiyo mused, pouring himself a cup of green tea and helping himself to an apple thumbprint cookie at the same time.

“Don’t say that! Amami’s never let us down before,” Kaito fought. “Guy’s got a gift, and he puts it to real good use, he does.”

“When it suits him best. Haven’t you noticed Amami-kun has been acting a tad… strange lately? One so closed off from the rest of us may be hiding something dire, I fear.”

“He just likes his privacy,” Tenko retorted. “Surely, you’d be more understanding of that.”

“Quite, but there’s a line between ‘introverted’ and ‘suspicious’, and our fair inventor is the latter.”

“You always say that,” Shuichi sighed. “Lighten up and give him some time to see what he can do without being so paranoid.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, are we not in a killing game where even the slightest action can look bad and wind up being so?”

“I know this, but that doesn’t mean you need to go and jump down somebody’s throat the minute they might seem off. He could be up to something, but it might be good, for all we know.”

“True… I’m still keeping my eyes peeled, however.” Korekiyo took another thumbprint cookie, feeling something bump against his leg. “Oh! Now, Saihara-kun, I know we’ve just had a disagreement, but I’d prefer if you didn’t try to kick me.”

“I— didn’t.”

“Oh, silly me, it must have been a phantom.” Korekiyo teasingly bat his eyelashes at Kaito. “Unless, a certain someone has changed his mind and wishes to follow through on our first meeting?”

“Drop that, smartass, it wasn’t me, either,” Kaito spat, picking up a raspberry thumbprint cookie and accidentally dropping it. When he bent over to get it, however, it vanished without a trace. “Huh?”

“Guys, could we get back to the meeting at hand, here? Thanks,” Kaede answered in everyone’s stead. “So, Amami-kun’s gonna look into maybe disabling these collars, what do you all think we need to do in the meantime before we get too exhausted?”

“Keep everyone’s heads on their shoulders, for starters,” Tenko answered. “But, how, if none of us can sleep?”

“Why not get everybody as calm as possible?” Shuichi suggested. “That way, nobody’s wound up enough to do something bad.”

“But, at the same time, they might be so lulled that the temptation to sleep goes up,” Korekiyo argued. “And the minute that happens, the collars work their magic.”

“Which means, instead of getting everyone feeling sleepier, we’ve gotta do the opposite!” Kaito declared. “I say if everybody’s too pumped to pass out, then nobody’s shock collar will go off!”

“Are you sure that’s not just gonna drive them more insane?” Shuichi asked. “You, Kaede, and myself might be all set with our training, but not everybody likes fitness or being constantly motivated that much.”

“They won’t have a choice.” None of the student council members noticed the hand reaching out from under the table grabbing a handful of thumbprint cookies and pulling them under as Kaito kept speaking. “Either they use this as a way to resist Monokuma, or someone gets seriously hurt as a consequence. And I’ll be damned if I let anybody else go before any of us are ready to!”

“Besides, if Kaito’s idea doesn’t work, then there’s always the option of turning back to your idea,” Korekiyo said, filling his journal with more notes involving the meeting. “There is more than one way to skin a cat, as they say.”

“All in favor of trying out Kaito’s idea first?” Kaede quizzed, raising her hand not feeding herself peach mousse cake from her fork. Tenko, Korekiyo, and Kaito all joined, Shuichi the last after hesitating. “Then, it’s settled. We keep everybody’s spirits high so distract them from being tired!”

“Might I suggest a strategy?” Korekiyo offered. “Since I’d prefer not to impose on your Aikido training with Kaito and Saihara-kun, we as a whole could set up many other activities requiring just as much energy to perform.”

“Like what? A sports’ day festival? I don’t know how I feel about doing public events anymore after the first two…”

“They don’t have to be formal events like Paint Night or Sixth Sensation.” Korekiyo cut his own slice of peach mousse cake, stabbing his fork into its fruit and eating one. “Simply planned exercises for all of us to partake in— mandatorily— so none of us doze off.”

“I could use a fuller court in my Lab,” Kaito offered. “If I can teach two people the ins and outs of tennis, what’s seven more?”

“Not everybody will want to play sports,” Tenko reminded him. “They might just want something to keep them awake and get it over with.”

“Hey, I’m just putting the offer on the table. Nothin’ wrong with that.”

“We can always poll everyone to see what they wanna do best after we tell them later,” Kaede decided. “So, who votes in favor of—? Oh! Shuichi, was that you?”

“No? Was what me?” Shuichi asked.

“You’re gonna tell me you didn’t just brush against my leg just now?” Kaede batted her eyes at him, smirking. “I’m not upset, but I’d rather you waited until after the meeting. Or at least the recess.”

“I didn’t do anything!” Shuichi noticed a small hand reaching for Kaede’s cake slice, taking it and the fork. “But, _that_ sure did.”

“My cake! Who’s under there?!” Kaede knelt down and pulled up the tablecloth, revealing Ouma sitting on his butt snacking on cookies and the stolen cake.

“Hey,” he greeted casually, waving with his mouth full before swallowing after the rest of the student council spotted him.

“We’ve been infiltrated!” Tenko gasped.

“I thought I smelled a brat,” Miu hissed, dragging Ouma out by his hood and holding him up. “Who let you in here, Cockitchy?”

“Me, myself, and none of you,” Ouma answered, freeing himself through unzipping his hoodie and falling on his butt revealing his starry overall shorts and black T-shirt. “Gotta hand it to you, Miu; even sweaty, oily bargain bin street tramps like yourself make a mean plate of cookies!”

“S-Sweaty and oily…!” Miu writhed with delight, living up to the insult. “A little simple, but it’s a nice refresher…!”

“Kokichi, I thought I made it clear you weren’t welcome while a meeting is taking place,” Korekiyo scolded, putting the hoodie back on Ouma and zipping it up.

“Aww, couldn’t help it!” Ouma pouted, hugging Kiyo’s arm as if his clingy partner. “An hour and a half was just too long not to bother you! Lots could have happened in that time!”

“Like?”

“Duh, murder. This is a killing game and we _just_ got a motive! Wake up and smell the math!”

“Oh.” Korekiyo rubbed Ouma’s head a few times, softening up. “Oh, Kokichi, I was going to be alright. Don’t spend too much of today worrying about me.”

“No, I couldn’t care less what happens to you. I just wanted to kill you myself before anyone else beat me to it.”

“I’m sure you did.” He patted Ouma’s back, guiding him outside. “Now, run along, we’re nearly done.”

“Fine by me.” Ouma picked up his stolen share of cookies and Kaede’s cake slice, leaving the room. “Enjoy your boring student clown-cil meeting!”

“Nosy little,” Kaito muttered. “Shin, how do you have the strength to deal with him?”

“Plenty of patience, perseverance, and breaks in-between,” Korekiyo answered. “All of it a labor of love.”

“Speaking of breaks, let’s vote on a few more things, then take ours,” Kaede said. “So, all in favor of Kiyo’s activities plan?” Everyone raised their hands. “Good. Moving on.”

The student council proceeded with the meeting, going over recordings from the non-members collected by Tenko and deliberating on what to do with the suggestions. A short recess was taken, and everyone reconvened to discuss some final matters in the last half-hour of the entire meeting. Once dismissed, Tenko left first while Shuichi, Kaede, and Kaito made plans for training as soon as they left the meeting room, too. During their private discussion, Ouma barged in and moseyed on past them without paying any heed, going to Korekiyo and latching onto his waist from the side demandingly.

“What are you waiting for? It’s been 90 minutes, and I’m ready for ya!” Ouma ordered, starting to pull Korekiyo out of the Lab with him. “Let’s go!”

“I am a man of my word,” Korekiyo chuckled, “but, where are you in such a hurry to take me to?”

“Nowhere specific, but we’ve gotta go, anyway! As your future conqueror, I say so! March!”

“Right away, Kokichi.”

“Hold on, hold on,” Kaito intervened, earning a hateful glare from Ouma. “Korekiyo, are you really okay with being held hostage for whoever-knows-how-long?”

“So long as it isn’t forever, I don’t see the problem in it.”

“Why not make it that long?” Ouma cooed, sticking his tongue out playfully.

“Because I have my own things to attend to that require me not being busy ‘forever’, that’s why.”

“You could reschedule.”

“Kokichi, why don’t I keep you busy for a little bit?” Kaede offered. “I’ll do almost anything you want, but Kiyo deserves a break.”

“From what? I haven’t even gotten started with him! I’m flattered you want my attention, but I don’t need anything from the vending machine today, sorry to say. Better luck next time, Kaebae!”

_‘Is that all I am to him? A free snack box?’_

“Ouma-kun, is it okay if I chat with Shinguuji-kun for a little bit before you walk off with him?” Shuichi requested.

“What? Kaede and Momota-chan not enough for you?” Ouma mocked. “There’s nothing you should have to say that doesn’t require me being in the room.”

“I’ll be just fine,” Korekiyo said comfortingly. “There isn’t anything wrong with a short talk in private.”

“Famous last words, Kiyo-chan.”

“Leave, Kokichi. I’ll just be a few moments.”

Ouma stared blankly for a few seconds, then broke into a smile. “Okie-dokie! Have fun with Shumai!” He flashed Shuichi an unsettling, darker version of his previous expression. “Who knows I’ll be _right_ outside and better not do anything that’s gonna guarantee he breathes his last. Got it, Shifu?”

“Goodbye, Ouma-kun,” Shuichi sighed, evicting Ouma while Kaede and Kaito headed out, too. “I won’t be too long, guys. Just wait outside my Lab and I’ll be right out to let you in.”

“See you there, bro!” Kaito confirmed. “While we wait, we’ll get a headstart on warm-ups!”

“And we’re experts at getting set for fitness,” Kaede boasted. “Don’t take too long, or you might have some time catching up.”

“I’ll try my best. I am just the Ultimate Aikido Master, after all,” Shuichi laughed, closing the door after it was just him and Korekiyo in the room (not counting Miu in her kitchen area washing the dishes and thereby not paying attention).

“Whatever did you wish to talk about, Saihara-kun?” Korekiyo asked, him and Shuichi each taking a wing chair by the windows.

“Something I’m sure you’ve noticed, even if you weren’t the Ultimate Detective. Hasn’t Ouma-kun seemed a little… clingy? Since the motive was released earlier?”

“This isn’t abnormal for him. What do you mean?”

“I mean more than usual. Think about it! He dragged you out of the gym as soon as Monokuma left, and of course sneaking under the table while the meeting was going on. When has he ever done that even though he normally couldn’t care less about the student council’s business?”

“Calm yourself, Saihara-kun.” Korekiyo swallowed some bitter saliva saying that unintentionally, moving on from the flash of discomfort he’d given himself. “Kokichi has yet to truly misbehave. Why, I take this as almost a good thing. The boy’s only concerned something’s going to happen now that Monokuma’s given us another reason to kill.”

“I figured, but— doesn’t it bother you?”

“So long as he’s on relatively decent behavior and not giving anyone else trouble, no.” Korekiyo smiled, pale cheeks a noticeably fond pink whilst his index finger toyed with a side lock of hair. “Dare I say, it’s— actually rather sweet of him, showing me that ever-so beautiful caring side of his…”

“You sure seem fond of him. What exactly is going on between you two?”

“Nothing beyond platonic, I assure you. I will not have something like that distract me entirely.”

“Something like what? Romance?”

“Exactly. Kokichi and I are only very close friends, and nothing more.”

“Is that how you both feel?”

Korekiyo gave him a blank stare back, the pink in his face deepening. “Let’s change the subject back. I have no issues with Kokichi’s current behavior unless he takes it too far. If he does, I’ll handle it myself.”

“Since you really seem okay with it. If you wind up not, though, don’t be scared to speak up and I’ll come to the rescue.”

“Will do, Saihara-kun. I know your Aikido isn’t a force to be underestimated.”

“You know, I don’t mind if you call me by my first name. It is a little weird that we’re the only two officers not on that kind of basis, given we’re pretty much co-workers.”

“Tenko-san doesn’t use our first names.”

“She’s a different case. I mean it. If you wanna just call me ‘Shuichi’, be my guest. It’d— be nice getting off to a better start with us, after all.”

“Very well. That means you’ll have to use my first name in return, as it’s only fair.”

Shuichi smiled. “I don’t mind. Well, I’d better get going. Kaede and Kaito are waiting for me to open my Lab. Did you and Ouma-kun wanna stop by to watch?”

“I don’t think I could convince him, even if I tried. No, I’ll see myself out of you three’s hair for now. I shan’t meddle.”

“You wouldn’t be meddling, just watching—”

“—Time’s up!” Ouma shouted, barging back in and wrapping his arms around Kiyo’s left one. “Let’s go, Kiyo-chan! You double-promised!”

“I never forgot,” Korekiyo chuckled, letting Ouma take him away. “Enjoy your afternoon, Shuichi-kun. Be careful with the you-know-what’s.”

 _‘Maybe I should have specified not needing the honorific,’_ Shuichi thought, leaving once Korekiyo and Ouma were gone. _‘Oh, well. I’ll say so next time. For now, I’m late for training!’_

The Aikidoka went downstairs and out the Academy’s main entrance, passing Tenko on his way out while she took his place inside to go upstairs. Rantaro wasn’t anywhere near his Research Lab or hers to be checked on, which already struck up several red flags saying it out loud, so she’d set off like a bloodhound in hunting him down personally. He didn’t detour near many places he felt weren’t necessary, so Tenko narrowed her choices to one she could think of to visit. Nothing on Floors 2 or 3, but the noises she heard at the end of Floor 4 got her inner voice to badger her enough into checking it out with discretion. It came from the Computer Room, a few knocks getting no answer back, so Tenko resorted to her other preferred method of entry.

“I know you’re in here, Rantaro! There’s no hiding from—!” Tenko barked, skidding in her tracks when she discovered the inventor working at the wires connected to the giant supercomputer. “Well!”

Tenko’s offended tone spooked Rantaro into darting his whole body around, lifting his goggles and seeing the robot girl with her hands on her hips. “Yikes! Don’t sneak up on me like that, please,” he requested. “You scared me.”

“Rightfully so, if I’d known you’d be modifying another machine behind my back. What does she have that I don’t, hmm?”

“Lots, but you’re the uncontested winner for sure.” Rantaro waved a hand. “I promise, she— ugh, _it_ means nothing to me. It’s just business.”

“What kind of business? You’ve been holing yourself up a lot lately, and you won’t say why.” Tenko’s eyebrows creased up, perturbed. “At least tell me, won’t you?”

“Can’t. Not yet, at least. But, it’ll all make sense really soon, is what I can say.”

“For some reason, I’m can’t find it in me to take any comfort from that. Could you at least tell me how things went with getting _these_ off?” She gestured to the shock collar without pulling at it.

“Oh, right, that.” Rantaro remembered all of his efforts ending with him lightly charred by either the shock collar, or anything he tried to use in deactivating it. “...Let’s just say it’s still a huge work-in-progress.”

“That’s what I was afraid you were gonna tell me. By all means, keep trying, but don’t kill yourself getting yourself to success.”

“It’s not really me I’m worried might do me in, but that’s why I’m super careful as is.” His eyes flickered to the supercomputer and his personal roll of tools. “Listen, Tenko, could I see you later on in your Lab? I wanna talk to you about something really important, but here isn’t a good place to chit-chat.”

“Why not? We’re the only ones in here.”

“Yeah, but I’ve also got some work I need to get done on this thing. If I don’t, it’s gonna come back and bite everybody, not just me.”

“How?” Rantaro’s serious look made Tenko begrudgingly drop her unanswered question, but she gave him a flinty one back whilst pressing her index fingers together. “Fine, but I’d better not catch you doing something you know you’re gonna wind up in serious trouble for.”

“This will be the exact opposite. Trust me.”

Tenko’s frown showed as much hurt as her tone. “You ask me to do that, and yet you can’t do it back enough to tell me what’s going on?”

“Please. I’m only asking this so you don’t get involved. Not yet, at least.”

“...Don’t think this is gonna be the end of this, Rantaro. When we talk later, I don’t want you being even slightly vague with me! Okay?”

Rantaro nodded, pulling his goggles back down smiling mild. “I promise. You can count on me to uphold that, at least.”

“I’d better be able to.” On her way out, Tenko turned to the supercomputer Rantaro resumed working on, glared at it one last time, and left. “...Floozy.”

Going up another level, Tenko passed by Korekiyo’s Lab, which was being occupied by the owner and Ouma enjoying some coffee together. “Lovely of you to put this together, Kokichi,” Korekiyo commended, the porcelain cup and coaster at chest-level. “First, your ‘grand tour’—”

“— _Re_ -tour,” Ouma corrected.

“It’s only such to you. Remember, this is still my first visit to my Research Lab.” He sipped his cup. “Now, as I was saying, this afternoon with you has been lovely, right down to your coffee.”

“Didn’t you help me make it?”

“And supervise, which is why it’s such a divine brew. But, I’ll still give credit where it’s earned.” Korekiyo looked at his mantle, which had an “asteroid rock” placed between the candlesticks. “Such as décor, for example.”

“I’ve got an eye for the deets. Two of ‘em, actually! You know, I was almost the Ultimate Interior Designer, buuut, I decided space felt a lot more interesting than making pretty houses for ungrateful Earthlings any weekday.”

“Which is why you limited showing off your ‘expertise’ on Earthlings you’ve grown fond of?”

“‘Fond’ is a strong word. I prefer the term ‘taken a longer gander at’, instead.” Ouma reclined in his parlor chair opening one eye to look at Kiyo, who’d taken the spaceman’s feet from off the coffee table. “At least I found an Earthling that even Martians would agree is easy on the eyes.”

“My looks have nothing to do with this, dear. Besides, I have my doubts that I’m the only person who’s been on the receiving end of your less harsh side.”

“Yeah, yeah, save it for the funnies, Detective. Your coffee’s getting cold.”

Korekiyo chuckled once. “Then, I see no reason to pry. Just know my heart swells with nothing but pride.”

“Oooh, you might wanna get that checked out. Is there a doctor in the prisonhouse?”

“I’ll have to check, since it is about time I be going.”

“Whaaat?! Kiyo-chan, can’t you stay a little longer? We’re in _your_ Lab, after all. I haven’t even made a nick in wooing you, either!”

“Believe me, you’ve accomplished more than you think.” Korekiyo shooed Ouma out of his Lab despite his protests. “I’d be happy to see you at dinner, but for now, I’d like some time for myself to work.”

“I could do it, too! That conspiracy board’s just begging for me to mess with it and point to all the sus people!”

“Were I to let you do so, it’d be an intangible web of red yarn with no actual basis outside of ‘looks untrustworthy’. Sorry, Kokichi, but I’ll be doing this myself. This is ‘my Lab’, like you said.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don’t be late for dinner, or I’ll be the one pulling _you_ by the ear this time!”

Korekiyo let Ouma go, picking up his journal used primarily for observations and heading out with it after locking his Lab. At the foot of the stairs taking him from the fifth floor to the fourth, he trailed along the aged boards and kept his ears and eyes on the lookout in case anything (or, anyone, realistically) was tempted to strike with stealth. He did hear strange noises, but only when he’d stopped in front of the Computer Room sounding unusually occupied from the inside. Going ahead and entering, Korekiyo walked in on a startled Rantaro, who quickly ceased and shielded his work to push up his goggles and greet his classmate.

“Afternoon, Shinguuji-kun,” Rantaro said. “Didn’t think I’d see you in here.”

“Nor I you,” Korekiyo stated. “Are we having fun playing on the computer?”

“Oh, don’t call this playing. I’m not aiming to beat anybody’s high score in Solitaire or anything.”

“Then, what are you doing? Very few come in here without a good reason.”

Rantaro glanced from the side, his eyes somewhat dulled and shaded. “I’ve got a good reason, but is it your place having me tell you?”

Korekiyo leered, very suspicious. “Considering we’ve just gotten our newest motive to kill, I think you telling me would be the least I could ask for. If you’re trustworthy, then you shouldn’t have anything to hide.”

“Likewise, I should also have a right to my privacy. I’m not doing anything I shouldn’t be doing, so I’d thank you to drop it and move along. You just might thank _me_ someday for doing this, even.”

“Amami-kun, I’d hate to be on your case, but—”

Rantaro gave him a stern look, arms folded. “—If you’d hate it so much, then don’t be. Sorry if I seem a little rude, but I’m a guy who prefers working as behind the scenes as possible without anyone getting nosy.”

“Well, I don’t know what you expected of the Ultimate Detective, but what you call ‘nosy’, I call ‘doing my damn job’.”

“That doesn’t automatically give you the right to intrude. You can stand there and interrogate me all you want; I’m not spilling, and that’s final.”

Korekiyo’s glare deepened, his thumb pressing against his fountain pen. “You don’t want to confess? Fine. Then, it seems I’ll be prying my answers out of you by force from here on out.”

“Go ahead and try to, but don’t think I’ll be cracking just because you want me to.” Rantaro tapped his head. “I’ve got an airtight head, and my lips are sealed shut.”

“I don’t expect answers verbally. The minute you slip up is when I’ll be watching and busting you. Of course, this could all be avoided by one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Telling us what you’re doing so nobody starts believing you’re on your way to becoming the next blackened.”

“Over my dead body. And that’s the one thing I intend to stop from coming true.”

“It well might at this rate, Amami-kun. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, either.”

Rantaro didn’t bother watching Korekiyo leave, pulling his goggles back down and returning to his plan. _‘Can’t say I blame the guy for getting suspicious, but that’s not my problem. I know what I’m doing, and that’s exactly how it’s gonna stay until this is all over.’_

He fiddled with some of the computer’s wires, rearranging and putting them where they would fit best and not malfunction. A thorough inspection and run-through of each one made for all passing tests, Rantaro able to move onto the next phase. Pulling out his Monopad and a separate wire, he connected it and the supercomputer, choosing a random keyboard for accessing an in-progress program. While he modified it, Korekiyo spied on him warily from outside, jotting down his every movement and taking special note of the Monopad’s presence until he’d gotten his fill and walked off in silence.

Just what did Rantaro think he was doing…?

* * *

“One swift motion, you guys! And use your feet!” Shuichi instructed in his Lab, supervising Kaito practicing a new technique on Kaede. “Lift, Kaito, lift! Don’t throw her across the room, though. Tobi ukemi means—”

“—Yeah, yeah, direct flip onto the ground, I know!” Kaito wheezed, grabbing Kaede by the wrist and spinning her to the side before finishing off with a throw to the tatami. When helping her up, he took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “Piece of cake.”

“Are you sure? You look worn out,” Kaede noted.

“Picture of health! Let’s just keep going for a little bit longer. I can take it! Bring on the next lesson!”

“Okay, let’s move onto some defenses against kicking,” Shuichi suggested. “Why don’t we try sokumen irimi nage today?”

Kaito pounded his fists together confidently. “Sounds like a plan! What is it, Sensei?”

“Come over here, and I’ll demonstrate. First, I need you to try and kick me while I stay at a reasonable distance. Now, when your opponent goes in for their attack—!” Kaito flexed his leg up towards Shuichi’s chest, the martial artist moving closer and intercepting by putting one arm to Kaito’s neck and the other under his leg, forcing him down on his back. “You move forward and knock them down before they can really touch you.”

“Mind if I give it a try? I’ve done nothing but play training dummy this whole time,” Kaede offered.

“Go ahead and bring it!” Kaito challenged, backing up enough so Kaede could have enough room.

“Remember the arm furthest from the leg has to go under,” Shuichi instructed, watching the other two perform a good first attempt at sokumen irimi nage, albeit not as smoothly as his demonstration. “Good, not bad. Don’t forget to put more of your upper body strength into pinning your opponent!”

“Like this?” Kaede wondered, keeping Kaito at a distance and hooking her arm under the kick to flip him onto his bottom using the opposite hand.

“Exactly, great job! Did you wanna try it now, Kaito?”

“I’ve gotta get good at it sometime,” Kaito agreed, clearing his throat into his gi sleeve and taking a deep breath. “Ready!”

“Are you?” Kaede asked. “You’ve looked a little woozy since we’ve been waiting for Shuichi.”

“Just kick!” When Kaede did so and Kaito moved in to deflect her, he lost the steadiness when he’d coughed violently, accidentally dropping her so he could cover his mouth. “My bad. One more time…!”

“Kaito, if you’re not feeling too hot, I’m not gonna make you stay today,” Shuichi said. “It’s not like we’ll never be training again after this.”

“I’m feeling plenty hot!” Kaito barely caught his balance, his dizziness worsening. “And no, I don’t mean like a fever or anything— I mean I’m fit as a fiddle!”

“Leave the lying to Kokichi, please,” Kaede told him. “We’ll just call training early today, and pick things up next time.”

“What?! What about the ryotetori technique Shuichi promised us?!”

“Next time,” Shuichi agreed with Kaede. “For now, you’d better go lie down, and I don’t mean passed out in the middle of my dojo, either.”

“I’ll show you I’m doing well! Watch!” Kaito charged at Shuichi, who instantly grabbed him and sent him to the floor using a swift yonkyo technique. “Ah!”

“Go lie down, or I’ll force you.”

“And if he doesn’t, I will,” Kaede added, just as firm. “I’ve got my ways around people who don’t wanna take naps, too.”

“Fine,” Kaito growled, pushing himself up and taking his gi off without caring he was in his boxer shorts. He took his day clothes and changed into them on his way out of Shuichi’s Lab, slamming the sliding door behind him angrily.

“We weren’t being too hard on Kaito, were we?”

“No, it’s usually a kick in the teeth that gets the message through to him,” Shuichi exhaled. “Him going this far to dodge his illness is getting way out of hand.”

“It’s not like we can just get him to speak up about it,” Kaede groused. “Then, he’ll think we know his secret beyond speculating. Even if we did, he’d still deny it on the spot, and we’d have no proof to back it up.”

“Umm… about that. ...I saw it with my own two eyes.”

“You saw what?”

“Kaito getting sick. After the last trial, I heard him coughing in the bathroom and saw enough blood to paint the whole sink. Suffice to say, this isn’t just any old seasonal sickness; it’s deadly serious.”

“He coughed up blood?! Why is he keeping that a secret?!”

“Because this is Kaito we’re talking about. Whatever might feel like a weakness isn’t leaving his lips.”

“Then we’ll just have to get it out ourselves! He may not want to, but Kaito Momota is going to do the unthinkable.”

“You mean…?”

Kaede cracked her knuckles. “Yep. He’s going to talk. About. His feelings.”

One change from a gi back into her day clothes later, and Kaede was out the door to the Dormitory across the courtyard with Shuichi following closely. Even if ignoring the killing game’s circumstances were possible, seeing the new blood droplets on the foyer’s floor would have made anybody’s stomach churn. The only thing reassuring them both that no new deaths had taken place was Kaito’s loud hacking and coughs from inside his sleeping quarters, worry claiming its rightful throne soon after. Shuichi and Kaede frantically knocked at the same time, Kaito’s weak “Just a sec…!” hinting that he was cleaning up as much mess as possible, limping to the door, and answering with a hero’s façade worn on his sleeve.

“What’s up, guys?” Kaito inquired. “I’ve been laying down like as promised, don’t worry. Kinda hard to since none of us can sleep anymore, but I’ll manage—”

“—Let’s talk,” Shuichi asserted. “It won’t take too long, but it’s important.”

“Okay, come in.” He let Shuichi and Kaede inside of his room, thankful no “evidence” was left sitting out. “So! Tell me what’s on my trusty sidekicks’ minds today. My two ears are a-waitin’!”

“This won’t be an easy conversation, but we won’t sugarcoat this,” Kaede said. “Kaito, we know you’re not as healthy as you let on.”

Kaito’s eyes widened. “I— dunno what you mean.”

“Yes, you do,” Shuichi refuted. “Unless, somehow, you wanna try and tell me you haven’t been coughing so badly that you start bleeding?”

“Fine, I will. I _haven’t_ , so quit makin’ shit up about my life you’ve got not clue about.”

“I’m making up what I saw with my own two eyes? I’m making up you being so out of breath you’re not even feeling well enough to stay during training? Or maybe I’m making up the fact that my own best friend is all about helping other people, yet can’t find the courage to let us help him?!”

“Sidekicks get support; they’re not supposed to _give_ it to their heroes!”

“Oh, cut the crap with all that ‘hero’ junk for once! You’re not some modern-day Atlas carrying the Earth on his shoulders; you’re a sick, normal human being who if he keeps not getting help, it’s gonna be too late to do it!”

“It’s already too late for me! That’s why I’m riding things out for as long as possible! The Shining Star of the Court ain’t dying unless it’s on my own terms!”

“What about us, then?! Were we supposed to just find you dead without a heads’ up?!” Tearfully, Shuichi slammed his hand on the nightstand, which cracked some under his strength. “I know you’ve got your faults, but I didn’t think I’d add ‘selfish’ to that list!”

“ _I’m_ selfish?! For what? Not wanting to have you guys find out about my burdens and drag you down with me?! You don’t deserve that!”

“But we deserve being unable to help you until it’s too late?!”

“YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO HELP ME!” Shuichi and Kaede froze when Kaito balled his fists so tightly his knuckles paled, hunched over and shaking with his bottom lip. “The fuck kinda hero am I…? Just when I think I’ve worked my way high enough, something in me always sneaks up to hold me back…”

“Kaito, don’t forget you’re not some super-thing who can solve every problem the world puts on him,” Kaede spoke up at last. “You’re gonna run into days where you’re gonna need help, whether you like it or not.”

“But, I don’t like it! I’m supposed to be a dependable friend, not a dependent kid who’s secretly coughing himself to death!” Tears Shuichi and Kaede weren’t used to seeing from Kaito’s eyes grew thick, dripping and running down his face as sobs coated his words. “At least once… I’d like some control over my life. I don’t got much of it left, but at least lemme make it count while I can…! Is that really so hard for a guy to ask? Well? Is it?!”

“Some things can never be helped,” Shuichi said, his anger forgotten seeing Kaito’s plight. “That doesn’t mean the rest is something you don’t have a say in. You’re not helpless because of it; only… well, normal.”

“The same goes for having weaknesses,” Kaede added. “Even heroes have them, and what do they do about it?”

“Overcome ‘em?” Kaito asked.

“Well, yes, but I was thinking they more acknowledge them. If Superman ignored being weak to kryptonite and flew headfirst into a pile of it anyway, he’d never win a single battle in his life! Instead, he makes himself aware of it, and saves the day around it despite knowing that flaw’s not going away.”

“So, what? I just— work around my sickness?”

“Instead of pretending it’s not there,” Shuichi confirmed. “By all means, take your meds to make the symptoms easier, but don’t act like it’s not a big deal, either.”

“And for the love of God, let us help you out every now and again,” Kaede groaned. “You spend so much of your time scratching our backs, doing it to you isn’t gonna blow the world up.”

“What it will do is let you leave without an itch in your back. Friendship isn’t a one-way street, Kaito, and Kaede and I are gonna help you understand that so you don’t have to feel so miserable inside.”

“That doesn’t mean I’ll be up and asking my sidekicks for every little answer,” Kaito spat. “I’ve still gotta go through my own life.”

“Not by yourself, you don’t. Being able to pull through yourself is a sign of strength, but so is having the courage to ask for help sometimes when it gets really tough.”

“If all of us went through life trying to do everything solo, then we’d get nothing done as a species,” Kaede giggled. “Egypt wasn’t built in a day, and not by one person, either.”

Kaito sniffled, dragging the back of his hand across his damp eyes and back. “Don’t be scared to tell me if you get burned out. If you guys do wanna be my rocks, too, then I still expect lots of personal TLC on your ends.”

“We’re not gonna pour every drop of ourselves into your life,” Shuichi reassured him. “Just plenty.”

“That’s all friends do,” Kaede said, giving Kaito her hand. He paused briefly, but took it in a mild grip with his own. “And we’ll be friends ‘til the end.”

“Past it.” Shuichi threw his hand into the circle, gripping Kaede and Kaito’s as best as he could.

Kaito smiled, for once letting two more streaks of tears pour from his eyes out of happiness. Leaning his body forward, it stopped when Shuichi and Kaede’s brows met his, as if sealing the promise they’d just made to him. They remained in place, in no rush to break the circle and letting such a once-tense moment mellow out until all that was left was complete repose. Rough odds were stacked against them again, but notwithstanding future events, they were going to stick it out and defy whatever and who wanted them to fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Busted from P&F playing in the background while Amaguuji's up to shit in their own ways*
> 
> ngl, writing Rantaro is pretty fun and I heard K*daka regretted killing him off so soon because of all the mystery and potential he had in his character (that, or he just wanted to hear Midorikawa's voice longer, idk), so for once, I agree with him! He's lax, amicable, and mature, but also hella cryptic, wary and distrustful (the last two he's less of a douche-ass with than Ouma, whose paranoia ended up getting seriously unhealthy and being the unfortunate, isolated death of him in canon), reasonably so given the killing game's sitch. I won't say if he survives the whole shebang or not, but know that is why I had him live W A Y longer than canon did.
> 
> (By the way, the Computer Room may not be the 4th motive this time, but it WILL be a surprise tool that will help us later ;3c)
> 
> Most of this story is just exploring the unknown with these characters, and expanding just as much, tbh. At least in my way; everyone does things differently for better... or otherwise. You'll be seeing more of that come next chapter and however long we have left together in this wild rewrite ride! As usual, we'll be meeting up again when I update next, so stick around until then. Stay freeeesh! ♥
> 
> P.S., the Lucy Liu thing... is true. Look it up.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Trigger Happy Talent Swap](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27870157) by [ItzRayla](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItzRayla/pseuds/ItzRayla)




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